Herbs - Study Cards
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Qiang Lang
Chinese
蜣螂
English
Dung Beetle
Category
Downward Draining
Organs
Large Intestine • Liver
Taste
Salty • Slightly toxic
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Reduce toxicity, move Blood, calm Shen, relieve constipation
Indications
Abdominal mass, sores and boils, hemorrhoids, constipation, mania, epilepsy.
Dosage
3g to 6g
CC
Pregnancy
Feng Fang
Chinese
蜂房
English
Hornet's Nest
Category
Topical Application
Organs
Stomach • Lung
Taste
Sweet • Toxic
Temperature
Neutral
Actions
Reduce toxicity • Alleviate Pain • Dispel Wind
Indications
toxic sores, itchy wind rashes, toothache, parasites, ringworms, pinworms, breast tumors, nasaopharyngeal carcinoma, rheumatoid arthritis
Dosage
3g to 6g
CC
Pregnancy, Qi and Blood Deficiency, Pus filled sores
Ling Xiao Hua
Chinese
凌霄花
English
Campsis Flower
Category
Regulate Blood
Sub Cat
Reduce Masses
Organs
Liver • Pericardium
Taste
Sweet • Sour
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Actions
Reduce masses • Cool blood • Dispel Blood Stasis
Indications
blood stasis, abdominal masses, amenorrhea, breast lumps, traumatic injuries
Dosage
3g to 9g
CC
Pregnancy
Ji Zi Huang
Chinese
鸡子黄
English
Chicken Egg Yolk
Category
Tonify Yin
Sub Cat
Moisten Dryness
Organs
Heart • Kidney
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Neutral
Actions
Nourish yin • Moisten dryness • Expel wind • Tonify blood
Indications
Yin deficiency • Blood deficiency • Internal wind
CC
high cholesterol • hypertension • atherosclerosis • heart disease
Yu Mi Xu
Chinese
玉米须
English
Corn Silk
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Bladder • Gallbladder • Liver
Taste
Sweet • Bland
Temperature
Neutral
Key Things
Kidney stones
Actions
Drain dampness • Promote urination • Clear damp heat from LV/GB
Indications
Kidney stones • Dampness • Xiao Ke • Jaundice • LV/GB damp heat • Edema • Painful urinary dysfunction
Dosage
9g to 60g
Zhu Ling
Chinese
猪苓
English
Polyporus
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Bladder • Kidney
Taste
Sweet • Bland
Temperature
Neutral
Actions
Drain dampness • Promote urination • Clear damp heat
Indications
Dampness • Edema • Scanty urination • Dysuria • Damp heat Lin
Dosage
5g to 10g
CC
Not for long term use • Yin deficiency
Zhi Gan Cao
Chinese
炙甘草
English
Honey Fried Licorice
Category
Tonify Qi
Organs
Heart • Pericardium • Kidney • Bladder • Small Intestine • Stomach • Spleen • Lung • Large Intestine • San Jiao • Liver • Gall Bladder
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Warm
Actions
Increase the effectiveness of Gan Cao, particularly with: Tonify middle • Tonify Heart and Spleen Qi • Harmonize other herbs
Indications
Coughing • Wheezing • Leg spasms • Abdominal spasms • Irregular pulse • Sores • Abscess • Shortness of breath • Loose stool • Irregular pulse • Qi and blood deficiency • Lassitude • Dry cough • Toxicity from herb, food, or drug
Dosage
2g to 12g
Yi Yi Ren
Chinese
薏苡仁
English
Coix Seeds
Category
Drain Dampness
Sub Cat
Wind Damp Bi Bones and Sinews
Organs
Lung • Kidney • Spleen • Stomach
Taste
Sweet • Bland
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Actions
Strengthen Spleen • Clear Damp Heat at any level • Promote urination • Clear abscess in Lung and Large Intestine • clear Wind Damp Bi for bones and sinews
Indications
Lung or Large Intestine abscess, Wind Damp Bi bones and sinews, joint stiffness, joint spasms, greasy tongue, slippery pulse, digestive issues, edema, Urinary Track Infection, Leg Qi edema
Dosage
9g to 30g
CC
None noted
Tong Cao
Chinese
通草
English
Rice Paper Herb
Category
Drain Dampness
Sub Cat
Relieve UTI
Organs
Lung • Stomach
Taste
Sweet • Bland
Temperature
Cool
Actions
Dry dampness • Promote urination • Increase lactation
