Chinese Herbal Medicine

[centralforce6661]

I was intending on writing a long post detailing the natures of many common herbs however due to personal time constraints I have decided to present this in a different format. I will outline the basics in this initial post along with some commonly used herbs (about 2) and then each week I will post a new herb and respond to questions about herbs people are currently taking or interested in and how they fit with the individual presentation:

The main idea behind herbal medicine is that each herb has a specific nature, that is a thermal nature (hot or cold and in between or neutral), a flavour (which corresponds to which organ(s) it benefits based on the five-element system of the Chinese) and a direction in which it moves qi in the body. Additionally, the same herb but prepared differently can alter its properties especially in regards to the direction in which it moves qi.

Herbal medicine is not a one herb fits all system and this is why people often report mixed reactions and benefits to natural or herbal medicines which claim to fix one certain western medical diagnosis when in reality one western diagnosis can have up to ten different pathological states in Chinese Medicine and thus each person has a different requirement depending on how the disease is presenting in that person at the time which herbs are prescribed. Giving someone the wrong herb can make them worse, or even result in fatal complications if administered wrongly.

For instance someone with chronic nephritis (kidney infection) which fits the disharmony of Yin deficiency might be prescribed Morinda Flower by someone who does not understand this concept because it 'benefits the kidneys'. In reality, Morinda is a strong Kidney Yang tonic and this will further consume Kidney Yin, driving the infection deeper and potentially killing the patient. This is an extreme case but illustrates the damage one can do by using improper herbs.

Some herbs are less strong, and act o body systems in a more subtle way however can still cause imbalances over time. Now for the herbs!

Ginseng (Panax, American, Siberian etc.) is warm and sweet. Sweet indicates that it belongs to  the element of EARTH (Chinese earth, not western astrology earth.. there is a difference, I just haven't figured it out in its entirety yet) and enters the spleen and stomach. It is warm which means it strengthens Qi and Yang and is an excellent remedy for Spleen Qi Deficiency. HOWEVER it is contraindicated in High Blood Pressure as it increases the upward motion of Qi to the head, and throbbing headaches which are a tell tale sign of high blood pressure could be worsened as a result. It can also strongly tonify stomach Qi which has a tendency to become Stomach Fire which can result in increased appetite, burning esophageal reflux and increased risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding due to accelerated blood circulation in the stomach. Complex cases of Spleen Qi deficiency and Stomach Fire occurring together (very common) require more subtle tonification of the Spleen Qi with neutral herbs like Codonopsis Pilusula (poor man's ginseng) and Stomach Yin supporting herbs like Ophiopogon Japonicus and Glehnia.

Dandelion is Bitter, Sweet and cold. Bitter and Sweet indicates that this herb enters the Heart, Small Intestine (plays a urinary role in TCM), Spleen and Stomach Channels, belonging to the elements of FIRE and EARTH (fire is not necessarily hot in this context.. confused yet??). Dandelion is COLD which means that the direction in which it drives Qi is downward which is beneficial to the Stomach and helps subdue the Liver (whose direction is partly outward and partly upward) BUT is contrary to the direction of the Spleen whose direction is upward and whose upward action holds the organs in place (organ prolapse is a symptom of severe Spleen Yang Deficiency leading to a syndrome called Spleen Qi Sinking). It is also contrary to Yang altogether whose nature is hot and any herb which promotes diuresis (urination) is damaging to Yang as Yang holds the urine inside the bladder. Forcing it out with a herb is damaging to this aspect and as thus this herb should not be used for extended periods of time and is contraindicated in patients who have Spleen Qi Deficiency, or any cold syndrome, wether empty or full cold (empty cold is absence of Yang, full cold is Yin predominance). Some practitioners believe Dandelion is so cold that it should only be used topically for clearing toxic heat like red, bleeding, purulent skin lesions. I have used it to treat Liver Fire however with concurrent Spleen Qi deficiency at the time, it worsened a poor appetite and caused reflux from rebellious Qi in the stomach, as cold congeals Qi and Qi reversal can occur (the Stomach and Lung are the organs which most commonly suffer from Qi reversal and this is evident by Cough for the lung or belching, hiccuping and esophageal reflux in the stomach. These often occur together as a result of excessive Liver energy rising which occurs due to heat or becoming angry too often and allowing stress to override calmness.

More to come over the following weeks...

