A VERY BRIEF HISTORY

The oldest medical book that mentions herbs is the Huang Di Nei Jing - The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. Differing opinions date the book between 800 BC and 200 BC. It’s a compendium of medical theory and practice attributed to the Yellow Emperor who is thought to have lived c.4700 BC or to be a mythical character whose age and royal status would provide credence to a contemporary work.

The period during which the Nei Jing appeared was one of great creativity and change. By 265 BC (when some scholars believe the Nei Jing was published) the transition from a shamanistic medicine to one based on theory and an accumulated body of knowledge was almost complete. Although the Nei Jing was supposed to have been written 2500 years prior it almost exclusively discusses the medicine of theory and accumulated knowledge. So the 28 substances and 12 prescriptions listed in the Nei Jing are the first mention of the Chinese herbal medicine, which continues to be practiced now.

By 220 AD national and provincial government medical services were established. Professional specialties included prescribing physicians, senior physicians, junior physicians, apprentices and pharmacists. During the Chin Dynasty (265 AD - 420 AD) the Imperial University was established and medicine was part of the curriculum.

About 500 AD The Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia Medica was published. This text contained the first references to “properties” of herbs and the first classification system for herbs other than the Five Element tastes. There were three major categories.

-Superior herbs - those that nourish life
-Middle Herbs - those that correct constitution
-Inferior herbs - those that expel disease

The Divine Husbandman’s Classic also sorted herbs by taste and temperature and it warned of toxic herbs. The catalog of substances contained plants, animals and minerals.

In 659 AD The Newly Revised Materia Medica, the first illustrated text of herbs, containing 844 entries, was published. 1108 AD saw the appearance of the Materia Medica Arranged According to Pattern, which had 1558 entries. 1596 AD brought The Grand Materia Medica with 1892 entries. By 1977 5,767 entries were listed in the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicinal Substances.

The period from 659 to the 1700’s saw the birth and evolution of several important components of herbal medicine theory. These components have continued in use to this day and are presented in the section Theory of Herbal Medicine.

 

ANALYSIS OF SI JUN ZI TANG - FOUR GENTLEMEN TEA

Below is an analysis of an extremely common formula. Qi deficiency is the imbalance/pathology for which it is prescribed so the definition of Qi Deficiency is presented first.

Lung Spleen Qi Deficiency:
breathlessness, weak voice, spontaneous sweating, poor or no appetite, tiredness, loose stools, Pulse: empty, Tongue: somewhat faded in color, SOB, No appetite, cough, abdominal distension, watery sputum, tiredness, weak voice, lassitude, dislike of speaking, pale complexion, day sweating, weakness of the limbs, bright white complexion, loose stools, catches colds easily, tiredness,

Treatment Principles
Remember: Illness = Imbalance, Health = Balance
A. General Treatment Principle is always: Restore Balance
B. Specifically: Remove excess, Supplement deficiency.
C. Is there an Excess syndrome? No.
C. What is Deficient in our situation? Zhen Qi
D. Therefore the specific Treatment Priinciple is supplement/tonify Qi.

SI JUN ZI TANG
ROLES AND PROPERTIES OF INGREDIENTS

NOTE: CX = contra-indications
I. King - Ton Qi Category
A. Name: Ren Shen - Ginseng
B. King Actions: Tonifies Source Qi, Tonifies Lung & Spleen Qi.
C. Also generates fluids, slightly Tonifies Heart Qi, calms Shen.
D. CX - Yin Deficiency w/ Heat, Liver Yang Rising, hypertension.

II. Minister - Ton Qi category
A. Name: Bai Zhu - White Attractylodes
B. Minister Actions: Tonifies Qi, Tonifies Spleen, Resolves Damp.
C. Also: stabilizes the exterior-stops sweating, calms fetus.
D. CX - Yin Deficiency w/ heat.

III. Assistant - Drain Damp Category
A. Name: Fu Ling - Poria
B. Assistant Actions: Drain damp, Tonifies Spleen.
C. Also: Resolves Phlegm, calms Heart and Shen.
D. CX - Cold due to Yang Deficiency.

