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[Mentha Haplocalyx]
The qi is warm. The taste is pungent. It is non-toxic. It primarily treats the need for sweating in cases of thief-wind (external pathogenic factors) and cold damage, as well as heart and abdominal distension and fullness caused by evil qi, cholera, and indigestion of retained food. It directs qi downward; it can be taken as a decoction or eaten raw.

Mentha Haplocalyx has a warm qi, inheriting the spring-rising Wood qi of heaven, entering the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. Its pungent taste and non-toxic nature acquire the Metal flavor of the West from earth, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian.

Both its qi and taste are ascending, belonging to Yang. Cold damage encompasses five types: wind-stroke, cold damage, dampness, warm disease, and heat disease. "Thief-wind cold damage" refers to wind-stroke. When wind damages the Wei (Defensive) level, it is appropriate to use pungent-warm substances to induce sweating. Heart and abdominal distension and fullness caused by evil qi generally arise from the Liver. Since Mentha Haplocalyx enters the Liver, its warmth promotes circulation and its pungency disperses stagnation, thereby eliminating evil qi and resolving distension. If the Taiyin [Spleen/Lung] fails to govern properly, it leads to chaotic turmoil (cholera symptoms). Mentha Haplocalyx moistens the Lung Qi with its pungency; when Lung Qi is harmonized, cholera resolves. Food enters the Stomach, and its essence is dispersed to the Liver. If the Liver fails to disperse essence, food remains undigested. Mentha Haplocalyx enters the Liver and uses its pungent dispersing action to resolve retained food. The Lung governs Qi; Mentha Haplocalyx's pungent taste moistens the Lung, allowing it to execute its descending function, thus also directing Qi downward. Due to its aromatic fragrance, it can be eaten raw.

Prescription:
Mentha Haplocalyx combined with Epimedii Folium (Qiyè), Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Kushen), Polygoni Multiflori Radix (Heshouwu), Cannabis Fructus (Maren), Schizonepetae Spica (Jingjie), Rehmanniae Radix (Shengdi), Tribuli Fructus (Jili), Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu), and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (Changpu). Grind into fine powder. Form pills with honey. Treats leprosy (Da Ma Feng). Also used to treat upward congestion of Wind-Heat.

[Elsholtzia splendens]
The qi is slightly warm. The taste is pungent. It is non-toxic. It primarily treats cholera, abdominal pain with vomiting and diarrhea. It dissipates edema.

Elsholtzia splendens has a slightly warm qi, inheriting the early-spring Wood qi of heaven, entering the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. Its pungent taste and non-toxic nature acquire the dry-Metal flavor of the West from earth, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian. Both its qi and taste are ascending, belonging to Yang. In summer, Damp-Heat qi stagnates in the Taiyin and Yangming meridians, leading to chaotic turmoil manifesting as abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Elsholtzia splendens treats this because its warmth promotes Qi movement, and its pungency resolves Damp-Heat. The Lung is the official of transmission, governing the free flow of water passages and transporting fluids downward to the Bladder. Elsholtzia splendens's pungent taste moistens the Lung, thus treating the dissipation of edema.

Prescription:
Elsholtzia splendens combined with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu), Chaenomelis Fructus (Mu Gua), Poria (Baifu), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chenpi), and Plantaginis Semen (Cheqian). Treats edema. Combined with Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu) in pill form to treat edema, with effective results indicated by increased urination.