Intro to Herbs Flashcards by Bowan Hesslegrave

What are the four natures (Si Qi) of herbs in TCM?

1.Cold (Han)
2. Cool (Liang)
3. Neutral (Ping)
4. Warm (Wen)
5. Hot (Re)

These natures refer to the thermal properties of the herbs.

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What are the five main tastes (Wu Wei) of herbs?

Acrid/Pungent
Sweet
Sour
Bitter
Salty

Each taste is associated with specific therapeutic functions.

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What is the function of acrid/pungent herbs?

Acrid/pungent herbs:

Release the exterior
Invigorate & promote circulation of Qi, blood, and body fluids
Disperse outwards

*AcRID/pungent herbs get RID of exterior pathogenic factors by releasing, invigorating, and dispersing outward

Mainly used to treat exterior patterns and disorders of qi stagnation and blood stasis.

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What is the function of sweet herbs?

Sweet herbs tonify, nourish, and harmonize

Commonly used to treat deficiency patterns and to harmonize properties of herbs within a formula.

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What is the function of sour herbs?

Sour herbs:

Consolidates
Astringes
Reduces loss of body fluids
Draws inward

*Sour herbs draw their C.A.R.D. inward

Used to treat sweating from deficiency, chronic diarrhea, and vaginal discharge.

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What is the function of bitter herbs?

Bitter herbs:

Drain downards
Dry Dampness
Detoxify
Sedate Heat
Purge Fire

*Bitter herbs: DD, DD, D, Heat/Fire

Often used for excess heat patterns, rebellious qi, and damp conditions.

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What is the function of salty herbs?

Salty herbs:

Purge excess
Soften hardness (i.e. hard nodules)
Moisten/lubricate the intestines

Used to dissipate lumps and nodules.

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What is the function of bland herbs?

Bland herbs leech dampness and promote urination

Primarily used for disorders caused by damp obstruction.

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What is the function of cold herbs?

Cold herbs clear heat STRONGLY

…as they are antipyretic, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory

Caution for diarrhea as cold can damage Spleen yang.

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What is the function of cool herbs

Cool herbs clear heat GENTLY while allowing movement

Less extreme than cold herbs.

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What is the function of warm herbs?

Warm herbs GENTLY dispel chill while promoting circulation

Used to improve organ function.

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What is the function of hot herbs?

Hot herbs heat up STRONGLY, warm interior excess cold, and restore devastated yang

Caution for yin damage and depletion of body fluids.

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What does ‘upward-bearing’ mean in the context of herbs?

Rising or sending up

Associated with lighter, upward-moving qi.

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What does ‘downward-bearing’ mean in the context of herbs?

Falling or sending down

Often related to heavier, downward-bearing qi.

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What is channel affiliations in TCM?

Channel affiliation signifies the major therapeutic functions an herb performs along one or more channel

Each herb is ascribed to one or more of the twelve channels in TCM.

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What does the term ‘toxicity’ imply in herbal medicine?

Toxicity refers to where an over-dosage may lead to toxic reactions or severe side effects.

Toxicity is categorized as slightly toxic, toxic, or extremely toxic.

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What is the purpose of processing herbs?

Processing herbs:

Eliminates/reduces toxicity
Increase its curative effects
Modifies characteristics
Enhance quality
Facilitates decoction and storage

Processing adapts herbs for effective treatment.

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What is the common dosage range for most herbs?

3-10 grams/day

Dosage varies based on patient constitution and disease nature.

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What is the most widely used form of herbal administration in China?

Decoctions (tang)

Herbs are cooked over low flame and taken lukewarm.

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What is the significance of decocted first in herbal preparation?

Certain herbs require longer cooking time for solubility or to reduce toxicity

Examples include minerals and certain toxic substances.

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What are the two main types of herbal preparations?

Pills (wan) and Powders (san)

Each has different characteristics and applications.

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What is ‘Mutual Accentuation’ in herb combining concepts?

When two herbs with similar functions are combined to enhance therapeutic actions

This combination increases the overall effectiveness.

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What does ‘Mutual Incompatibility’ in herb combining concepts?

Two herbs create toxicity or side effects when combined, caused by neither when used alone.

This is the worst possible combination in herb combining concepts

This is considered the worst combination.

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What is ‘Mutual Enhancement’? in herb combining concepts?

When two herbs with different functions, one enhances the other.

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What are the three components of a Pharmaceutical name?

Part of the plant used, genus, species

What does the term 'Flos' refer to in Chinese herb nomenclature?

Flower

What is the Pharmaceutical name for fruit?

Fructus

What does 'Ramulus' translate to in English?

Branch (twig)

What is the meaning of 'Semen' in the context of Chinese herbs?

Seed

What does 'Folium' refer to?

Leaf

What is the term for the entire above-ground plant in Chinese herbal nomenclature?

Herba

What does 'Pericarpium' mean?

Fruit wall (like an orange peel)

What is the meaning of 'Rhizoma'?

Rhizome (a fleshy horizontal underground stem)

What does 'Radix' indicate in herbal names?

