Agrimony (Xianhecao)

Agrimony (Xianhecao) Pharmaceutical Name: Herba Agrimoniae. Botanical Name: Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. Nakai. Common Name: Agrimony. Source of Earliest Record: Diannan Bencao. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The entire plant is gathered in summer or autumn. It is cleaned, dried in the sun and cut into pieces. Properties & Taste: Bitter, astringent and neutral. Meridians: Lung, liver and spleen. Functions: 1. To stop bleeding; 2. To relieve dysentery; 3. To kill parasites. Indications & Combinations: 1. Hemorrhages due to extravasation of blood by heat manifested as cough with blood, … Xem tiếp

Bitter cardamom (Yizhiren)

Bitter cardamom (Yizhiren) Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Alpiniae oxyphyllae. Botanical Name: Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. Common Name: Black cardamom, Bitter cardamom. Source of Earliest Record: Bencao Shiyi. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The fruit is gathered in summer. It is dried in the sun, fried with sand and peeled. Properties & Taste: Pungent and warm. Meridians: Spleen and kidney. Functions: 1. To warm and tonify the spleen and kidneys; 2. To prevent emissions and stop diarrhea Indications & Combinations: 1. Invasion of cold in the spleen and kidneys manifested as … Xem tiếp

Chastetree fruit (Manjingzi)

Chastetree fruit (Manjingzi) Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Viticis Botanical Name: 1. Vitex trifolia L. var. simplicifolia cham; 2. Vitex trifolia L. Common Name: Vitex fruit, Chastetree fruit. Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The fruit is gathered in summer, dried in the shade and baked until yellow or black. Properties & Taste: Pungent, bitter and neutral. Meridians: Liver, stomach and urinary bladder. Functions: 1. To disperse wind and clear heat; 2. To clear and benefit the head and eyes Indications & Combinations: 1. … Xem tiếp

Clematis root (Weilingxian)

Clematis root (Weilingxian) Pharmaceutical Name: Radix Clematidis Botanical Name: 1. Clematis chinensis Osbeck; 2. Clematis hexapetala Pall. Common Name: Clematis root Source of Earliest Record: Xinxiu Bencao Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The roots, or rhizomes, are dug and gathered in autumn and then cleaned and dried in the sun. Properties & Taste: Pungent, salty and warm. Meridians: Urinary bladder. Functions: 1. To dispel wind and damp; 2. To promote the circulation of meridians. Indications & Combinations: 1. Wind-damp obstruction syndrome manifested as rheumatic pain, soreness, pain and … Xem tiếp

Erythrina bark (Haitongpi)-Erythrina variegata

Erythrina bark (Haitongpi) Pharmaceutical Name: Coxtex Erythrinae Botanical Name: Erythrina variegata L. var. orientalis (L.) Merr. Common Name: Erythrina bark, Coralbean bark Source of Earliest Record: Haiyao Bencao Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The thorny bark is gathered in the early summer, then dried in the sun. Properties & Taste: Bitter, pungent and neutral. Meridian: Liver Functions: 1. To dispel wind and dampness; 2. To clear the meridians Indications & Combinations: Wind-damp obstruction syndrome manifested as rheumatic joint pain, spasm of the limbs and lower back and knee … Xem tiếp

Gadfly (Mengchong)-Tabanus bivittatus

Gadfly (Mengchong) Pharmaceutical Name: Tabanus Zoological Name: Tabanus bivittatus Mats. Common Name: Gadfly Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The female gadfly is caught in May or June. It is boiled or steamed, and then dried in the sun. Properties & Taste: Bitter, slightly cold and slightly toxic Meridian: Liver Functions: To invigorate blood and remove stagnation Indications & Combinations: 1. Amenorrhea or abdominal and epigastric masses caused by blood stagnation. Gadfly (Mengchong) is used with Leech (Shuizhi), Cockroach (Chechong), Peach seed … Xem tiếp

Ailanthus bark (Chunpi)

Ailanthus bark (Chunpi) Pharmaceutical Name: Cortex ailanthi. Botanical Name: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. Common Name: Ailanthus bark, Tree of heaven bark. Source of Earliest Record: Xinxiu Bencao. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The bark of roots or stems of the tree are obtained year round. After the superficial rough bark has been removed, the remaining bark is dried in the sun and then cut into pieces. Properties & Taste: Bitter, astringent and cold. Meridians: Large intestine, stomach and liver. Functions: 1. To clear heat, dry dampness and stop … Xem tiếp

Black plum (Wumei)