 

[centralforce6661]

This one is for you Shannon:

Shizandra - This herbs nature is salty, sour and warm. It acts on the Kidney, heart and lung channels and acts to astringe (hold within) fluids by stopping sweating, seminal emission due to Kidney Yang Deificiency and diarrhea due to Spleen and Stomach cold. Shizandra is used traditionally for chronic cough due to long term lung weakness but NOT new coughs or coughs due to acute onset colds and fevers or 'flu' like coughs. Shizandra may act to drive the pathogen further inwards with its astringent properties and is thus contraindicated in common cold or cough due to infection. Its apparent effect on liver enzymes and particularly the reduction of ALT enzyme count (present in high quantities in hepatitis) is only a temporary effect which can actually cause rebounding of ALT enzymes after the course of herbs is complete resulting in relapse in a worsening manner. This is because Shizandra is WARM and hepatitis is an infectious disease, namely one of a warm and even HOT nature. Adding heat to fire only increases its destructive capabilities and since the liver tends towards heat (there are no cold syndromes of the liver, only of the liver channel which is considered different to the liver) shizandra does not actually benefit the Chinese conception of the liver but instead benefits the heart (which is nourished by the liver) and the Kidneys (which are the mother of the liver) through its sour flavour. This herb is also contraindicated in  any other febrile (warm) disease or disharmony and is contraindicated for a person with measles. It is useful when there is spontaneous sweating and any unusual loss of fluids from the body and to fortify weak lungs.

Licorice Root - This herb is Sweet, neutral and enters ALL meridians but mainly the Spleen, Stomach, Heart and Lung Channels. It Benefits Spleen Qi, lubricates the Lung and moderates the effects of other herbs. It is a mild Qi and blood tonic due its actions on Spleen Qi (the Spleen produces all Qi and Blood for the body) however is contraindicated in patients with dampness, chest oppression and stuffiness, abdominal distension (bloating) and vomiting. Licorice root is fried with honey when it is used to benefit the Spleen and Stomach and used unprepared (dried) when used to benefit the Lung and heart. Good to use when taking other strong herbs to reduce the likelihood of other herbs causing major adverse reactions and this is its function in most herbal formulas except when used for spasm and pain in the extremities (a property found only by observation rather then the essential herbal nature). It can be used alone in cases of food and herbal poisoning to moderate the effects of toxins on the body.

 

[soutlaw92]

Thanks, CentralForce for posting this!
Very helpful. I am expecting more info on different herbs used in TcM from you. This is wonderful. I was actually looking into licorice root some days ago. Do you know of any TCM herbs for Liver and Lymph?I know of many herbs for those but it is good to get info about them from a TCM point of view.
For my lymph I use red root, though thats used a lot in ayurveda, and Qigong.

 

[centralforce6661]

Red root has not been used extensively in TCM however there are similar herbs which have been classified so I might address them. Of course, they are not used in regards to western medical concepts such as lymph however that doesn't mean that they don't have overlapping actions on those systems...

Red Sage or Salviae Miltiorrhizae - This Herb is Bitter and slightly cold and acts on the Heart and Liver. It acts to invigorate blood circulation, eliminate Blood Stasis (characterised by sharp stabbing pain in a fixed location), Cools Blood (blood heat is analogous to heat toxin which could be bacterial, viral or due to congestion of cholesterol and other waste products which manifest with skin redness, heat and itching) and clears boils and carbuncles from the skin. This herb is tranquilising as it nourishes the blood which is said in Chinese Medicine to house the spirit. This herb is not COLD but rather COOL which makes it safer for use in persons who might have mild Qi deficiency or other conditions in which using Cold liver clearing herbs are contraindicated.

Angelica Root - This herb is sweet and pungent, warm in temperature and acts on the Liver, Heart and Spleen. This is the predominate herb for building BLOOD during any type of Blood or Yin Deficiency or even as a health maintenance herb. It is contraindicated for obese people, or those with excessive dampness (sinus infections, leukorrhea, chronic diarrhea due to damp) and those with loose stools (chronic diarrhea due to Spleen Qi Deficiency). Angelica root tonifies and builds blood (great for anaemia), promotes blood circulation and moistens the intestine (good for constipation due to blood deficiency). This herb will bring about the menstrual cycle again in those whom it has disappeared (before menopause that is) and lengthen it in those whose periods only last a day or two. Anyone who loses blood regularly either due to bleeding haemorrhoids, giving blood or those whose periods 'spot' bleed between cycles can benefit from low doses of this herb over a long period of time. Pregnant women can benefit from the herbal formula Dang Gui Shao Yao Wan of which Angelica Root (Dang Gui) is the primary herb as it assists to maintain healthy maternal blood during and immediately after pregnancy. All of these indications are provided of course the person does not meet any of the contraindications listed above, as taking these herbs under those circumstances may worsen the health of the person who takes it.

 

[soutlaw92]

I look forward to it, CentralForce.