Root

What is the term for bulb in Chinese herbal nomenclature?

Bulbus

What does 'Os' refer to?

Bone

Provide an example of a Pharmaceutical name for a root.

Radix Paeoniae Lactiflorae (white peony root)

What is the Pin Yin term for chrysanthemum flower?

Ju Hua

What does 'Hong' mean in common Pin Yin terms?

Red

What does 'Qing' translate to in the context of colors?

Blue-green

What is the meaning of 'Chi' in Pin Yin terms?

Red

What is the English translation of 'Bai'?

White

What does 'Zi' signify in Chinese herb nomenclature?

Purple

What does 'Jin' mean in the context of colors?

Gold

What is the Pin Yin term for yellow?

Huang

What does 'Yin' refer to?

Silver

What is the meaning of 'Hei'?

Black

What does 'Shi' translate to?

Stone

What does 'Hua' mean?

Flower

What is the term for ocean in Pin Yin nomenclature?

Hai

What does 'Sang' refer to?

Mulberry

What does 'Xiang' indicate?

Fragrant

What does 'Da' signify?

Big

What does 'Chuan' mean?

From Sichuan

What does 'Gu' refer to?

Bone

What does 'Bei' indicate in terms of direction?

Northern

What does 'Nan' mean?

Southern

Fill in the blank: Flowers affect the _______ part of the body.

Upper

Fill in the blank: Roots affect the _______ levels of the body.

Deeper

Fill in the blank: Seeds affect the lower parts and lubricate _______.

Intestines

True or False: Minerals have a stimulating effect.

False

Fill in the blank: Barks and peels affect the _______.

Skin

What is 'Mutual Counteraction' in herb combining concepts?

This sounds like a bad thing, but it actually is positive. This is when one herb’s toxicity is reduced or eliminated by another herb. Also known as 'Mutual Fear'

What is 'Mutual Suppression' in herb combining concepts?

Exactly the same as above, except the emphasis is on the herb that controls; so, Sheng Jiang “kills” the toxicity of Ban Xia. Also a good thing Also known as 'Mutual Killing'

What is 'Mutual Antagonism' in herb combining concepts?

This is not so good. Two substances neutralize each other’s positive effects.

What are the four levels of heat in TCM?

1. Wei Stage (i.e. Wind-Heat or Wind-Cold attack) 2. Qi Stage (Heat moves to the internal organs, e.g. lungs, stomach, intestines) 3. Ying Stage (Heat moves deeper, causing mental/emotional symptoms and possibly rash) 4. Xue/Blood Stage (Deepest level, affecting heart, and causing bleeding and/or LOC)

What is the etiology (cause of disease) in Heat patterns?

1. Transmission from an exogenous pathogenic factor to the Exterior level of the body (Heat, Wind, Dryness, or Summer-Heat) 2. Stagnation of Qi or Blood 3. Dysfunction of the zang-fu 4. Constitutional excess of Yang or Yin

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat?

Fever, aversion to heat, sensation of warmth, sweating, redness, hyperactivity Restlessness, irritability Burning pain, inflammation, Thick/sticky/scanty body fluids, dryness, constipation, scanty/dark urine Red tongue with yellow coating, bitter taste in the mouth

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat in the Lungs?

Hemoptysis (coughing blood), Epistaxis (nosebleed), cough with scanty/thick/yellow phlegm

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat in the Liver?

Anger, headache, vertigo, red eyes, profuse menses

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat in the Stomach?

Halitosis (bad breath), mouth sores, acid reflux, burning epigastric pain, hematemesis (vomiting blood), voracious appetite, bleeding gums

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat in the Heart?

Mania, palpitations, insomnia, mouth ulcers (especially on the tip of the tongue), incessant talking

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat in the Large Intestine?

Constipation, burning pain around the anus

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat in the Urinary Bladder?

Scanty/dark urine, burning pain in urination

What are the signs/symptoms of Heat in the Kidney?

Night sweats, evening hot flashes, heat in the palms/soles *Heat in the Kidney indicates Yin deficient heat

What are the signs/symptoms of Excess Heat?

Complexion: ENTIRE face red Thirst: Desire to drink COLD water Fever: High Feeling of heat: ALL day Sweat: During the DAY

What are the signs/symptoms of Deficiency Heat?

Complexion: Red cheeks, "malar flush" Thirst: Desire to drink WARM drinks, small sips Fever: Low-grade, evening/night fever Feeling of heat: Afternoon or evening only Sweat: During the NIGHT

Why do Excess and Deficiency Heat require different treatments?

In the case of Excess Heat, using sweet/cold herbs (to tonify, nourish, harmonize a deficiency) will create more Heat and dampness, further complicating the condition. In the case of Deficiency Heat, using bitter/cold herbs (to drain downward, purge fire) will deplete Yin and cause further deterioration of the condition.

What are the 8 Principles in TCM?

1. Yin / 2. Yang 3. Cold / 4. Hot 5. Interior / 6. Exterior 7. Deficiency / 8. Excess?

Intro to Herbs Flashcards

(80 cards)