herb basics Flashcards
(25 cards)
radix
root
- draw nutrients from ground
- storing vital energy
- penetrate interior and influence yin organs
- tonifying and energizing
- raise qi upwards
- treat chronic disease
rhizome
horizontal underground stem with offshoots
herba/folium
leaf
flos
flower
- light and airy
- associated with upper part of the body
- fragrant and associated with qi
fructus
fruit
pericarpium
peel
semen
seed (kernels) (zi)
- germinate and become new plants
- reproductive so associated with KD and lower jiao
- contain all of the potential to become full plant so associated with yang and fire
- moist so associated with yin and moistening the intestines
cornu
horn
caulis
main part of stem or body of tree
stems, twigs, vines
- transport fluids
- channels, collaterals, tendons
- resemble vessels/treat vessels
- aid in production of new tissue
- many activate qi and blood and dispel wind-damp
bark, peels
(pi, po)
- on surface so associated with skin/surface of body
- pertain to skin so often treat LU
tubular parts
(tong)
promote urination
shells and minerals
- anchor and strong descend the mind and qi
- minerals tend to calm the spirit
- shells tend to calm LV and extinguish wind
animal based substances
- usually warm and salty
- tend to have stronger action than plants
acrid, spicy, pungent
(xin)
- moving and dispersing
- able to disperse wind, cold, heat, dampness
- move quickly to expel pathogens so help promote movement of qi, blood, fluids
sweet
(gan)
- ability to nourish and tonify
- moderates, relaxes muscle, moderates pain
- reduce speed of progressive pathological change; help stabilize condition
- moderate harshness of other herbs; transforming harsh action into tolerable/constant one
sour
(suan)
- astringing (se)
- stabilize fluids, prevent leakage
- nourishing function on body
- relieve toxicity and reduce swelling
bitter
(ku)
- drying, reducing, drains downward
- dry dampness, reduce phlegm
- drain heat from internal organs
- directs qi and blood downward
salty
(xian)
- soften hardness and reduce accumulations
- treats chronic inflammation and masses
- move qi, blood, body fluids downwards
bland
(dan)
- promote urination
- leach out dampness
aromatic
- similar to acrid so moving and dispersing
- light and fragrant so penetrate turbid dampness and transform dampness
what are the seven compatibilities?
single effect
enhancement
assistance
counteraction
suppression
inhibition
incompatibility
what are the nine inhibitive combos
liu huang — mang xiao
shui yin — pi shuang
lang du — mi tuo seng
ba dou — qian niu zi
ding xiang — yu jin
ya xiao — san leng
chuan/cao wu — xi jiao
ren shen — wu ling zhi
rou gui — chi shi zhi
what is gan cao incompatible with
gan sui
da ji
yuan hua
hai zao