Black plum (Wumei) Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Mume. Botanical Name: Prunus mume (Sieb.) Sieb. et Zucc. Common Name: Black plum, Mume Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The unripe fruit is gathered in the period at the Beginning of Summer (seventh solar term). It is baked at a low temperature until the skins turn black. The plum stone is removed. Properties & Taste: Sour and neutral Meridians: Spleen, lung and large intestine Functions: 1. To astringe the lungs and stop cough; 2. To … Xem tiếp

Clematis stem (Mutong)

Clematis stem (Mutong) Pharmaceutical Name: Caulis Aristolochiae seu Clematis Botanical Name: 1. Aristolochia manshuriensis Kom.; 2. Clematis armandii Franch.; 3. C. Montana Buch.-Ham. Common Name: Akebia, Clematis stem. Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The stems are gathered in spring or autumn. The bark is removed, and the stems are dried in the sun. Properties & Taste: Bitter and cold. Meridians: Heart, small intestine and urinary bladder Functions: 1. To promote water metabolism and relieve abnormal urination; 2. To clear heat and … Xem tiếp

Futokadsura stem (Haifengteng)-Piper futokadsura

Futokadsura stem (Haifengteng) Pharmaceutical Name: Caulis Piperis futokadsurae Botanical Name: 1. Piper futokadsura Sieb. et Zucc.; 2. Piper hancei Maxim. Common Name: Kasura stem, Futokadsura stem Source of Earliest Record: Bencao Zaixin Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The stems are gathered in summer or autumn, dried in the sun and cut into slices. Properties & Taste: Pungent, bitter and slightly warm. Meridian: Liver. Functions: 1. To dispel wind and dampness; 2. To clear the channels and collaterals Indications & Combinations: Wind-damp obstruction syndrome manifested as painful and stiff … Xem tiếp

Galangal rhizome (Gaoliangjiang)-Alpinia officinarum

Galangal rhizome (Gaoliangjiang) Pharmaceutical Name: Rhizome Alpinia officinarum Botanical Name: Alpinia officinarum Hance Common Name: Galanga rhizome, Lesser Galangal Source of Earliest Record: Mingyi Bielu Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The four to six year old rhizomes are dug in late summer or at the beginning of autumn. After the fibrous roots have been removed, the rhizomes are cut into pieces and dried in the sun. Properties & Taste: Spleen and stomach. Meridians: Spleen and stomach Functions: To warm the spleen and stomach and stop pain Indications & … Xem tiếp

Japanese thistle (Daji)-Cirsium japonicum

Japanese thistle (Daji) Pharmaceutical Name: Herba seu Radix Cirsii japonici Botanical Name: Cirsiumjaponicum DC. Common Name: Japanese thistle Source of Earliest Record: Mingyi Bielu Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The aerial parts of the plant are gathered in summer or autumn when the thistle is flowering. The root can be dug in late autumn. Both are dried in the sun and cut into pieces. Properties & Taste: Sweet, bitter and cool Meridians: Heart and liver Functions: 1. To cool blood and stop bleeding; 2. To reduce swelling and … Xem tiếp

Albizia bark (Hehuanpi)

Albizia bark (Hehuanpi) Pharmaceutical Name: Cortax Albiziae. Botanical Name: Albizia julibrissin Durazz. Common Name: Albizia bark, Mimosa tree bark. Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The bark is collected in summer or autumn, and then cut into pieces. Properties & Taste: Sweet and neutral. Meridians: Heart and liver. Functions: 1. To tranquilize the mind and relieve depression; 2. To invigorate the blood and reduce swelling. Indications & Combinations: 1. Insomnia, forgetfulness and irritability due to depression or anger: Albizia bark (Hehuanpi) is … Xem tiếp

Black sesame seed (Heizhima)

Black sesame seed (Heizhima) Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Sesami Botanical Name: Sesamum indicum nigrum L. Common Name: Black sesame seed. Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The ripe sesame seeds are gathered in autumn, then they are dried in the sun. Properties & Taste: Sweet and neutral. Meridians: Liver and kidney Functions: 1. To tonify the essence and blood; 2. To moisten the intestines and move feces Indications & Combinations: 1. Deficient essence and blood manifested as dizziness, blurred vision and early graying … Xem tiếp

Cloves (Dingxiang)

Cloves (Dingxiang) Pharmaceutical Name: Flos Caryophylatae Botanical Name: Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. Common Name: Cloves Source of Earliest Record: Yaoxing Lun. Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The flower buds are gathered in September or March, when the buds turn bright red. Then, they are dried. Properties & Taste: Pungent and warm. Meridians: Spleen, stomach and kidney. Functions: 1. To warm the spleen and stomach and direct rebellious qi downward; 2. To warm the kidneys and tonify the yang. Indications & Combinations: 1. Cold in the stomach manifested as belching … Xem tiếp