 

[centralforce6661]

I just want to add before I put this week's herbs in that anyone considering using these herbs for ailments should do additional research and consider most importantly the CONTRAINDICATIONS before using them. Herbs are not like pharmaceutical drugs, most of which clear the system rapidly and do not change molecular structures irrevocably. Some of the compounds found in herbs have half-lives that measure years in the human body, therefore one must be certain that they are not taking something which goes against the disharmony in terms of Yin and Yang, as this could do more harm than good.

White Peony Root: Bitter and sour in flavour, acting on the Spleen and Liver Channels and slightly cold (cool) in temperature. Peony nourishes Blood, reinforces Yin, soothes the Liver and subdues Liver Yang. Fantastic for menstrual pain due to Liver Yang Rising, Liver Yin or Blood Deficiency or any other Blood Deficiency. Contraindicated in persons who are cold due to Yang Deficiency which would manifest by feeling cold even when it is not very cold, loose stools (diarrhea) with a pale, wet tongue. Very useful when combined with Angelica Root and Rhemmania Glutinosa (Chinese Foxglove Root) for anemic patients who fit the syndrome of Blood Deficiency (but not those who are Yang Deficient which might also show anemia, the difference is the temperature, a cold anemic person has underlying Yang Deficiency, a warm anemic person is blood and/or Yin Deficient).

Immature Bitter Orange: This herb has a different property to MATURE Bitter Oranges which make up most of the herbal supplements on the market. Do not confuse them. The immature plant is bitter and pungent, enters the Spleen, Stomach and Large Intestine channels and is slightly cold. It relieves Qi Stagnation (majority of western people have Qi stagnation to some extent), moves stagnant food in the digestive tract and resolves phlegm (precursor to cancer and other tumours when combined with Blood Stagnation). This herb is great for hardy and robust people who find they become tired when they are not moving and struggle to exercise enough to mobilize their energies. However, anyone who has trouble with their stomachs and spleens being underactive (Chinese concept of spleen which is actually the pancreas) should not take this herb (diabetics, this means you!) and this herb is ABSOLUTELY 100% FORBIDDEN in pregnancy. This herb can abort the fetus as it quickens blood circulation. It is also contraindicated in those with high blood pressure and it may elevate blood pressure when used. This is a good liver detox herb BUT you must not use it if you are deficient, especially Yang or Blood deficient. Good for people who feel their livers are congested but do not tend toward being fatigued all the time, feeling weak or lacking appetite. 

 

[HPS Lydia]

Thank you for all this information, Centralforce! It really changed how I look at herbal supplements. I'm thinking I might benefit from Red Sage

 

[centralforce6661]

Asparagus Root: This herb is referred to as the Flying Herb, due to its conferring of lucid dreams and a state of 'rising above the mundane', something I have experienced personally with use of this herb. It is sweet, bitter and cold and acts on the Lung and Kidney channels to restore Lung and Kidney Yin. Excellent for people who have a chronic dry cough from years of smoking. This herb helps one get to sleep and stay asleep, and you may experience lucid and/or prophetic dreams or dreams of flying. Persons wishing to use Asparagus root should not be in the following category/have the following disharmony: Poor appetite due to Stomach Cold or Spleen Deficiency. Asparagus Root is considered a 'safe' tonic in that long term regular use (provided you are not experiencing the above) will be unlikely to cause any real harm, unlike with herbs like Ginseng which should be discontinued every few months to avoid adverse effects.

Chinese Red Dates - Ziziphus Jujuba: This herb is CHEAP, accessible and SAFE. It is sweet and warm and acts on the spleen and stomach channels. It nourishes Blood and Qi, calms the spirit and moderates other herbs (if you combine it with licorice root, they will moderate each other!). This is a great herb to buy and use as a daily snack, if you need a bit of appetite activation and encouragement and it is also good for those who get cold hands and fingers as the warmth will spread to the fingers and toes from improved circulation (diabetics who get peripheral neuropathy can benefit from this herb). There is a contraindication as always, for this herb people who have intestinal parasites should not take it, nor should those suffering from excessive dampness with epigastric (above the stomach) distension and bloating. My experience with this herb is that it is great for getting the hands to warm up in winter especially if you tend towards feeling the cold easily.

 

[centralforce6661]

Apologies to anyone who was watching this thread intently... I will endeavor to return to once a week posting on it... I have been very busy of late.

On with the herbs!

