Xi Jiao

Rhinoceros Horn

1-2 grams powder, 1.5-6 grams decoction

salty-bitter-cold>Ht, Liv, St

Caution:  PG/Cold Condition/Heat not caused by a pathogen/do not combine with Aconite

-Cools the Blood, drains Fire & stops reckless movement of Blood (treats febrile disease when the pathogen has entered the Blood or Nutritive level with Sx of high fever, delirium, thirst, vomit of blood, nosebleed & convulsions)

-Clears Heat & Fire & stops tremors & convulsions (for febrile disease when the pathogen has entered the Blood or Nutritive level with Sx of very high fever, convulsions, tremors, loss of consciousness or other types of impaired consciousness)

-Cools Fire & Expels Toxins (for infections with extreme Heat Signs)

Shui Niu Jiao

cornu bubali

30-120 grams

bitter-salty>Ht, Liv, St

Caution:  Sp/St (-) Cold

-Clears Heat, Resolves Fire Toxicity & Cools Blood (for hemoptysis, purpura, nosebleed)

-Clears Heat & Arrests Tremors (for delirium, loss of conscious, mania)

Sheng Di

Chinese Foxglove

9-30 grams

sweet-bitter-cold>Ht, Liv,K

Caution:  Spleen Qi Deficiency/Yang Deficiency esp. with Damp in condition like diarrhea, lack of appetite or excess phlegm/PG

-Expels Heat by Cooling Blood (for febrile disease in the Nutritive or Blood level with Sx of high fever, extreme thirst, reckless movement of blood, a red tongue & rapid pulse)

-Tonifies the Yin by promoting Fluid Production(For Heat signs associated with Yin Deficiency with Sx of low-grade fever, thirst, red tongue & thin, rapid pulse)

-Soothes the Heart by calming Blazing Fire (for Deficient Ht Yin Sx of oral sores, insomnia, low-grade fever, irascibility with red tipped tongue)

-Cools & Nourishes (for chronic disease where there is Yin Deficiency & Heat, such as wasting & thirsting disorders & diabetes mellitus)

Xuan Shen

Chinese Figwort (Scrophularia)

9-30 grams

bitter-sweet-salty-cold>Lu, St, K

Caution:  Spleen or St Deficiency/Damp with diarrhea/do not combine with Radix Veratri

-Expels true or Internal Heat & cools the Blood (for heat which has entered the blood level in febrile diseases with Sx of reckless movement of Blood, Dryness, insomnia & fever)

-Tonifies the Yin (in the wake of febrile diseases where the Yin has been consumed with symptoms of insomnia, constipation, irritability or dizziness)

-Reduces inflammation & drains Fire Toxicity (for toxic Heat & inflammation with Sx of sore throat, boils, swollen & red eyes or other infections affecting the skin)

-Reduces hard nodules, especially associated with the lymph (for Stagnant Phlegm conditions associated with Fire with Sx of neck lumps, goiter, as well as severe swollen & sore throat)

Mu Dan Pi

Mountain Peony

3-9 grams

acrid-bitter-sl cold>Ht, Liv, K

Caution:  PG or excessive menstrual flow/Cold Signs/Yin Deficiency with excess sweat

-Cools the Blood (for febrile disease where the pathogen has entered the Blood level & there is reckless movement of Blood such as nosebleed)

-Clears Yin Deficiency Heat (for Heat due to False Heat & especially useful when there has been a febrile disease causing Yin Deficiency)

-Moves Blood & Breaks up Stasis, thus clearing Heat (for Liver Heat caused by Blood Stasis with Sx of amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, abdominal lumps such as tumors or from injury)

-Topically assists in pus drainage & is anti-inflammatory (for hard sores that are not draining, it can be applied topically; it can also be used internally for intestinal abscesses)

Chi Shao (Yao)

paeoniae rubra

1.5-15 grams

sour-bitter>Liv, Sp

Caution:  Cold (-)

-Clears Heat & Cools Blood (xue level heat w/fever, purple tongue, maculae)

-Invigorates Blood & Dispels Blood Stasis (for dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, fixed abd. masses)

Zi Cao

Lithospermum (purple herb)

3-9 grams

sweet-bitter-cold>Ht, Liv, P

Caution:  diarrhea due to Deficiency of Sp or Intestines/later stage measles

-Expels Heat, moves & Cools Blood (for toxic buildup in the Blood with Heat signs such as rashes & sores, esp. those that are very dark)

-Helps the incomplete expression of rashes & removes toxins from the Blood (such as for chickenpox & measles)

-Applied topically it clears Damp-Heat & moves Blood (for burns, eczema & vaginal itching)

-Unblocks the Intestines (for mild cases of constipation)

Bai Wei

Swallow Wort

3-9 grams

bitter-salty-cold>St, K, Liv, Lu

Caution:  diarrhea/without true Heat signs/with Huang Qi, Da Zao, Gan Jiang, San Zhu Yu,

Da Huang, Da Ji

-Cools the Blood & expels Deficient Heat (for Heat entering the Blood in cases of Yin Deficiency, esp. for persistent fever in children or fever in the aftermath of a febrile disease which has injured the Yin or Blood, or after Childbirth)

-Clears Heat in the Blood by encouraging urine (for Hot painful urination where there is blood in the urine, acute UTI, esp. before or after childbirth)

-Detoxifies when used either internally or externally (for Hot toxic & swollen sores, sore throat or abscesses, also for snakebite)

Di Gu Pi

Lycium Rootbark

6-12 grams

sweet-cold>Liv, Lu, K

Caution:  weak Sp or St

-Clears Yin Deficient Heat (with Sx night sweats, chronic low-grade fever, T:  red, P:  thin & rapid)

-Clears Lung Heat & stops cough (with Sx cough & wheezing with yellow sputum; also TB)

-Coold the Blood when there is reckless movement of Blood (for Heat in the Blood which causes bleeding with Sx of blood in the urine, nosebleed, coughing or vomit of blood)

-Drains Fire when Kidney Water is unable to control Fire (with Sx of toothache, diabetes mellitus, HTN, and Deficient Fire symptoms)