IV. Guide - Ton Qi Category
A. Name: Gan Cao - Licorice Root
B. Guide & Assistant Actions: enters all 12 main channels,
harmonizes herb combinations (mitigates harsh effects), Tonifies Spleen.
C. Also: Tonifies Heart Qi, Clears Heat & Toxins, Tonifies Lung Qi and stops cough, relaxes tendons and relieves spasms and pain, moderates actions of other herbs.
D. CX - excess Damp, Nausea/Vomiting

Analysis - Actions and Balance

I. Treatment Principles of Si Jun Zi Tang
Tonify the Qi, Regulate Damp.

Tonify Qi
This occurs predominantly via the Lungs and Spleen - the two sources of Qi. Ren Shen and Bai Zhu tonify the Spleen & Lung. Ren Shen tonifies Source Qi. Gan Cao assists in tonifying the Spleen.

Regulate Damp
1) Damp accumulates when Spleen Qi is deficient.
2) Excess Damp can result from Ren Shen generating fluids.
3) The Minister and both assistants Resolve Damp and Tonify the Spleen.
4) Fu Ling drains damp compensating/balancing for K&M.

II. Temperature
the temperatures of the component herbs are sl. warm, warm, neutral, neutral. A Qi Deficient person is probably cool (Qi warms). The Temperatures of the component herbs therefore balance each other.

III. Tastes
slightly bitter, bitter, sweet.
A Qi Deficient person is likely to have Excess Damp. Also, Excess Damp results from Ren Shen generating fluids. The energetic actions associated with Bitter are drying and purging. The energetic action associated with Sweet is tonifying. Drying and purging will help to resolve Damp. Sweet and Spleen are both Earth correspondents. Sweet herbs will tonify the Earth Element. When the Spleen is tonified it will regulate Damp more effectively.

IV. Channels
Ren Shen enters the Spleen, Stomach, Lung, and Heart channels to tonify those organs. Bai Zhu enters the Spleen and Lung channels to Tonify those organs. Fu Ling enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Heart channels to tonify those organs. Gan Cao enters all twelve channels carrying the Qi of the King, Minster and Assistant herbs along with it.

There are two objectives of this section. The first is to introduce the lay person to Chinese Herbology. The second is to demonstrate the complexity of the formulas. After even a cursory study of the example above it should be apparent that a lay person should consult a professional before using Chinese medicinal herbs.

 

EXAMPLES OF HERBAL FORMULAS

SAN AO TANG

FUNCTIONS:
Disperses Lung Qi, Releases the Exterior

INDICATIONS:
Wind Cold Invasion, mild chills and fever, common cold, influenza, headache, bodyaches, cough, shortness of breath, profuse clear sputum

CONTRA-INDICATIONS:
Hypertension, spontaneous sweating, cardiac arrhythmia

KING HERB: Ma huang - Ephedra
Disperse the Lung Qi,
Release the Exterior (causes sweating)

MINISTER HERB: Xing ren - Apricot seed
relieve shortness of breath,
relieve cough

ASSISTANT HERB: Gan cao - Licorice root harmonize all herbs

MA HUANG TANG

FUNCTIONS:
Expels Wind Cold, Releases the Exterior

INDICATIONS:
Wind Cold Invasion, aversion to cold, no sweating, headache, bodyaches, sneezing

CONTRA-INDICATIONS:
Hypertension, spontaneous sweating, cardiac arrthymia

KING HERB: Ma Huang - Ephedra
Disperse and Descend Lung Qi, Relieve
shortness of breath

MINISTER HERB: Gui Zhi - Cinnamon twigs Eliminate Wind-Cold,
Release the Exterior,
Harmonize the Ying Qi and Wei Qi.

ASSISTANT HERB: Xing ren - Apricot seed
Disperse and Descend Lung Qi,
Relieve shortness of breath

GUIDE HERB: Gan Cao - Licorice Root
Harmonize directions of all herbs

BU YANG HUAN WU TANG

FUNCTIONS: Tonify Qi, circulate blood, remove blood stagnation

INDICATIONS:
#1 Sequelae of Stroke - paralysis of face, arm, leg, hemiplegia, incontinence of bowel or bladder, deviated mouth or or eyes
#2 Blood Stagnation - stagnation deu to Qi deficiency

Note: Treat stroke for 3 - 6 months but always treat first according to signs and symptoms

CAUTIONS:
Heat signs at beginning or during treatment - adjust dosage of Huang qi since it’s very warming. The classical dose of Huang qi is 120 grams. Begin with 15 - 20 grams and increase by 5 grams each course of treament to a maximum of 60 grams. Five days equals one course of treatment.

