Pinyin: Rou Gui  Chinese: 肉桂
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Cinnamomi
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum cassia
English: Cinnamon Bark

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, hot
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen, Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Kidneys, Spleen and Heart and strengthens Yang and Ming Men Fire
   Kidney Yang Deficiency and Deficiency of Ming-Men Fire with aversion to Cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence and urinary frequency
   Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency with abdominal pain and Cold, reduced appetite and diarrhoea
   Kidney Unable to Grasp Qi
   Heart Yang Deficiency, particularly with chest Bi
2. Disperses deep Cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels and alleviates pain
   Deep Cold causing Qi Stagnation or Blood Stasis with Cold in the Blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, Cold-Damp Bi, Yin-type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave and ooze a clear fluid) and sores or abscesses that do not heal
   It enters the Blood aspect and, in small amounts, enhances the Blood moving action of other substances
3. Leads the Fire back to its source
   Upward Floating of Deficient Yang (False Heat, True Cold or Heat Above and Cold Below) with flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (the sweat pours out like oil), weak and cold lower extremities and a deficient and rootless pulse
   Any condition with Heat in the Upper body (dry mouth, sore throat, or teeth which is worse at night) and Cold in the Lower body (Lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhoea and weakness in the proximal portion of the pulse)
4. Assists in the generation of Qi and Blood
   Chronic Qi and Blood Deficiency (auxiliary)
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate with spirits, make the body light, and prevent forgetfulness. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Standard Dosage: 1-5g in decoction. It should be decocted later.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for syndrome of yin deficiency with fire effulgent, haemorrhage due to blood heat and pregnant women. It is incompatible with Chi Shi Zhi (nineteen incompatibilities).

Pinyin: Ru Xiang  Chinese: 乳香
Pharmaceutical: Olibanum
Taxonomy: Boswellia serrata
English: Frankincense

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver, Heart and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood and promotes the movement of Qi
   Pain due to Blood Stasis from traumatic injury
   Early stage toxic sores, carbuncles, swellings and pain
   Blood Stasis with chest, epigastric or abdominal pain
2. Relaxes the sinews, activates the channels and alleviates pain
   Wind-Damp Bi with rigidity and spasms
3. Reduces swelling and generates flesh
   Topically as an ointment or powder to reduce swelling, generate flesh, alleviate pain and promote healing of sores, carbuncles, and traumatic injury
   Pain, redness and swelling of the gums, mouth and throat

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: This herb is drasticly pungent with strong stimulation to stomach and easily causes nausea and vomiting. So it should not be taken by large dose or for a long time. Use with cautions for patients with weak stomach; prohibited for pregnant women.

Pinyin: Mo Yao  Chinese: 沒藥
Pharmaceutical: Resina Commiphorae
Taxonomy: Commiphora mukul
English: Myrrh

Tastes: Pungent, Bitter, Neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, alleviates pain and reduces swelling
   Blood Stasis with pain from trauma, sores, carbuncles, swellings, fixed abdominal masses, painful obstruction, chest pain, abdominal pain and amenorrhea
2. Generates flesh and promotes healing
   Chronic non-healing sores

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decocotion.
Cautions: Like Ru Xiang this herb is drastically pungent with strong stimulation to stomach and easily causes nausea and vomiting. It should not be taken by large dose or for a long time. Use with cautions for patients with weak stomach; prohibited for pregnant women.

Pinyin: Mu Xiang  Chinese: 木香
Pharmaceutical: Radix Aucklandiae
English: Costus Root

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine and Gall Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes the movement of Qi and alleviates pain
   Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation with anorexia, a feeling of food sitting in the Stomach, epigastric or abdominal pain or distention, nausea and vomiting
   Liver or Gallbladder Qi Stagnation with flank pain, distention or soreness
2. Adjusts and regulates stagnant Qi in the Intestines
   Intestinal Qi Stagnation with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorders, abdominal pain and tenesmus
3. Strengthens the Spleen and prevents Stagnation
   Stagnation from tonic herbs, especially when the transportive and transformative functions of the Spleen are weak
4. Dispels Damp-Heat and harmonizes the Liver and Spleen
   Disharmony of the Liver and Spleen with hypochondriac pain and distention, a bitter taste in the mouth, a yellow tongue coat and possibly jaundice
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, prevent oppressive Ghost Dreams whether sleeping during the day or the night. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
6. Suppresses Gu Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Nao Yang Hua  Chinese: 闹羊花
Pharmaceutical: Flos Rhododendra Mollae
Taxonomy: Rhododendron Molle
English: Chinese Azalea Flower

