Stabilize & Bind /Calm Spirit

HBR7

Stabilize & Bind

•Astringent herbs

•- includes sour (mostly warm-moistening) and astringent (mostly cooling-drying) herbs

•- LU, LI, SP, KD most frequently require astringing.

• Shan zhu yu - Dogwood fruit /Fructus Corni

• Sour, sl warm / Kd, Lr

• A&I: Stabilizes Kidney, retains essence: polyuria, incontinence, sperm leakage, excessive sweating. (You Gui Wan)

• Tonifies Lr & Kd, essence: dizziness, weak lumbar, impotence.

• Prolonged menstruation d/t def. (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan)

• C&C: Contraindicated: dysuria, damp-heat. Antagonizes Jie geng, Fang feng, Fang ji.

• 3-12 g

• Wu wei zi - Schisandra fruit / Fructus Schisandrae

• warm, sour / Ht, Kd, Lu

• A&I: Astringes Lu qi: chronic cough. (Bu Fei Tang)

• Binds essence: nocturnal emission, vaginal discharge. (Tu Si Zi Wan)

• Diarrhea d/t Sp/Kd def. (Si Shen Wan)

• Excessive sweating. (Sheng Mai San)

• Calms Ht: irritability, insomnia. (Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan)

• Recent: skin allergies, hepatitis

• C&C: Contraindicated: unresolved ext pattern, xs int heat, early-stage cough or rash.

• 1.5-9 g. Crush before using.

• Wu mei - Black plum / Fructus Mume

• warm, sour / LI, Lr, Lu, Sp

• A&I: Astringes Lu qi: chronic cough. (Jiu Xian San)

• Chronic diarrhea.

• Alieviates thirst d/t def heat.

• Expels parasites. (Wu Mei Wan)

• Uterine bleeding, bloody stool esp w/thirst.

• Topical: corns & warts.

• C&C: Contraindicated: int xs heat, ext patterns

• 3-9 g.

• Chi shi zi - Kaolin / Halloysitum Rubrum

• warm, sour, sweet, astringent / Sp, St, LI

• Binds intestines, stops diarrhea.

• Stops bleeding: bloody stool, uterine d/t cold in lower jiao.

• Topical: chronic sores.

• C&C: Caution: pregnancy. Contraindicated: early-stage dysentery, hot diarrhea, damp-heat. Antagonizes Da huang, counteracts Yuan hua, Huang qin.

• 9-30 g

• He zi - Chebula fruit / Fructus Chebulae

• neutral, sour, bitter, astringent / Lu, LI, St

• A&I: Chronic diarrhea or dysentery.

• Astringe Lu qi: cough, asthma, or chronic cough w/loss of voice.

• C&C: Contraindicated: ext patterns, damp-heat accumulation.

• Raw: cough, loss of voice. Roasted: diarrhea.

• 3-10 g

• Rou dou kou - Nutmeg / Semen Myristicae

• warm, acrid / Sp, St, LI

• A&I: Warms middle jiao, moves qi: abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea. (Jian Pi Wan)

• Stops diarrhea d/t Sp/Kd def. (Si Shen Wan)

• C&C: Contraindicated: damp-heat diarrhea or dysentery.

• 3-10 g 1.5-3 g pills or powder

• Chun pi - Ailanthus bark / Cortex ailanthi

• cold, bitter, astringent / Lr, St, LI

• A&I: Clears heat, dries dampness: damp-heat diarrhea, leukorrhea

• Stops bleeding: bloody stool. (Gu Jing Wan)

• Kill parasites

• C&C: Contraindicated: def cold, def yin

• 3-9 g

• Lian zi - Lotus seed / Semen Nelumbinis

• neutral, sweet, astringent / K, Sp, Ht

• A&I: Tonifies Sp, stops diarrhea. (Shen Ling Bai Zhu San)

• Tonifies Kd stabilizes essence: seminal emissions, leukorrhea. (Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan)

• Nourishes blood, calms mind: palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, irritability.

• C&C: Contraindicated: ab distension, constipation

• 6-15 g

• Qian shi - Euryale seed / Semen Euryales

• neutral, sweet, astringent / K, Sp

• A&I: Tonifies Sp, stops diarrhea.

• Tonifies Kd stabilizes essence: seminal emissions, freq urination. (Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan)

• Expels dampness: leukorrhea d/t def or damp-heat.

• 9-15 g

• Jin ying zi - Cherokee rose hips / Fr Rosae laevigatae

• neutral, sour, astringent / K, UB, LI

• A&I: Retains essence: spermatorrhea, freq urination, leukorrhea, prolapse of anus or uterus, uterine bleeding.

• Chronic diarrhea or dysentery.

• C&C: Contraindicated: fire or excessive pathogenic factors. OD, long-term may cause ab pain, constipation.

