Herbs III: Class Two

Question 1

Mu Tong / Caulis Akebia

Temperature:

Properties:

Answer 1

Mu Tong / Caulis Akebia

Temperature: Cool

Properties: Bitter

Question 2

Mu Tong / Caulis Akebia

Functions:

Answer 2

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin
2. Drains heart fire; addresses irritability, restlessness, insomnia, sores and ulcers in the mouth, and dark scanty urine due to Heart fire rising
3. Promotes lactation an unblocks the blood vessels (opens the channels)
4. Used for damp-heat Bi syndrome and amenorrhea due to blood stasis

Question 3

Mu Tong / Caulis Akebia

Channels:

Answer 3

Mu Tong / Caulis Akebia

Channels: Urinary Bladder, Heart, Small Intestine

Question 4

Mu Tong / Caulis Akebia

Special Characteristics:

Answer 4

NOT the same herb as Guan Mu Tong! Guan Mu Tong is part of another plant family and contains toxic acids that build up in the kidneys

Question 5

Qu Mai / Herba Dianthi

Temperature:

Properties:

Answer 5

Qu Mai / Herba Dianthi

Temperature: Cold

Properties: Bitter

Question 6

Qu Mai / Herba Dianthi

Functions:

Answer 6

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin (Lin syndrome due to damp-heat); well-suited for hot Lin and bloody Lin
2. Invigorates the blood and unblocks the channels; helps to treat amenorrhea and irregular menstruation

Question 7

Qu Mai / Herba Dianthi

Channels:

Answer 7

Qu Mai / Herba Dianthi

Channels: Urinary Bladder, Heart, Small Intestine

Question 8

Qu Mai / Herba Dianthi

Special Characteristics:

Answer 8

Typically used with Bian Xu

Question 9

Bian Xu / Herba Polygoni Avicularis

Temperature:

Properties:

Answer 9

Bian Xu / Herba Polygoni Avicularis

Temperature: Cool

Properties: Bitter

Question 10

Bian Xu / Herba Polygoni Avicularis

Functions:

Answer 10

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin; addressed Lin syndrome due to damp heat draining downward. Promotes diuresis.
2. Kills parasites and stops itching. Used internally for roundworm and hookworm; often used externally for damp rashes such as eczema and vaginal itching.

Question 11

Bian Xu / Herba Polygoni Avicularis

Channels:

Answer 11

Bian Xu / Herba Polygoni Avicularis

Channels: Urinary Bladder

Question 12

Bian Xu / Herba Polygoni Avicularis

Special Characteristics:

Answer 12

Typically used with Qu Mai

Question 13

Di Fu Zi / Fructus Kochiae

Temperature:

Properties:

Answer 13

Di Fu Zi / Fructus Kochiae

Temperature: Cold

Properties: Sweet, Bitter

Question 14

Di Fu Zi / Fructus Kochiae

Functions:

Answer 14

1. Eliminates dampness and stops itching; treats skin disorders such as eczema, moist ulcers where itching is a problem, and itching in the pubic area due to damp heat
2. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin

Question 15

Di Fu Zi / Fructus Kochiae

Channels:

Answer 15

Di Fu Zi / Fructus Kochiae

Channels: Urinary Bladder

Question 16

Di Fu Zi / Fructus Kochiae

Special Characteristics:

Answer 16

Primary function is treatment of the skin

Question 17

Shi Wei / Folium Pyrrosiae

Temperature:

Properties:

Answer 17

Shi Wei / Folium Pyrrosiae

Temperature: Cool

Properties: Bitter, Sweet

Question 18

Shi Wei / Folium Pyrrosiae

Functions:

Answer 18

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin; addresses hot Lin, stone Lin, and bloody Lin
2. Clears heat and transforms phlegm; addresses coughing and wheezing with copious sputum due to lung heat
3. Clears heat and stops bleeding; used of bleeding due to reckless movement of hot blood

Question 19

Shi Wei / Folium Pyrrosiae

Channels:

Answer 19

Shi Wei / Folium Pyrrosiae

Channels: Urinary Bladder, Lung

Question 20

Shi Wei / Folium Pyrrosiae

Special Characteristics:

Answer 20

Three types of Lin Syndrome:

Heat Lin syndrome
Bloody Lin syndrome
Stone Lin syndrome

Question 21

Bi Xie / Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae

Temperature:

Properties:

Answer 21

Bi Xie / Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae

Temperature: Neutral

Properties: Bitter

Question 22

Bi Xie / Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae

Functions:

Answer 22

1. Drains dampness and expels turbidity; addresses paste Lin syndrome or turbid urine and leukorrhea due to damp heat or deficiency (can separate pure from turbidity)
2. Dispels wind dampness/Wind Bi syndrome
3. Clears damp heat from the skin; addresses damp heat lesions such as eczema and pustular sores

Question 23

Bi Xie / Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae

Channels:

Answer 23

Bi Xie / Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae

Channels: Urinary Bladder, Liver, Stomach

Question 24

Yin Chen Hao / Herba Artemisiae Scopariae

Temperature:

Properties:

Answer 24

Yin Chen Hao / Herba Artemisiae Scopariae

Temperature: Cold

Properties: Bitter, Acrid

Question 25

Yin Chen Hao / Herba Artemisiae Scopariae Functions:

Answer 25

1. Clears heat, drains dampness; addresses jaundice due to either damp-heat or damp-cold 2. Benefits the Gallbladder to reduce jaundice: often damp-warm febrile disease and Liver or Gallbladder damp-heat, marked by bitter taste in the mouth 3. Recently used for reducing high cholesterol

Question 26

Yin Chen Hao / Herba Artemisiae Scopariae Channels:

Answer 26

Yin Chen Hao / Herba Artemisiae Scopariae Channels: Liver, Spleen, Gallbladder, Stomach

Question 27

Yin Chen Hao / Herba Artemisiae Scopariae Special Characteristics:

Answer 27

Chief herb for treating jaundice

Question 28

Dong Kui Zi / Semen Malvae Temperature: Properties:

Answer 28

Dong Kui Zi / Semen Malvae Temperature: Cold Properties: Sweet

Question 29

Dong Kui Zi / Semen Malvae Functions:

Answer 29

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin; regulates water circulation 2. Promotes lactation 3. Moistens the intestines. Helps address constipation for to insufficient fluids in the intestines

Question 30

Dong Kui Zi / Semen Malvae Channels:

Answer 30

Dong Kui Zi / Semen Malvae Channels: Urinary Bladder, Large Intestine, Small Intestine

Question 31

Deng Xin Cao Medulla Junci Temperature: Properties:

Answer 31

Deng Xin Cao Medulla Junci Temperature: Cool Properties: Sweet, Bland

Question 32

Deng Xin Cao Medulla Junci Functions:

Answer 32

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin 2. Clears heat and eliminates irritability (irritability, restlessness, and insomnia); clears Heart and Lung heat and sedates fire

Question 33

Deng Xin Cao Medulla Junci Channels:

Answer 33

Deng Xin Cao Medulla Junci Channels: Heart, Lung, Small Intestine

Question 34

Deng Xin Cao Medulla Junci Special Characteristics:

Answer 34

Guides Heart fire downwards and expels through urine; also used for night crying of babies

Question 35

Jin Qian Cao / Herba Lysimachiae Temperature: Properties:

Answer 35

Jin Qian Cao / Herba Lysimachiae Temperature: Cool Properties: Sweet, Bland

Question 36

Jin Qian Cao / Herba Lysimachiae Functions:

Answer 36

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, unblocks Lin, and expels stone (Hot Lin and Stone Lin syndromes) 2. Clears heat, eliminates dampness and reduces jaundice (damp heat jaundice and gallstone) 3. Clears heat and relieves toxicity (infection). Addresses sores, carbuncles, and burns

Question 37

Jin Qian Cao / Herba Lysimachiae Channels:

Answer 37

Jin Qian Cao / Herba Lysimachiae Channels: Urinary Bladder, Gallbladder, Kidney, Liver

Question 38

Jin Qian Cao / Herba Lysimachiae Special Characteristics:

Answer 38

Main herb for treating gallstones and urinary stones

Question 39

Hai Jin Sha / Lygodii Spora Temperature: Properties:

Answer 39

Hai Jin Sha / Lygodii Spora Temperature: Cold Properties: Sweet, Bland

Question 40

Hai Jin Sha / Lygodii Spora Functions:

Answer 40

1. Clears heat, promotes urination, and unblocks Lin (various Lin syndromes) 2. Expels stone (doesn’t treat Gallstone) and addresses urinary difficulty and edema (especially due to damp-heat

Question 41

Hai Jin Sha / Lygodii Spora Channels:

Answer 41

Hai Jin Sha / Lygodii Spora Channels: Small Intestine, Urinary Bladder

Question 42

Hai Jin Sha / Lygodii Spora Special Characteristics:

Answer 42

Hai Jin Sha / Lygodii Spora Special Characteristics: should be placed in a filter before decocting