Actions & Indications:

1. Dispels Wind and eliminate Dampness, dissipates Stasis and alleviates pain
   Tachycardia, palpitation, hypertension
   Wind-Damp Bi
   Knocks and falls
2. Kills worms
   Intractable lichen

Standard Dosage: 1-6g in decoction. See cautions regarding toxicity of rhododendrons.
Cautions: Large doses and prolonged use due to presence of Grayanotoxins found in all rhododendron species. Symptoms begin up to 3 hours after consumption and include neurological, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal signs such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, headache, blurred or double vision, sweating, weakness, hypotension, slow heart rate, fainting, drowsiness, drunkenness, hallucinations, seizures and death. BhaduriHauck (2016) estimates the lethal dose at 0.2% body weight, or approx 150g for a 75kg adult but adverse effects may be reported much sooner. There is no antidote but cardiovascular effects are usually treated with atropine, from belladonna, henbane or datura species.

Pinyin: Qiang Huo  Chinese: 羌活
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma seu Radix Notopterygii
Taxonomy: Notopterygium incisium, N. forbesii
English: Notopterygium Root and Rhizome

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Bladder and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Releases the Exterior and disperses Cold
   Wind-Cold with chills, fever, headache, body aches and pains
   Usually used when accompanied by Dampness with joint pain, a general feeling of heaviness, sleepiness or occipital pain
2. Expels Wind-Cold-Dampness, unblocks painful obstruction and alleviates pain
   Wind-Cold-Damp Bi especially in the upper limbs and back
3. Guides Qi to the Taiyang and Du channels
   Directs the other herbs to the Taiyang and Du channels

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for blood deficiency because of its strong pungent, fragrant, warm and dry property. It is not appropriate for weakness of spleen and stomach because large dose of this herb induces vomiting.

Pinyin: Chuan Xiong  Chinese: 川芎
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Ligusticum
Taxonomy: Ligusticum chuanxiong syn. striatum syn. wallichii
English: Sichuan Lovage root / Cnidium root

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Pericardium

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood and promotes the movement of Qi
   Blood Stasis, especially in gynecology with dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, difficult labor or retained lochia
   Qi and Blood Stagnation with pain and soreness in the chest, flanks and hypochondria
2. Expels Wind and alleviates pain
   Externally contracted Wind with headache, dizziness or painful obstruction (Bi Syndrome) - especially useful for headaches due to Wind-Heat, Wind-Cold or Blood Deficiency (depending on the combination)
   Wind skin disorders
3. Relieves the symptoms of Gu Syndrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for headache due to Liver Yang rising or Yin deficiency with effulgent Fire because of its warm and dry properties.
Use with caution during pregnancy or in those who bruise or bleed easily.
May have synergistic effects in those taking anticoagulant drugs.

Pinyin: Yan Hu Suo / Xuan Hu Suo  Chinese: 延胡索 / 玄胡索
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Corydalis
Taxonomy: Corydalis yanhusuo seu ambigua seu glaucescens seu repens seu ternata seu turtschaninovii
English: Corydalis Rhizome

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver, Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, regulates Qi and alleviates pain
   Chest and rib-side pain
   pain in stomach duct and abdomen, gastrointestinal spasm
   neuralgia
   Amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, postpartum stasis stagnation abdominal pain
   Neuralgia
   Painful swelling from knocks and falls
2. Promotes sleep
   Insomnia

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Avoid in pregnancy.

Pinyin: Zi Jing Pi  Chinese: 紫荆皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Kadsurae Radicis
English: Chinese Redbud Bark

Tastes: Bitter, neutral
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, cleanses the Blood, regulates menstruation, resolves swelling, removes toxicity and promotes urination
   Qi and Blood Stagnation with dysentery, sores and boils, snake and insect bites, traumatic injury, amenorrhea, pharyngitis, rheumatic arthritis and pain

Standard Dosage: 6-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated to pregnant women. Proper dosage is for external application. Pounded into powder for applying.

Pinyin: Wu Jia Pi  Chinese: 五加皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Acanthopanacis gracilistyli
Taxonomy: Eleutherococcus gracilistylus
English: Eleuthrococcus Bark

Tastes: Pungent, bitter and sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Dispels Wind-Dampness, nourishes (warms) the Liver and Kidneys and strengthens sinews and bones
   Chronic Wind-Cold-Damp Bi with underlying Kidney and Liver Deficiencies generating weak or soft bones or sinews
2. Transforms Dampness and reduces swelling
   Urinary difficulty, oedema, and Cold Damp “Leg Qi”
3. Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction, or soaked in wine.
Cautions: Caution must be taken to have the correct species. Cortex Periplocae (Xiang Jia Pi) is often mistaken for this herb but contains toxic cardiac glycosides which could be dangerous, as well as poorer therapeutic effects and none of the adaptogenic properties of Wu Jia Pi (Complemedis.com).