• 4.5-9 g

• Fu xiao mai - Light wheat / Fructus Tritici levis

• cool, sweet, salty / Ht

• A&I: Stops sweating: spontaneous or night sweating. (Mu Li San)

• Nourishes Ht, calms mind: restless organ disorder. (Gan Mai Da Zao Tang)

• Pediatric enuresis

• 9-15 g

• Ma huang gen - Ephedra root / Radix Ephedrae

• neutral, sweet / Lu

• A&I: Stops sweating d/t def: spontaneous or night sweating. (Mu Li San)

• C&C: Contraindicated: ext patterns

• 3-10 g

• Hai piao xiao - Cuttlefish bone / Os Sepiae seu Sepiellae

• sl warm, salty, astringent / Lr, K, St

• A&I: Stops uterine bleeding and leukorrhea. (Gu Chong Tang)

• Retains essence: nocturnal emission, premature ejaculation.

• Controls acidity, stops St pain.

• Promotes healing of ulcers.

• C&C: Contraindicated: def yin, xs heat.

• 4.5-12 g

• Sang piao xiao - Mantis egg case Ootheca Mantidis

• neutral, sweet, salty / Lr, K

• A&I: Tonifies Kd yang, restrains essence & urination: seminal emission, nocturnal enuresis (esp in children), leukorrhea. (Sang Piao Xiao San)

• C&C: Contraindicated: yin def fire, UB heat w/frequent urine.

• 3-10 g

• This category is further subdivided into herbs that

• 1) settle and calm the Spirit

• primarily cool/cold, salty or sweet minerals and sea shells; potent sedative effect.

• includes toxic heavy metals.

• 2) nourish HT and calm the Spirit.

• primarily neutral and sweet; tonify HT Yin, HT Blood, and LR Yin.

Calm the Spirit

Settle & Calm Spirit

• Long gu - Dragon's bone / Os draconis

• neutral, sweet, astringent / Ht, Kd, Lr

• A&I: Pacifies Lr, anchors yang: dizziness, vertigo, blurred vision. (Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang)

• Calms Ht: palpitations, insomnia. (Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang)

• Astringes leukorrhea, seminal emissions, sweating. (Sang Piao Xiao San)

• Topical: chronic sores.

• Should be cooked before adding other herbs.

• 15-30 g

• Mu li - Oyster shell / Concha Ostreae

• cool, salty / Kd, Lr

• A&I: Pacifies Lr, anchors yang: dizziness, vertigo, blurred vision. (Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang)

• Calms Ht: palpitations, insomnia. (Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang)

• Astringes leukorrhea, seminal emissions, sweating. (Mu Li San)

• Softens, dissipates nodules. (Xiao Luo Wan)

• Xs stomach acid.

• C&C: Contraindicated: hi fever w/o sweating. OD: indigestion, constipation.

• 15-30 g

• Ci shi - Loadstone / Magnetite

• cold, salty, acrid / Kd, Lr

• A&I: Anchors & calms: restlessness, insomnia, palpitations, tremors, children's seizures d/t fright. (Ci Zhu Wan)

• Improves hearing & vision. (Er Long Zuo Ci Wan)

• Kd not grasping qi.

• Caution: weak Sp/St. Antagonizes Mu dan pi.

• Decoct 20-30 min before adding other herbs.

• 9-30 g

• Zhu sha - Cinnabar / Cinnabaris

• cool, sweet, toxic / Kd, Lr

• A&I: Sedates Ht: restlessness, palpitations, anxiety, seizures. (Zhu Sha An Shen Wan, Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan)

• Topical: toxic swellings, snakebite.

• C&C: Do not use, TOXIC, contains mercury.

• 0.3-2.5 g pill or powder

• Zhen zhu - Pearl / Margarita

• cold, salty / Ht, Lr

• A&I: Sedates Ht: tremors, seizures, palpitations, frightens easily. (An Gong Niu Huang Wan)

• Clears Lr, brightens eyes: dim vision, red eyes, photophobia.

• Topical: chronic sores.

• 0.3-0.9 g pills, powders, eyedrops

• Zhen zhu mu - Mother-of-pearl

• cold, sweet, salty / Ht, Lr

• A&I: Pacifies Lr, anchors yang. Clears Lr, brightens eyes.

• Substitute for Zhen Zhu

• 15-30g decoct first.

• Hu po - Amber / Succinum

• neutral, sweet / Ht, Lr, UB

• A&I: Tranquilizes mind: infantile seizures, palpitations, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep. (Ding Xian Wan)

• Bl stasis menstrual problems.

• Promotes urination: freq, painful, bloody urine or stones.

