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Sources of Chinese Herbs
- Plants
- Animals
- Insects
- Minerals
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Gen
- Latin: Radix, Rhizoma
- English: Root, Rhizome
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Cao
- Latin: Herba
- English: Herb, Grass
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Pi
- Latin: Cortex, Pericarpium
- English: bark, peel, skin
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Zhi
- Latin: Ramulus
- English: Twig
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Ye
- Latin: Folium
- English: Leaf
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Hua
- Latin: Flos
- English: Flower
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Zi, Ren
- Latin: Semen, Fructus
- English: Seed, Fruit
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Roots and Rhizomes
store most energy for hers; the strongest for medicine
larger dosage
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Bark and Twigs
usually from trees; treat skin and unblock channels and collaterals
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Vines
curly like sinews, treat sinews
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Leaves and Flowers
dispersing and floating up
smaller dosage
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Seeds and Small Fruits
tonifying, descending
larger dosage
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what determines a herb's functions?
- properties (temp + taste)
- direction
- channels entered
- harvest season, toxicity, geolocation, etc
- it's unique quality
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Temp + Taste
- whole body's experience and response
- temp = degrees of yin and yang (e.g. 4 seasons: warm, hot, cool, cold)
cold diseases must be warmed; hot diseases must be cooled
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taste and function
acrid
disperse and move
lung/metal
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taste and function
sweet
tonify, harmonise, moisten
spleen/earth
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taste and function
bitter
drain and dry
heart/fire
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taste and function
sour
astringent, prevent leakage of fluids
liver/wood
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taste and function
salty
purge and soften hardness
kidney/water
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taste and function
bland
leech out dampness and promote urination
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taste and function
aromatic (not taste)
penetrates through turbidity and opens orifices; revive Spleen
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Herb Function: Direction
upward
- treats sinking of qi
- e.g. diarrhea and prolapse
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Herb Function: Direction
downwards
- treats counter flow of qi
- e.g. coughing and vomiting
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Herb Function: Direction
outward
releases constraint form external wind invasion or internal qi stagnation
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Herb Function: Direction
inward
- prevents leakage
- e.g. bleeding and spontaneous sweating
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Contraindication:
herbs that invigorate blood
pregnancy or profuse menstruation
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Contraindication:
downward draining purgatives
pregnancy
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Contraindication:
herbs that are acrid, warm, and drying
yin deficiency
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Contraindication:
herbs that promote urination
yin deficiency
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Contraindication:
herbs that strongly move qi
qi or blood deficiency
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Contraindication:
bitter, cold herbs
deficiency cold of the stomach and spleen
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Contraindication:
herbs that stabilise and bind
internal or external excess conditions
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Treatment Principle:
Sweating Han
release exterior pathogen
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Treatment Principle:
Vomiting Tu
expel toxic/stagnant matter
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Treatment Principle:
Draining Xia
induce defecation
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Treatment Principle:
Harmonising He
Harmonise functions of different organs
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Treatment Principle:
Warming Wen
restore yang Qi
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Treatment Principle:
Clearning Qing
clear heat and drains fire
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Treatment Principle:
Reducing Xiao
gradually eliminate accumulation
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Treatment Principle:
Tonifying Bu
tonify that which is deficient
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