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Acrid, cool, slightly toxic; enters the Stomach channel. Clears deficient heat and moves dampness; treats parasitic infections, carbuncles, sores, and malnutrition due to parasites (Chong Ju Liao Gan). Toad venom (Chan Su) is acrid, warm, and toxic; treats carbuncle toxins and various forms of malnutrition due to parasites; can ulcerate human muscle tissue.

Sweet, cold; enters the Stomach channel. Greatly resolves excess heat in the Five Zang organs; clears phlegm-fire and eliminates food stagnation. Licorice root (Gan Cao) soaked in feces or used with Gleditsia sinensis (Zao Jia).

Same as Ren Zhong Huang but more potent.

See Spleen Heat.

Acrid, hot; removes stomach cold; dispels phlegm and scatters floating heat of the Yangming channel; also enters the Large Intestine channel; treats diarrhea and dysentery; disperses qi and stirs fire.

Acrid, hot; warms the stomach and disperses cold; directs qi downward and alleviates pain. The seeds warm the lungs and awaken the spleen; can disperse cold and dry dampness.

Acrid and sweet, greatly hot and purely yang; a herb for the Yangming channel; can guide the medicinal action upward; treats all diseases of the face; dispels wind-phlegm, bi-syndrome, and dampness; this herb no longer retains its true potency.

Acrid, warm, purely yang, and drying; drains the lungs and warms the stomach; greatly treats kidney deficiency and enhances sexual function; treats stomach cold with vomiting and reflux; should not be used unless there is deficiency-cold.

See Tongxing Re.

See Mingmen Heat.

Sweet, warm; a qi-level herb for the Stomach channel; tonifies yang and benefits orifices; its qi is vigorous and can cause sudden abundance of yang qi; only suitable for temporary use when the Fire of the Gate of Life (Mingmen) is deficient.

See Tongxing He Zhu.

See Lung Tonification.

Bitter, acrid, warm; strengthens yang and tonifies the kidneys; disperses cold, expels wind, dries dampness, and kills parasites; treats various diseases of the external genitalia in men and women, as well as disorders of the uterus due to deficiency-cold, sores, tinea, and wind-dampness; it is a qi-level herb for the Kidneys, Gate of Life, and Sanjiao.

See Lung Tonification.

See Stomach Tonification.

See Kidney Tonification.

Bitter, acrid, warm; a qi-level herb for the Sanjiao; can regulate the ascending and descending of all qi; drains lung qi, soothes liver qi, and harmonizes spleen qi; treats disorders of the Chong vessel and all qi-related diseases causing heart pain; its aromatic and drying nature may stir fire pathogens.

See Tongxing He.

See Lung Harmonization.

See Spleen Harmonization.

See Heart Harmonization.

See Stomach Harmonization.

See Lung Harmonization.

Sweet and sour, neutral; stops thirst and benefits lung qi; treats upper jiao heat; excessive consumption induces phlegm-heat and damages the spleen.

When used raw: sweet and cold; cools blood and disperses stasis; treats upper jiao phlegm. When cooked thoroughly: sweet and neutral; tonifying and nourishing. Lotus node (Ou Jie): astringent, neutral; stops bleeding, resolves stasis, and clears heat-toxin.

See Large Intestine Harmonization.

See Stomach Harmonization.

See Lung Harmonization Zhu.

See Lung Attack.

See Tongxing Attack.

Refers to the stems and leaves of Dichroa febrifuga (Chang Shan). Chang Shan is bitter, acrid, and cold; its nature is fierce; induces vomiting and promotes water metabolism; dispels phlegm-fluids, arrests malaria. Shu Shu has similar functions to Chang Shan, but its nature is light and ascending; can scatter pathogenic knots in the upper jiao.