Rhubarb: This herb Da Huang is one of the major purgative herbs. It is Bitter and Cold and acts on the Spleen, Stomach, Heart, Large Intestine and Liver Channels. It is a laxative - it is traditionally used to clear Liver Fire and Damp Heat from the Intestines which manifest with a red complexion, strong feeling of heat in the body, irritability and anger, impaired digestion (may be a strong appetite with liver fire) desire for cold drinks, thirst (in Liver Fire, not so much Damp Heat) which is strong, sticky defecation with burning pain in the anus, anal itching, purulent eruptions on the skin or discharge from the penis or vagina which is odorous and foul. The herbal functions are purging heat, loosening the bowels, clearing toxins from the blood, promoting blood circulation and clearing blood stasis. It is contraindicated in ANY type of deficiency except Yin deficiency and especially in Spleen Qi deficiency. It should be stopped as soon as the toxins are cleared and if a person develops diarrhea they should stop taking it altogether. Great herb for people with hot type hepatitis or constipation due to damp heat accumulation.

Vitex Trifolia (not to be confused with Agnus Castus Vitex Chasteberry): Pungent and Bitter, slightly cool and acts on the Bladder, Liver and Stomach Channels this herb is used for clearing wind heat from the head and improving eyesight. Typically this only refers to during external conditions such as infections or viruses like the flu or common cold which manifest with high grade fever, yellow or green sputum, sweating and chills and fever (fever predominate). There is suggestion however that this herb (like its Agnus Castus Western Neighbor) can invigorate blood and dispel blood stasis in the uterus (endemetriosis and similar illness of the uterine lining falls into this category) but that may also be a difference in the herbal preparation as different drying techniques can alter the herbal property almost to its opposite usual effect. Bitter and cool herbs are also naturally diuretic and this herb may adversely affect Stomach and Spleen Qi and Kidney Qi and Yang as do all diuretic herbs to some extent - contraindicated in cases of Spleen and Stomach cold.

 

[centralforce6661]

Mint: The leaves and stem of the mint plant are used in TCM predominately for the relief of the common cold when it manifests as a hot condition with more fevers than chills, a sore throat and yellow/green sputum and expectoration (as opposed to white). The herb is warm and pungent and acts on the Lung and Liver channels. Its qi movement is upwards and outwards - this drives out sweat which takes with it the toxins of the common cold. It can also be used in much smaller amounts to relax the liver, in the case of Liver Qi stagnation with irritability, sore flanks, abdominal pain and upset which coincides with stress and anger and counterflow qi leading to cold hands and feet despite the rest of the body being warm. This herb is contraindicated in Yin deficiency and blood deficiency because sweat is the fluid of the heart and interchangeable with blood thus sweating alot results in deficiency of blood which can worsen yin deficiency. Some texts cite this herb as being cool in temperature but this is incorrect because cool herbs cannot make a person sweat, that premise is ridiculous.

Chinese Yam: Not to be confused with a sweet potato, the Chinese Yam is the species Dioscoreae Opposita - Sweet flavour, neutral in temperature and acting upon the Spleen, Lung and Kidney channel, this extremely safe herb acts to nourish the Qi and the Yin which is almost contradictory. This herb if any, is the only one of which I know which can synergistically do both - despite certain sources claiming that Ginseng can also do this which is incorrect. Any deficiency will benefit from this herb Blood, Yin, Qi or Yang and the only time it will be of little value is in patients of true excess dampness or food stagnation. People who are deficient genetically can benefit from the safe tonifying action of this herb without risk of adverse effects - very safe for long term use and advised in severe and mild deficiency. Also, very hard to buy in western countries except through a herbalist, sadly.

 

[centralforce6661]

Oyster Shell: Made from literally crushed up (cleaned) oyster shells, this herb is salty, cool and acts on the Liver and Kidney channels. It acts to soothe the liver and suppress liver yang rising by nourishing Kidney and Liver Yin and clearing heat. It softens hardness (masses) and nodules (such as scrofula) and is an astringent herb which prevents discharges such as spermatorrhea and leukorrhea. This herb can be used to relieve insomnia, quieten a disturbed spirit and relieve panic, fright and fear. Oyster shell is very heavy and tranquilizing so care should be taken that one does not take so much that they fall asleep but it is generally safe except in total digestive insufficiency like Spleen Qi sinking, notably when any organs have prolapsed (key indicator of spleen qi sinking) including the anus. This can be made at home by simply cleaning oyster shells thoroughly and then mildly baking them dry to kill any algae etc. on the shell surface then breaking them down with a mortar and pestle (heavy style) into a powder. It is quite gritty and does not mix well with water but taken with honey or molasses it is fine, there is no fishy taste, only a slight odour. Oyster shell is about the highest available zinc short of eating pure zinc in any food.

 

[thanatos_sun144]

This is all very interesting to read! I have read through the posts so far and already a couple of them sound like they would help me, but I am not sure, I'm in no way knowledgeable about this stuff D:

 

[centralforce6661]

Which herbs were you looking at specifically?