Aromatic herbs that transform dampness Dampness in the middle jiao or summer heat dampness St. & Sp. meridians cang zhu, hou po, huo xiang, sha ren, bai dou kou, cao dou kou, cao guo pei lan Herbs that relieve food stagnation Food stagnation, bad appetite shan zha, shen qu, mai ya, gu ya, lai fu zi, ji nei jin

Aromatic herbs that transform dampness Part One Agents which all go to St. & Sp. Cang Zhu, 苍术 Hou Pu, 厚朴 Huo Xiang, 藿香 Sha Ren 砂仁 Bai Dou Kou, 白豆蔻 Cao Dou Kou, 草豆蔻 Cao Guo, 草果

Cang Zhu 苍术

Pharmaceutical NameAtractylodis Rhizoma Actions Strongly dries dampness & strengthen the Spleen Induces sweating & dispels wind-dampness Clears dampness from the lower-burner Improves the vision Indications ( Excess ) Reduced appetite & diarrhea; epigastric distention & pressure, fatigue, nausea & vomiting, a thick greasy coating Wind-dampness sym: chills, fever, headache, body ache, heaviness Vaginal discharge Swollen sore joints Night blindness Dosage3 – 9 g Cook Toxic sym. Cang Zhu 苍术 (warm)

ContraindicationsInternal heat due to yin def. Combinations IndicationsFormular Huang Bai 黄柏 Niu Xi 牛膝 Knees pain or weakness Bai Zhu 白术 Hou Pu 厚朴 Dampness in middle burner Du Huo 独活 Qin Jiao 秦艽 Wind-cold-damp joints pain Huang Bai 黄柏 Bai Zhi 白芷 Vaginal discharge Er Miao San 二妙散 Xuan Shen 玄参 Diabetes Hei Zhi Ma 黑芝麻 Night blindness Yi Yi Ren 薏苡仁 Damp painful obstruction Cang Zhu 苍术 (warm)

Hou pu 厚朴

Pharmaceutical NameMagnoliae officinalis cortex Actions Promotes the movement of qi in the middle burner & resolves stagnation Promotes the movement of qi downward, dries dampness, and transform phlegm Directs qi downward, reduces phlegm, and calms wheezing Indications (Excess) Chest & abdominal distention due to qi stag. Nausea and diarrhea with turbid & greasy coating Cough Wheezing Dosage3 - 9 g Cook Toxic Sym. Hou Pu 厚朴 (warm) (warm)

ContraindicationsPregnant women Combinations IndicationsFormular Zhi Shi 枳实 Da Huang 大黄 Food stagnation Chen Pi 陈皮 Bai Dou Kou 白豆蔻 Bad appetite with greasy coating Qin Pi 青皮 Yu Jin 郁金 Abdominal fullness & distention Cang Zhu 苍术 Abdominal distension; acid reflux; distasteful belching Pin Wei San 平胃散 Zi Su Zi 紫苏子 Rou Gui 肉桂 Cough & wheezing Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang 苏子降气汤 Gui Zhi 桂枝 Xin Ren 杏仁 Cough or wheezing due to external wind cold Hou Pu 厚朴 (warm)

Huo Xiang 藿香

Pharmaceutical NamePogostemonis Herba Actions Aromatically transforms dampness, releases the exterior, and dispels summer heat Harmonizes the middle burner & stops vomiting Treats dermatosis Indications (Excess) Abdominal & chest distention with nausea, greasy coating of tongue Nausea or vomiting due to dampness in middle burner Tinea in hands or feet Dosage3-9g ( double the dosage when used fresh) Cook Toxic Sym. Huo Xiang 藿香 ( slightly warm) ( slightly warm)

ContraindicationsBlazing fire from yin def. IndicationsFormular Pei Lan 佩兰 Summer heat Huo Xiang Zhen Qi San 藿香正气散 Ding Xiang 丁香 Shen Jiang 生姜 Vomiting due to cold Zi Su 紫苏 Bai Zhi 白芷 Exterior cold in summer Sha Ren 砂仁 Xiang Fu 香附 Pregnant Vomiting Huang Lian 黄连 Zhu Ru 竹茹 Vomiting due to damp heat Ban Xia 半夏 Fu Ling 茯苓 dampness Huo Xiang 藿香 ( slightly warm)