• C&C: Contraindicated in yin deficiency with heat

• 0.9-3 g powder

• Dai zhe shi - Hematite / Hematitum

• cold, bitter / Lr, Ht, Pc

• A&I: Pacifies Lr, anchors yang: dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus. (Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang)

• Strongly downbears qi: vomiting, belching, wheezing. (Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang)

• Vomiting blood, nosebleeds.

• C&C: Caution: pregnancy. Some samples contain arsenic salts.

• 9-30 g

Nourish Heart & Calm Spirit

• Suan zao ren - Wild jujube seed / Semen Zizyphi spinosae

• neutral, sweet / Ht, Lr

• A&I: Nourishes blood, calms shen: irritability, insomnia, palpitations, forgetfulness. (Suan Zao Ren Tang, Gui Pi Tang)

• Stops sweating: spontaneous or night sweating

• C&C: Caution: Severe diarrhea; XS heat

• 10-18g

• Bai zi ren - Biota seed / Semen Biotae

• neutral, sweet / Ht, K, LI

• A&I: Nourishes blood, calms shen: insomnia, palpitations, anxiety. (Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan)

• Night sweats: d/t Yin deficiency

• Moistens intestines

• C&C: Contraindicated: loose stool, phlegm

• 10-18g

• Yuan zhi - Polygala root / Radix Polygalae

• sl warm, acrid, bitter / Ht, Lu

• A&I: Calms shen: restlessness, insomnia, palpitations. (Gui Pi Tang)

• Transforms phlegm, clears orifices: cough w/thick sputum, turbid phlegm misting Heart (Ding Zhi Wan, Ding Xian Wan)

• C&C: Caution: Gastritis, gastric ulcer.

• 3-10g

• He huan pi - Albizzia bark, Mimosa tree bark / Cx Albizziae

• neutral, sweet / Ht, Lr

• A&I: Calms shen: insomnia, memory lapse, irritability d/t depression.

• Moves blood, reduces swelling: trauma, injury

• Boils

• He huan hua - Albizzia flower: neutral, sweet, moves Liver qi & blood, calms shen, esp useful for emotional constraint, epigastric pain.

• 10-15g

• Ye jiao teng - Fleeceflower vine / Caulis Polygoni multiflori

• neutral, sweet, sl bitter / Ht, Lr

• A&I: Nourishes Heart blood, calms shen: esp dream-disturbed sleep. (Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin)

• Unblocks channels: weakness, soreness, numbness d/t Blood def.

• Topical: itchy skin

• 9-30g

•Herbs for extinguishing Internal Wind

•- treat tremors, paralysis, convulsions, muscle twitches, and dizziness

•- tend to be neutral to cold, salty and sweet; enter LR

Extinguish Wind & Stop Tremors

• Ling yang jiao - Antelope horn / Cornus Saigae Tataricae

• cold, salty / Lr, Ht

• A&I: Calms Lr, extinguishes wind: high fever, spasms, convulsions esps in children. (Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang)

• Anchors yang.

• Clears Lr fire, brightens eyes.

• Clears Pc heat: mania, coma.

• Wind-damp-heat bi.

• 1.5-3 g decoction; 0.3-0.5 g powder

• Shan yang jiao - Goat horn: salty, cold, sim to Ling yang jiao but weaker, use 9-15g in decoction.

• Gou teng - Uncaria stem / Ramulus Uncariae cum Uncis

• cool, sweet / Lr, Pc, Ht

• A&I: Extinguishes wind, alleviates spasms: tremors, spasms, seizures. (Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang)

• Clears heat, calms Lr: Lr fire or yang rising, incl HTN. (Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin)

• Ext wind-heat.

• 6-15 g; Cook less than 10 min. Hooks are most effective part.

• Tian ma - Gastrodia tuber / Rhizoma Gastrodiae

• neutral, sweet / Lr

• A&I: Extinguishes wind, controls spasms: tremors, seizures, etc, d/t heat or bl def. (Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin)

• Stops pain: headaches, etc, d/t wind-phlegm, or wind-damp bi in low back & extremities. (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang)

• 3-10 g decoction; 1-1.5 g powder

• Bai ji li - Tribulus fruit / Fructus Tribuli

• neutral, bitter, acrid / Lr

• A&I: Calms Lr, anchors yang.

• Lr qi stagnation: chest/flank pain, insufficient lactation.

• Stops itching. (Dang Gui Yin Zi)

• Brightens eyes

• C&C: Caution: pregnancy, qi & bl def.

• 6-10 g

• Shi jue ming - Abalone shell / Concha Haliotidis

• cold, salty / Lr, K

• A&I: Anchors yang: HA, dizziness. (Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin)

• Clears Lr fire, brightens eyes.

• C&C: Counteracts Xuan fu hua.

• 9-30 g Cook 1 hr before adding other herbs.

• Di long - Earthworm / Lumbricus

• cold, salty / Lr, Lu, Sp, UB

• A&I: Clears heat, stops spasms.

