Different Ma Huang 麻黄 Gui Zhi 桂枝 Induce sweating StrongMild Acrid StrongMild Both can release the exterior Exterior cold without sweatingExterior cold with little sweating Both can treat the Edema Through promotes urinationWarms the urine bladder’s Yang Qi Main action -- Disseminates Lung Qi; -- Promotes urination; -- Assists the Yang; -- Warms & unblocks the channel Indications -- Asthma; -- Edema; -- Amenorrhea; -- joints or limbs pain;

Different Ma Huang 麻黄 Xiang Ru 香薷 Induce sweating Disseminates lung Qi & open the skin; Disseminates the oppressed Yang Qi Release the exterior coldExpel the summer-damp Reduce edema Wind edema;Damp edema; Exterior coldGot exterior cold in winter;Got exterior cold in summer; Indication-- asthma;-- dampness in the middle jiao

Different Gao Ben 藁本 Qiang Huo 羌活 Bai Zhi 白芷 Expel Wind-dampness & relieve pain Vertex headache Occipital headache; Wind- damp in upper body or limbs; Frontal headache; Main action -- disperse wind -- Unblocks painful obstruction -- alleviates discharges; -- opens nose; -- reduces swelling; Indica -tions -- Joints pain; -- Back pain; -- Joints pain; -- Vaginal discharge ; -- Congested sinuses; Clinic Exterior cold disease with severe headache or body ache;

Different Sang Ye 桑叶 Ju Hua 菊花 Always using together for wind-heat disease Clear Lung Heat StrongerMild Clear Liver Heat MildStronger Indications -- lung dryness: cough with no sputum -- liver yang rebellion: dizziness, red eyes,

Different Da Huang 大黄 Mang Xiao 芒硝 Lu Hui 芦荟 Purges accumulation ： constipation All types of constipation Excess heat constipation Chronic constipation Clear Heat Clear heat in bloodClear excess heatCool the liver --Move blood stasis--Soften hardness--Kills parasites

Different Du Huo 独活 Qiang Huo 羌活 Expel wind- dampness Shao yin meridianTai Yang meridian Pain obstruction in the lower body Pain obstruction in the upper body HeadacheShao Yin headache Occipital headache Good at Pain obstruction Good at Inducing sweating, release exterior disease Always being used together to treat joints pain or whole body ache

Different Wei Ling Xian 威灵仙 Qin Jiao 秦艽 Alleviate Pain Strongermild Drains wind- dampness Wind-dampness （ cold ） Wind-dampness ( moisten) （ warm or all types ） Good at pain or stiff joints ， even for paralysis patient. Good at dampness Actions -- Focal distention & accumulation in middle jiao -- soften fish bones -- clears deficient fever; -- Reduces jaundice; -- moisten intestine;

Different Gui Zhi 桂枝 Sang Zhi 桑枝 unblocks the channels and collaterals Warm Yang to open the channesl Expel wind-dampness to open the channels Always being used together to treat upper limbs pain sym. Better at wind-warm damp pain Better at wind-cold damp pain Actions -- wildly used for warm up the yang qi in the meridian -- also used for wind-damp itch skin Both reduce edema

Different Fu Ling 茯苓 Yi Yi Ren 薏苡仁 Strengthen the Spleen & transform dampness Clear Lung Heat StrongerMild Clear Liver Heat MildStronger Indications -- lung dryness: cough with no sputum -- liver yang rebellion: dizziness, red eyes,

Different Huang Qin 黄芩 Huang Lian 黄连 Huang Bai 黄柏 Bitter & cold to clear the damp-heat Good at clear lung heat Good at clear heart fire and calm down the irritability Good at clear deficient kidney fire Actions Calm the restless fetus Clear Stomach heat & stop vomiting Clear damp-heat in the lower burner

Different Sha Ren 砂仁 Bai Dou Kou 白豆蔻 Cao Guo 草果 Moving Qi StrongestStrongAlmost none Dryness Mild Strong Main action -- Promotes the flow of Qi; -- warms the middle; -- transform dampness; -- improve appetite; -- calms the fetus; -- disseminates the lung Qi; -- awakens the Spleen; -- warms the middle; -- transform dampness; -- pierces through & disperse turbidity -- treats constraint from cold-dampness in the middle burner; -- checks malarial disorders;

Xuan Sheng 玄参

Pharmaceutical NameScrophulariae Radix Actions Clears heat & cools the blood Nourish the Yin Softens hardness & dissipates nodules Indications (Excess & Def.) Warm-heat disease in blood level Painful sores Neck lumps Constipation & irritability due to lack of fluid Dosage9 ~ 15 g Cook Toxicity Xuan Shen 玄参 (cold) (cold)