Indications
UTI • Dysuria • Damp heat • Edema
CC
Pregnancy
Shi Wei
Chinese
石韦
English
Pyrrosia Leaf
Category
Drain Dampness
Sub Cat
Relieve UTI
Organs
Bladder • Lungs
Taste
Bitter • Sweet
Temperature
Cool
Actions
Promote urination • Relieve UTI • Reduce edema • Relieve cough • Dispel phlegm • Stop bleeding
Indications
•
Sheng Jiang Pi
Chinese
生姜皮
English
Raw Ginger Peel
Category
Drain Dampness
Sub Cat
Promote Urination Reduce Edema
Organs
Spleen • Stomach • Bladder
Taste
Acrid
Temperature
Cool
Actions
Promote urination • Reduce edema • Harmonize Middle Jiao
Indications
Edema • Urinary dysfunction • Lower Jiao dampness
Dosage
4g to 10g
Qu Mai
Chinese
瞿麦
English
Dianthus
Category
Drain Dampness
Sub Cat
Relieve UTI
Organs
Heart • Small Intestine • Bladder
Taste
Bitter
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Drain damp heat • Invigorate blood • Promote urination • Lin Zheng • Regulate menses • Breaks up blood stasis • Unblock constipation • Cat: Drain Dampness
Indications
Constipation • Amenorrhea • Blood stasis • Heart fire pouring to Small Intestine • Lin Zheng
Dosage
5g - 15g
CC
Pregnancy
Mu Tong
Chinese
木通
English
Akebia
Category
Drain Dampness
Sub Cat
Relieve UTI
Organs
Bladder • Small Intestine • Heart
Taste
Bitter
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Actions
Relieve UTI • Promote urination • Drain Heart heat • Promote lactation
Indications
Hematuria • Lin Zheng • Poor lactation • Heart fire • UTI
Dosage
3g to 9g
Lu Hui
Chinese
芦荟
English
Aloe Juice Concentrate
Category
Downward Draining
Sub Cat
Purgative
Organs
Large Intestine • Stomach • Liver
Taste
Bitter
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Clear heat • Drain fire • Push out accumulations • Cool Liver • Kill parasites • Tonify stomach
Indications
Heat constipation • Irritability • Liver fire • Insomnia • Heart fire • Liver channel heat • Tinea
Dosage
10g to 15g whole leaf decoction
CC
Lactation • Pregnancy • Children • Diarrhea • Menses • Uterine bleeding
Lian Xu
Chinese
莲须
English
Lotus Flower Stamen
Category
Stabilize + Bind
Organs
Heart • Kidney • Liver
Taste
Astringent • Sweet
Temperature
Neutral
Actions
Clear heart heat • Stabilize essence • Stop bleeding
Indications
Heart Yin Deficiency • Spermatorrhea • Kidney deficiency • Leukorrhea • Enuresis • Epistaxis • Uterine bleeding
Jing Mi
Chinese
粳米
English
Japonica Rice
Category
Tonify Yang
Organs
Spleen • Stomach
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Warm
Actions
Tonify Qi • Tonify Yang • Generate fluids
Indications
Qi deficiency • Fluid deficiency • Spontaneous sweating
Dosage
9g to 15g
Huo Ma Ren
Chinese
火麻仁
English
Cannabis Seeds
Category
Downward Draining
Sub Cat
Moisten laxatives
Organs
Large Intestine • Spleen • Stomach
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Neutral
Indications
•
Hua Shi
Chinese
滑石
English
Talcum
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Bladder • Stomach
Taste
Sweet • Bland
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Clear heat • Drain dampness • Clear summer heat
Indications
Dampness • Summer heat • UTI • Eczema
Dosage
10g - 15g; external and internal applications
Hu Tao Ren
Chinese
胡桃仁
English
Walnuts
Category
Tonify Yang
Organs
Kidney • Lung • Large Intestine
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Warm
Actions
Moisten intestines • Unblock constipation • Tonify Kidneys
Indications
Knee and back pain • Kidney yang deficiency • Frequent urination • Kidney not grasping Lung Qi • Constipation • Kidney Jing Deficiency
Dosage
9g to 30g
CC
Yin deficiency heat • Loose stool • Phlegm fire
Hu Jiao
Chinese
胡椒
English
Black Pepper
Category
Warm Interior Expel Cold
Organs
Stomach • Large Intestine
Taste
Acrid
Temperature
Hot
Actions
Warms middle jiao • Relieve pain • Dispel cold
Indications