• Calms wheezing d/t Lu heat.

• Promotes urination: dysuria, edema, HTN

• Clears channels & luo vessels: hot bi, hemiplegia. (Xiao Huo Luo Dan, Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang)

• 5-15 g; 10-20 g if fresh

• Quan xie - Scorpion / Buthus martensi

• neutral, acrid, salty, toxic / Lr

• A&I: Extinguishes wind, stops spasms: acute or chronic convulsions, tics, tetany. (Qian Zheng San)

• Fire toxin: swellings, sores.

• Stops pain: migraines, bi.

• C&C: Toxic, avoid OD. Contraindicated: pregnancy, bl def.

• 2-4.5 g decoction; 0.6-1 g powder

• Wu gong - Centipede / Scolopendra

• warm, acrid, toxic / Lr

• A&I: Extinguishes wind, stops spasms: acute or chronic convulsions, lockjaw, seizures.

• Fire toxin: boils, snakebites.

• Stops pain: migraines, bi.

• C&C: Toxic, avoid OD. Contraindicated: pregnancy.

• 1-3 g decoction; 0.6-1 g powder

• Jiang can - Sick silkworm / Bombyx Batryticatus

• neutral, acrid, salty / Lr, Lu

• A&I: Extinguishes wind, stops spasms: child convulsions, facial paralysis d/t Lr wind or Wind-phlegm-heat. (Ding Xian Wan)

• Phlegm-heat nodules.

• Expels wind, stops pain: HA, red eyes, sore throat, aphonia d/t Lr or ext wind.

• Stops itching.

• Raw: wind-heat. Fried: all else.

• C&C: Antagonizes Jie geng, Fu ling, Bei xie, Sang piao xiao.

• 3-9 g decoction; 1-1.5 g pills or powders

• - primarily used for stroke/CNS collapse with coma or imminent coma.

• - must differentiate between Cold-type or Heat-type.

• - not for Yang Collapse; aromatic and scattering, can easily drain the body's Qi.

Herbs for opening the Orifices

• She xiang - Deer musk / Moschus

• warm, acrid, aromatic / Ht, Sp, Lr

• A&I: Intensely opens orifices, revives consciousness: heat entering Pc, tetany, phlegm collapse, seizures. (An Gong Niu Huang Wan, Su He Xiang Wan)

• Moves blood, reduces swelling, relieves pain: toxic sores, masses, trauma, coronary artery disease. (Qi Li San)

• Hastens delivery, esp in stillborns.

• C&C: Contraindicated: pregnancy, yin def heat. Endangered.

• 0.06-0.15g pills, powders

• Su he xiang - Styrax Liquidis

• warm, sweet, acrid, aromatic / Ht, Sp

• A&I: Opens orifices, penetrates turbidity: esp cold disorders, also phlegm, closed, epidemic toxic. (Su He Xiang Wan)

• Cold, fullness, pain in chest.

• C&C: Contraindicated: hi fever & coma, spontaneous sweat & collapse. Caution: pregnancy.

• 0.3-1 g pill, powder

• Bing pian - Borneol

• Cool, acrid, bitter / Ht, Lu, Sp

• A&I: Opens orifices, revives spirit: fainting, convulsions. (An Gong Niu Huang Wan)

• Topical: throat pain/swelling, skin diseases, eye diseases, regenerates flesh.

• C&C: Contraindicated: qi & bl def. Caution: pregnancy.

• 0.3-0.9 g pill, powder

• Shi chang pu - Acorus / Rz Acori Graminei

• sl warm, acrid, aromatic / Ht, St

• A&I: Opens orifices, vaporizes phlegm, quiets spirit: deafness, dizziness, dull senses, seizures. (Ding Zhi Wan, Di Tan Tang)

• Harmonizes middle jiao, transforms turbidity: chest fullness, ab pain d/t Sp/St damp. (Lian Po Yin)

• Wind-damp bi, trauma, sores: internal or topical.

• C&C: Caution: yin def heat, excessive sweating, vomiting blood, spermatorrhea. Antagonizes Ma huang.

• 3-9 g decoction, pills, powders

• Niu huang - Bovine Bezoar, Cattle Gallstone / Calculus Bovis

• cool, bitter, sweet / Ht, Lr

• A&I: Clears Ht, opens orifices, awakens spirit, vaporizes phlegm: delirium d/t febrile diseases, hot phlegm obstructing Pc, wind-stroke, seizures. (An Gong Niu Huang Wan)

• Clears Lr heat, extinguishes wind: spasms, tremors w/fever.

• Toxic heat swellings.

• C&C: Contraindicated: pregnancy, Sp/St def, absence of xs heat.

• Antagonizes Long gu, Sheng di huang, Long dan cao, Chang shan, Niu xi.

• 0.15-1g pills, powders