Herbal Properties

Question 1

What are the 5 herbal properties?

Answer 1

1. temperature
2. taste
3. direction
4. channel-entering
5. toxicity

Question 2

Four Qi (si qi) refers to?

Answer 2

temperature (thermal property)

Question 3

what are the Four Qi?

Answer 3

cold
cool
(neutral)
warm
hot

Question 4

how is temperature determined?

Answer 4

by observing the herb’s effect in the body

Question 5

what do cold/cool herbs treat?

Answer 5

diseases with heat signs and symptoms

Question 6

what are heat signs and symptoms?

Answer 6

fever, sweating, thirst, rapid pulse, red face

Question 7

what do hot/warm herbs treat?

Answer 7

diseases with cold signs and symptoms

Question 8

what are cold signs and symptoms?

Answer 8

cold limbs, diarrhea, frequent urination, pale face

Question 9

what can neutral herbs treat?

Answer 9

both heat and cold signs and symptoms

Question 10

what is Wu Wei?

Answer 10

Five Tastes

Question 11

what are the 5 tastes?

Answer 11

sour
bitter
sweet
acrid
salty

Question 12

what are 2 additional tastes?

Answer 12

bland

astringent

Question 13

what kind of herbal property is aromatic?

Answer 13

temperature

Question 14

what is the function of acrid taste?

Answer 14

disperse and move (wind-cold, wind-heat)

Question 15

what is the function of sweet taste?

Answer 15

tonify, harmonize and moisten

Question 16

what is the function of bitter taste?

Answer 16

drain and dry (constipation, dry stool)

Question 17

what is the function of sour taste? (can also be astringent)

Answer 17

stabilize and bind, prevent leakage (frequent urination, leukorrhea, nighttime excretion)

Question 18

what is the function of salty taste?

Answer 18

purge and soften (nodules, constipation, edema)

Question 19

what is a caution of acrid (pungent) herbs?

Answer 19

acrid herbs disperse, so they are drying.

use with caution in case of qi, yin, or body fluid deficiency

Question 20

what is a caution of sweet herbs?

Answer 20

sweet herbs can be rich and cloying, hard to digest, leading to stagnation.
use with caution in patients with spleen deficiency with dampness

Question 21

what is a caution of bitter herbs?

Answer 21

bitter herbs are drying.

use with caution in case of yin and body fluid deficiency

Question 22

what is a caution of sour (astringent) herbs?

Answer 22

sour herbs can prevent sweating and release of the exterior

use w/ caution when there is an exterior pathogenic factor present

Question 23

what is a caution of bland herbs?

Answer 23

bland herbs promote urination and leech and drain fluids.

use w/ caution in cases of yin and body fluid deficiency

Question 24

which of the tastes are yang?

Answer 24

acrid
sweet
bland

Question 25

which of the tastes are yin?

Answer 25

sour bitter salty

Question 26

what are the 4 directions?

Answer 26

1. ascending (upwards) 2. descending (downwards) 3. floating (outwards) 4. sinking (inwards)

Question 27

what types of herbs are ascending/upwards?

Answer 27

light substances | flowers, rapidly growing plants, sweet aromatic herbs

Question 28

what types of herbs are descending/downards?

Answer 28

heavy salty substances | shells, minerals, bitter and bland herbs

Question 29

what types of herbs are floating/outwards?

Answer 29

acrid, dispersing herbs | herbs that release the exterior

Question 30

what types of herbs are sinking/inwards?

Answer 30

sour, astringent herbs that bind and prevent leakage

Question 31

what parts of the plant are ascending or floating?

Answer 31

upper parts

Question 32

what parts of the plant are descending or sinking?

Answer 32

lower parts

Question 33

what are the 3 channel-entering effects?

Answer 33

1. direct effect 2. indirect effect 3. specific effect

Question 34

what are the 3 classifications for herbs by Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing?

Answer 34

1. superior 2. medium 3. inferior

Question 35

what is a superior herb classification?

Answer 35

1. potent therapeutic action 2. few or no side effects 3. safe for long-term use

Question 36

what is a medium herb classification?

Answer 36

1. good therapeutic action, but also possible side effects | 2. requires professional supervision for use

Question 37

what is an inferior herb classification?

Answer 37

1. more potential side effects/toxicities than therapeutic benefit 2. require special processing and administration 3. use only when benefits outweigh risks and always under professional supervision

Question 38

what chinese herbs is responsible for most adverse reactions?

Answer 38

Aconite herb 1. Fu Zi 2. Cao Wu 3. Chuan Wu

Question 39

How many major categories are there of herbs?

Answer 39

18

Question 40

How many medicinal plants are considered toxic in China?

Answer 40

10 out of 7000 species