King Herb: Huang qi - Astraglus
tonify Qi, tonify the spleen & stomach

Minister: Dang gui wei - Angelica
circulate blood, remove blood stagnation

Assistant: Chi shao yao - circulate blood

Assistant: Chuan xiong - move blood, clear channels

Assistant: Tao ren - move blood, clear channels

Assistant: Hong hua - move blood, clear channels

Assistant: Di long - circulate blood in main and collateral channels

BAI TOU WENG TANG

FUNCTIONS: Clear Heat, Relieve Toxins, Cool Blood

INDICATIONS: Dysentery, Damp-Heat in the Large Intestine, diarrhea, fever, malodorous stool, blood and pus in the stool, tenseness, burning in the anus, tenesmus (painful spasm of the anus with the urge to evacuate the bowel), sweating, scanty dark urine, wiry rapid pulse

KING HERB: Bai Tou Weng - Pulsatilla
Stop dysentery,
Clear Heat and Relieve Toxins

MINISTER HERB: Huang Lian - Coptis
Clear Damp Heat

ASSISTANT HERB Huang Bai - Phelldendron
Clear Damp Heat

ASSISTANT HERB: Qing Pi - Green tangerine peel Clear Heat and Stop Diarrhea

HUANG TU TANG

FUNCTIONS: Warm the Yang, Tonify the Spleen, Nourish blood, Stop Bleeding

INDICATIONS: Bleeding due to Spleen Yang deficiency, bloody stool, vomiting of blood, nose bleeds, uterine bleeding, pale sallow complexion, pale tongue, deep thready weak pulse

KING HERB:
Fu Long Gan - Earth from a firepit
Warm Spleen Yang,
Consolidate Blood (in order to keep blood within the vessels),
Stop Bleeding

MINISTER HERB: Fu Zi - Aconite
Warm Spleen Yang, Warm Kidney Yang

ASSISTANT HERB: Bai Zhu - White attractylodes Tonify the Spleen

ASSISTANT HERB: E Jiao - Ass-hide gelatin Nourish Blood and Yin, Stop Bleeding

ASSISTANT HERB: Sheng Di Huang - Raw rehmannia
Nourish Yin and Blood

ASSISTANT HERB: Huang Qin - Scutellaria
Balance the Heat from Fu Zi and Fu Long Gan

ASSISTANT HERB: Gan Cao - Licorice root harmonize the actions of all herbs

 

PROCESSING OF HERBS FOR USE

Chinese herbal medicines are used internally and externally. For both types herbs can be prepared by water or alcohol extraction, baking, boiling, frying, or grinding.

Internal formulas are prepared as powders, teas (AKA decoctions), extracts, and pills. Powders are most often taken as drafts (stirring the powder into water and drinking the mix) or large gummy pills (6-9g) made by mixing in honey. Teas are boiled from 10 minutes to an hour. Extracts are made with water or alcohol or oil. Pills are made with both traditional and modern processes.

Traditional herb boiling pot made of
Clay.  Note the vent spout on the left

External types are liniments, powders, extracts, pastes or salves, and plasters. Often herbs are ground and mixed with a binder, such as sesame oil, to make the salve or paste andthen used in this form. Plasters were made by applying the paste to leaves or other material suitable for use against the skin. Modern commercially prepared plasters usually have adhesive to hold them in place. External formulas are used for bruises, sprains, open wounds, burns and swellings and other dermatological conditions.

 

SINGLE HERBS - EXAMPLE LISTINGS
Listings begin below the table
 

REN SHEN - GINSENG TONIFY QI
TASTE: sweet, sl. bitter
TEMP sl. warm
CHANNELS LU SP HT
DOSAGE 1-9g
CX: Yin xu w/ Heat, LiV Yang Rising w/ hypertension
ENERGETIC/ACTION
-Strongly Ton Basal Qi; Collapse of Qi
-Ton LU Qi
-Ton SP/ST; includes organ prolapse
-Generates Fluids, Stops Thirst
-Ton HT Qi, Calms Shen

DANG GUI - ANGELICA ROOT TONIFY BLOOD
TASTE sweet, bitter, pungent
TEMP warm
CHANNELS HT LIV SP
DOSAGE 3-15g
CX: Yin xu with heat, abdominal distension due to damp
-Tonifies blood: regs. menses, gyn., HT LIV
-Move and harmonize blood & disperse cold, esp. for pain
due to blood stag.
-Moistens intestines and unblocks bowels
-Relieves swelling
-expels pus
-generates flesh
-alleviates pain