Sha Ren 砂仁

Pharmaceutical NameAmomi Fructus Actions Promotes the movement of qi, transforms dampness & strengthens the spleen Warms the middle & stops diarrhea Calms the fetus Also used in herbal prescriptions with tonifying herbs to prevent them from causing stagnation Indications (Excess & def. ) Abdominal distention Diarrhea due to spleen yang def. Morning sickness or fetus restless Dosage3 -9 g Cook Toxic Sym.Rare case reports of allergic reaction Sha Ren 砂仁 (Warm)

ContraindicationsHeat from yin def. Combinations IndicationsFormular Xu Duan 续断 Kidney yang def. Huang qin 黄芩 Fetus restless Rou Gui 肉桂 Spleen yang def. Zi Su Gen 紫苏梗 Bai Zhu 白术 Morning sickness or fetus restless Mu Xiang 木香 Bad digestion Cang zhu 苍术 Diarrhea due to cold- dampness Sang ji shen 桑寄生 Du zhong 杜仲 Unstable fetus due to kidney def. Sha Ren 砂仁 (Warm)

Bai Dou Kou 白豆蔻

Pharmaceutical NameAmomi Frucutus rotundus Actions Promotes the movement of qi, transform dampness and strengthen the stomach Warms the middle burner and causes rebellious qi descend Indications ( Excess & def. ) Abdominal Fullness, lack of appetite, a very greasy coating Vomiting due to qi obstruction or cold-dampness, middle burner cold or food stag. Dosage3 – 6 g Cook should be added near the end of the decocting process. For best results, crush before using Toxic Sym. Bai Dou Kou 白豆蔻 (warm)

ContraindicationsYin or blood def. Combinations IndicationsFormular Yi yi ren 薏苡仁 Xin Ren 杏仁 Damp-worm disease Hou Pu 厚朴 Cang Zhu 苍术 Dampness in the middle jiao Chen Pi 陈皮 Ban Xia 半夏 Vomiting due to damp-cold. Huang Qin 黄芩 Hua Shi 滑石 Damp-warmth in the middle jiao Ding Xiang 丁香 Vomiting due to cold in the middle jiao Bai Dou Kou 白豆蔻 (warm)

Cao Dou Kou 草豆蔻

Pharmaceutical NameAlpiniae katsumadai semen Actions Dries dampness & warms the middle Mobilizes the qi Dries turbid dampness Indications ( Excess & def.) Abdominal fullness & distension & pain Vomiting & diarrhea Dosage3 – 6 g Cook should be added near the end of the decocting process. For best results, crush before using Toxic Sym. Cao Dou Kou 草豆蔻 (Warm)

ContraindicationsYin or blood def. Combinations IndicationsFormular Wu Zhu Yu 吴茱萸 Abdominal pain or vomiting due to cold accumulate in St. Gao Liang Jiang 高良姜 Abdominal pain & distension due to spleen def. Hou pu 厚朴 Cold-dampness Rou Gui 肉桂 Rou Dou Kou 肉豆蔻 Chronic diarrhea Ban Xia 半夏 Chen Pi 陈皮 Cold-phlegm Cao Dou Kou 草豆蔻 (Warm)

Cao Guo 草果

Pharmaceutical NameTsaoko fructus Actions Strongly dries dampness & disperse cold Checks malarial disorders Dissolves stagnation & distention Indications (Excess ) Cold-dampness in middle burner Intermittent fever & chills Indigestion due to meat stagnation Dosage3-6 g Cook Toxic Sym. Cao Guo 草果 (warm) (warm)

ContraindicationsYin or blood def. Combinations IndicationsFormular Hou Pu 厚朴 Cang Zhu 苍术 Ban Xia 半夏 Damp-cold in the middle Jiao Chang Shan 常山 Zhi Mu 知母 Malaria Gan Jiang 干姜 Wu Zhu Yu 吴茱萸 Cold-dampness Cao Guo 草果 (warm)

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;

Herbs that relieve Food Stagnation Shan Zha, 山楂 Shen Qu, 神曲 Mai Ya, 麦芽 Gu Ya, 谷芽 Lai Fu Zi, 莱菔子 Ji Nei Jin, 鸡内金

Shan Zha 山楂

Pharmaceutical NameCrataegi Fructus Actions Reduces food stagnation & transforms accumulation Transforms blood stasis & dissipates clumps Stops diarrhea Also recently used for hypertension, coronary artery disease; and elevated serum cholesterol Indications (Excess) Meat or greasy foods accumulation Wheezing Post-partum abdominal pain and clumps due to blood stasis Dysentery-like diarrhea Dosage9 -12 g Cook Toxic Sym. Shan Zha 山楂 (sightly warm) (sightly warm)