•
Dosage
1.5g - 4.5g crushed
CC
Yin deficiency heat • Pregnancy • Hemmorhoids • Bleeding
Gua Lou Ren
Chinese
栝楼仁
English
Snake Gourd Seed
Category
Phlegm Cough + Wheezing
Organs
Stomach • Large Intestine • Lung
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Promote urination • Clear heat • Moisten intestines • Unblock constipation
Indications
Dry constipation • Edema • Breast abscess • Phlegm heat cough • Chest phlegm accumulation • Stubborn phlegm
Dosage
2g - 18g
Gua Lou Pi
Chinese
栝楼皮
English
Gua Lou Pi
Category
Phlegm Cough + Wheezing
Organs
Stomach • Large Intestine • Lung
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Regulate Qi • Moisten lungs • Transform hot phlegm • Expands the chest
Indications
•
Dosage
6g - 30g
CC
Phlegm cold and dampness • Stomach/Spleen deficiency cold
Fu Shen
Chinese
茯神
English
Poria with Pine Root
Category
Calm Shen
Organs
Heart • Spleen
Taste
Sweet • Bland
Temperature
Neutral
Key Things
Insomnia, palpitations, or forgetfulness
Actions
Calms Shen • Quiet heart • Treat irritability • Promote urination
Indications
Disturbed shen • Dysuria • Insomnia • Irritable bowel syndrome • Spleen Qi deficiency • Dampness • Edema •
CC
None noted
Dong Kui Zi
Chinese
冬葵子
English
Malva Seeds
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Large Intestine • Small Intestine • Bladder
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Promote urination • Moisten intestine • Promote lactation • Regulate water • Unblock constipation • Relieve UTI
Indications
Dry constipation • Stone Lin • Bloody Lin • Insufficient lactation • Breast abscess • Dampness • Urinary tract infection • Edema
Dosage
3g - 14g
CC
Pregnancy • Spleen and stomach deficiency cold
Dong Gua Zi
Chinese
冬瓜子
English
Winter Melon Seeds
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Lung • Small Intestine • Large Intestine • Stomach
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Dry dampness • Transform phlegm • Clear heat • Discharge pus
Indications
Intestine Heat • Lung heat • Intestinal abscess • Thick and yellow sputum • Damp heat leukorrhea
Summer damp heat • Edema • Bronchitis
Di Fu Zi
Chinese
地肤子
English
Kochia Fruit
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Kidney • Bladder
Taste
Sweet • Bitter
Temperature
Cold
Indications
•
Dosage
3g - 15g
Deng Xin Cao
Chinese
灯心草
English
Rush Pith
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Lungs • Heart • Small Intestine
Taste
Sweet • Bland
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Actions
Clear heart heat • Calm spirit • Drain dampness • Promote urination • Clear Lung heat • Stop bleeding • Cools blood
Indications
•
Dosage
1.5g - 4.5g
CC
Incontinence • Spleen/Stomach deficiency cold
Chun Pi
Chinese
椿皮
English
Ailanthus Bark
Category
Stabilize + Bind
Organs
Stomach • Large Intestine
Taste
Bitter • Astringent
Temperature
Cold
Actions
Clear heat • Dry dampness • Stop bleeding • Kill parasites • Bind intestines
Indications
Damp heat • Roundworms • Damp heat leukorrhea • Damp heat diarrhea • Damp heat dysentery
Dosage
3g - 9g
CC
Spleen and Stomach deficiency cold • Kidney yin deficiency
Cao Wu
Chinese
草乌 (制)
English
Prepared Wild Aconite
Category
Warm Interior Expel Cold
Organs
Heart • Liver • Spleen
Taste
Pungent • Bitter
Temperature
Hot
Key Things
Mostly used topically for pain
Actions
Dispel cold • Alleviate pain • Dry dampness
Indications
Dosage
1.5g - 3g
CC
Pregnancy • Incompatible with Bei Mu, Ban Xia, Gua Lou Shi, Bai Lian, Bai Ji
Bian Xu
Chinese
扁蓄
English
Polygonum
Category
Drain Dampness
Organs
Bladder
Taste
Bitter
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Actions
Relieve UTI • Promote urination • Drain damp heat • Kill parasites
Indications
Tapeworm • Pinworm • Hookworm • UTI • Damp heat jaundice • Lin syndrome
Dosage
8g - 16g