DAN SHEN - SALVIA MOVE BLOOD
STAGNATION
TASTE bitter
TEMP sl. cold
CHANNELS HT PC LIV
DOSAGE 6-15g
CX: CAUTION: no blood stag., inc./ Li Lu
ENERGETIC/ACTION
-Moves Blood & breaks blood stag., esp. chest and
abdomen
-Clears heat, soothes irritability. Including heat in Ying level
& HT or KD Yin xu

MU LI - OYSTER SHELL CALM SHEN - by ANCHORING
TASTE salty, astringent
TEMP cool
CHANNELS LIV KD
DOSAGE 15-30g
CX: High fever w/o sweat,
ENERGETIC/ACTION
-Anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, restlessness
-Anchors LiV Yang; temper, dizziness, H/A
-Contains Fluids; continuous sweating, steaming bone
fever, aftermath of febrile disease
-Softens hardness, Dissipates nodules

DU HUO - ANGELICA ROOT DISPEL WIND & DAMP
TASTE bitter, pungent
TEMP warm
CHANNELS KD BL
DOSAGE 3-9g
CX: Yin xu w/ heat
ENERGETIC/ACTION
-Dispel Wind-Damp & Alleviate pain. esp. lower body,
acute and chronic
-Disperse Wind-Cold and RES
-Shao Yin H/A and toothache

DU ZHONG - EUCOMMIA TONIFY YANG
TASTE sweet, sl. pungent
TEMP warm
CHANNELS KD LIV
DOSAGE 6-15g
CX: Yin xu w/ heat
ENERGETIC/ACTION
-Ton LiV and KD, Strengthensinew & bones
-Promote circulation - esp. weak sinew & bone
-Calms Fetus
-Dizzy or lightheaded D-> LiV Yang Rising

FANG FENG - LEDEBOURIELLA RELEASE THE
EXTERIOR - WARMING
TASTE pungent, sweet
TEMP sl. warm
CHANNELS BL LIV SP
DOSAGE 3-9g
CX: Blood xu w/ spasms, Yin xu w/ heat, INC W/Gan jiang,
Li Lu, Bie Xie
ENERGETIC/ACTION
-RES & Expel Wind
-Expel Wind-Damp and alleviate pain, esp. when Wind
is predominant
-Expel Internal Wind - esp. tetany and tremors of hands
and feet

 

THEORY of CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

The Theory - Engineering Principles

Chinese herbs are selected and combined in formulas based on principles that have no relation whatsoever to biochemistry. The vast majority of herbal treatments use formulas containing four or more herbs. Only a few herbs are used by themselves alone. There are several reasons for this.

To affect related secondary aspects of the illness.

To prevent the formula from causing side effects or illness by balancing it’s effects.

To strengthen the effect on the pathology.

One commonly used format or template for designing herbal formulas is based on the monarchical form of government. At the top is the king or emperor. Next are the ministers or deputies. Last are the assistants or adjutants. There is one special role assistant - that of guide or messenger herb. A memory trick to remember this template is to consider it as radio station KMAG.

Any herb can fill any of these roles. Which role depends on which herbal formula the herb is used in. They roles work together in these ways:

King Herb - The herb that is directed to and has the strongest effect on the most important imbalance/pathology

Minister Herb - This herb is directed to the main imbalance/pathology and to the secondary imbalance/pathology

Assistant Herb - there are three types:

1) Helpful Assistant - strengthens the effect of the King

2) Corrective Assistant - reduces or eliminates the harsh or toxic effects of the King and/or Minister herbs

3) Opposing Assistant - decreases the effect of the King. This role is mostly used for complex combinations of imbalances/pathologies.

Guide - Envoy - Messenger Herb - focuses actions of the other herbs on a particular organ, channel or region of the body.

The KMAG template is presently the dominant method of designing a formula but several others have been very important and are in common use today. Chinese herbs are selected for use in a formula by any single characteristic or combination of all characteristics.

HERB ENERGETICS by Category of Effect on Qi

There are two objectives of this section. The first is to introduce the lay person to Chinese Herbology. The second is to demonstrate the complexity of the formulas. After even this cursory study it will be apparent that a lay person should consult a professional before using Chinese medicinal herbs.

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