Combinations IndicationsFormular Mai Ya 麦芽 Bad digestion Zhi Shi 枳实 Food stagnation Dan Shen 丹参 hypertension, coronary artery disease; high cholesterol Ji Nei Jin 鸡内金 Shen Qu 神曲 Diarrhea due to food stag. Xia Ku Cao 夏枯草 Ju Hua 菊花 Hypertension or dizziness Contraindications Large dosage are absolutely contraindicated during pregnancy, as this can lead to fetal death Spleen & st. def. Shan Zha 山楂 (sightly warm)

Shen Qu 神曲

Pharmaceutical NameMassa medicata fermentata Actions Reduces food stagnation and harmonizes the stomach Also added to pills that contain minerals to aid in their digestion and absorption Indications (Excess) Food stagnation Diarrhea due to food stagnation Dosage6 – 15 g ( for restraining lactation use g ) Cook Toxic Sym.None noted Shen Qu 神曲 (warm)

Contraindications Combinations IndicationsFormular Ji Nei Jin 鸡内金 Food stagnation or bad appetite Fu ling 茯苓 Vomiting & diarrhea due to dampness Cang Zhu 苍术 Food stagnation due to spleen yang def. Bing Lang 槟榔 Child food stag. Shan Zha 山楂 Meat stag. Huo Xiang 藿香 Zi Su Ye 紫苏叶 Food stagnation due to exterior-cold Shen Qu 神曲 (warm)

Mai Ya 麦芽

Pharmaceutical NameHordei Fructus germinatus Actions Reduces food stagnation and strengthens the stomach Restrains lactation Facilitates the smooth flow of liver Qi Indications (Excess & def.) Undigested food stag. Distended and painful breasts Liver qi stag. Dosage9 – 15 g for restraining lactation use 30 – 60 g Cook Toxic Sym. Mai Ya 麦芽 (neutral)

Contraindications Women during lactation except in low dosage (up to 9g) Combinations IndicationsFormular Shen Qu 神曲 Undigested food Gan Jiang 干姜 Cold in the middle jiao caused food stag. Bai Zhu 白术 Bad appetite Xiang Fu 香附 Liver qi Stag. Mai Ya 麦芽 (neutral)

Gu Ya 谷芽

Pharmaceutical NameOryzae Fructus germinatus Actions Reduces food stag. Strengthen the stomach. Indications (Excess & def.) Undigested starchy foods Weak digestion Lose appetite Dosage9 – 15 g Cook Toxic Sym. CombinationAlways use with Mai Ya or Chen Pi to treat weak digestion Gu Ya 谷芽 (neutral)

Lai Fu Zi 莱菔子

Pharmaceutical NameRaphani Semen Actions Reduces food stagnation and eliminates distention Causes qi to descend and reduces phlegm Recently used for hypertension Indications (Excess) Food accumulation Belching or acid regurgitation Cough or wheezing Dosage4.5 – 9 g CookShould be crushed prior to use Toxic Sym.One report as dry mouth, vertigo Lai Fu Zi 莱菔子 (neutral)

ContraindicationsShould not be taken long term ( broken Qi ) Combinations IndicationsFormular Shen Qu 神曲 Food stag. Ban Xia 半夏 Belching due to food stag. Lian Qiao 连翘 Stagnated food turn to heat Zi Su Zi 紫苏子 Cough & wheezing with lots phlegm Da Huang 大黄 Constipation Xing Ren 杏仁 Chronic cough Lai Fu Zi 莱菔子 (neutral)

Ji Nei Jin 鸡内金

Pharmaceutical NameGigeriae galli endothelium corneum Actions Strongly reduces food stagnation and improves the spleens transportive function Secures the essence and stops enuresis Transforms hardness and dissolves stones Indications (Excess) Child food stag. Bed-wetting, urinary frequency, and urination at night Stones in either the urinary or biliary tract All types of food stag. Dosage3 – 9g Cook Toxic Sym. Ji Nei Jin 鸡内金 (neutral)

ContraindicationsFood stagnation due to spleen def. Combinations IndicationsFormular Dan Shen 丹参 Bad appetite after chemical therapy Shen Qu 神曲 Bad digestion Mang Xiao 芒硝 Stones in urinary Yu Jin 郁金 Jin Qian Cao 金钱草 GB stone Yi Zhi Ren 益智仁 Sang PiaoXiao 桑螵蛸 Bed-wetting Qian Shi 芡实 Tu Si Zi 菟丝子 Spontaneous emissions Tu Si Zi Wan 菟丝子丸 Ji Nei Jin 鸡内金 (neutral)