Week 3

Question 0

What are raw herbs

Answer 0

uncut, dirty herbs

Question 1

What are the 2 categories for herbs?

Answer 1

fresh/raw and prepared herbs

Question 2

What are some contaminants of herbs?

Answer 2

mold, microbes, pesticides, heavy metals

Question 3

What is pao zhi?

Answer 3

herb processing

Question 4

Why are herbs processed?

Answer 4

increase potency, direct actions to certain place, minimize side effects, increase properties of herb

Question 5

What are the basic wars to prepare the herb?

Answer 5

slice or pulverize, which increases its surface area

Question 6

What is defatting?

Answer 6

remove oils from grains and seeds to reduce side effects/toxicity

Question 7

What are some preparation methods with water?

Answer 7

washing - remove dirt
bleaching - removes salt or other substances
soaking in cold or boiling - softens for cutting

Question 8

What is aqueous trituration (shui fei)?

Answer 8

mineral ground with water until reduced to extremely fine powder (often used in the eye)

Question 9

What is dry frying (chao)?

Answer 9

browning herbs to prepare for storage, increases spleen and stomach awakening action

frying with salt makes it go to kidneys, frying until charred increases hemostatic ability (stop bleeding)

Question 10

Name the effects with frying with liquids

Answer 10

frying with honey - increases tonifying and moistening
frying with vinegar - increases astringent, detoxifying, and blood invigorating effects
frying with wine - clears blockages, expel wind, alleviate pain
frying with ginger - reduce effects of bitter/cold herbs that upset stomach, stops vomiting, warms

Question 11

What i calcining?

Answer 11

placing substance in flames until it is red, makes it easy to pulverize (used for minerals or substances)

Question 12

What is quick frying?

Answer 12

fried at extremely hot temperatures, this reduces toxicity

Question 13

What is dry curing or baking

Answer 13

slow or mild heat to avoid charring (used with flowers or insects)

Question 14

What does roasting in ashes do?

Answer 14

wrapping herb in moistened paper, paste or mud until insides are hot

Question 15

What does steaming do?

Answer 15

Chinese practitioners steam then dry the herbs 9 times

Question 16

What does boiling do?

Answer 16

alters characteristics or toxicity

Question 17

What is quenching?

Answer 17

usually minerals are heated and then immediately put in cold water or vinegar, helps with pulverization

Question 18

What is simmering

Answer 18

herb reduced to a thick liquid or syrup by boiling and changing water, this is then cooled and solidified into a gel

Question 19

What are the 3 common solvents

Answer 19

water
wine - invigorate blood
vinegar - astringent

Question 20

What are the two types of heat

Answer 20

military fire - high heat

civilian fire - low heat

Question 21

How long are decocting formulas cooked for?

Answer 21

30-60 min

formulas that release exterior or clear heat - 10-15 min
formulas with rich or cloying substances - 45-60 min
toxic substances - 45 min

Question 22

What kind of herbs do you add near the end of decoctions?

Answer 22

aromatic herbs (da huang has strong purgative effect, but if you cook too long it will cool blood instead of purge)

Question 23

What kind of herbs do you decoct in gauze?

Answer 23

herbs with cilia, small seeds, minerals, powdered substances

Question 24

What herbs do you decoct separately?

Answer 24

expensive and rare substances like gingseng

Question 25

What type of herbs do you dissolve into a strained decoction?

Answer 25

sticky or viscous substances

Question 26

How long are powders decocted for?

Answer 26

10 min

Question 27

What are vermillion pills?

Answer 27

pills that are coated with cinnabaris (no longer used bc toxic)

Question 28

What are syrups used for?

Answer 28

sore throats and coughs

Question 29

What are plasters used for?

Answer 29

external application like skin or join problems

Question 30

What does steeping in wine do?

Answer 30

nourishes, invigorates blood, unblocks channels, and treats wind damp pain, injury, and deficiency disorders

Question 31

How many incompatibles and counteractions are there?

Answer 31

18 incompatibles, 19 counteractions

Question 32

What are the 2 types of interactions of herbs?

Answer 32

pharmacokinetic interaction - change absorption, distribution, metabolism or elimination

pharmacodynamic reaction - alters way drugs or herbs effect tissue or organ

Question 33

What are the 3 chemical reactions that take pace in herbal medicines?

Answer 33

1) dry and prepare - 1st reaction
2) mix herbs with water - 2nd reaction
3) mix with enzymes of saliva and GI tract - 3rd reaction

Question 34

When should patients be careful to NOT take herbs?

Answer 34

scheduled surgery, liver or kidney disease, drug users, pregnancy

Question 35

What are some endangered species herbs?

Answer 35

rhino horn, turtle shell, tiger bone, bear gall bladder