Pinyin: Mu Dan Pi  Chinese: 牡丹皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex radicis Moutan
Taxonomy: Paeonia suffruticosa
English: Tree Peony Root Bark / Moutan Peony Root Bark

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, light cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat and cools (and harmonizes) the Blood
   Xue Stage Heat with epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis or subcutaneous bleeding
   Menorrhagia due to Blood Heat
2. Clears Deficiency Fire
   Yin Deficiency Heat signs especially in the aftermath of Warm Febrile Disease with fever at night and coolness in the morning (most appropriate when the is no sweating)
3. Invigorates the Blood and dispels Blood Stasis
   Blood Stasis with amenorrhea, abdominal masses, lumps or bruises due to trauma
   Liver Blood Stagnation
4. Clears Liver Fire
   Liver Fire with headache, eye pain, flank pain, flushing and dysmenorrhea
5. Drains pus and reduces swelling
   Non-draining sores (topical)
   Intestinal abscesses (internal)

Standard Dosage: 6-12g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of profuse menstruation and pregnant women.

Pinyin: Yu Jin  Chinese: 鬱金
Pharmaceutical: Radix Curcumae
Taxonomy: Curcuma aromatica seu wenyujin
English: Turmeric Tuber

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, regulates Qi flow, speeds healing of chronic sores and alleviates pain
   Blood Stasis due to trauma (topical and internal)
   Chronic sores
   Liver Qi Stagnation with chest, flank menstrual and abdominal pain
   Especially useful for Liver Qi Stagnation with Heat signs
2. Clears Heat and cools the Blood
   Xue Level Heat with epistaxis, haematemesis and haematuria
   Especially for epistaxis at the onset of menstruation (Inverted menstruation)
3. Clears the Heart and Pericardium and opens the Orifices
   Phlegm Heat Obstructing the Heart Orifices with anxiety, agitation, seizures or mental derangement
4. Benefits the Gallbladder and reduces jaundice
   Gallbladder disorders Jaundice
5. Expels Gu Parasites
   Gu Syndrome with Blood Stasis leading to mental agitation (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 5-12g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with cautions for pregnant women because this herb can activate blood and resolve stasis leading to uterine excitation. Do not combine with Ding Xiang.

Due to its ability to increase bile secretion, caution should be used in cases of gallstones and avoided in biliary tract obstruction.

Pinyin: Wu Yao  Chinese: 烏藥
Pharmaceutical: Radix Linderae
English: Lindera Root

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen, Liver, Kidney and Gallbladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes the movement of Qi and alleviates pain
   Cold and Qi Stagnation with a stifling sensation in the chest, flank pain, epigastric and abdominal pain.
2. Warms the Kidneys and disperses Cold
   Urinary frequency or incontinence due to Kidney Yang Deficiency or Urinary Bladder Deficiency Cold

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Jiu  Chinese: 酒
Pharmaceutical: Alcohol
English: Rice Wine

Tastes: Hot, pungent, sweet, bitter, toxic
Meridians Entered: Stomach, Heart, Lung and Liver, but reaches every part of the body

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes and moves Blood and Qi, opens the Meridians
   Taken internally or applied topically as the medium for liniments in Blood stasis, especially from trauma or Bi syndromes in the elderly
2. Warms Yang and Expels Cold
   All Cold syndromes including Cold Bi, Interior Cold and Yang deficiency
   Often serves as the basis for longevity "elixirs" by soaking Yang tonifying herbs
3. Strengthens the Shen, dispels sorrow and promotes happiness
   Temporary low mood, celebration

Standard Dosage: 10-60ml, two to three times per day. Often combined with other herbs to bring out their Blood moving or warming aspects by washing them, or adding to a decoction, or soaking herbs in alcohol to make medicinal wines.
Cautions: Caution with Damp-Heat syndromes or long term consumption in the young and middle aged.

The Materia Dietetica (Shiwu Bencao 食物本草) by Lu He 卢和 from the Ming Dynasty says that excess drinking can hurt the spirit and consume blood, damage the stomach and deplete the body fluid, produce phlegm and induce fire.