Qi Regulating Herbs

• Knowing the patterns/symptoms each herb category treats is important
• Herbs that regulate Qi are generally acrid and warm due to their moving nature
• Recognizing herbs within each category is beneficial for answering questions

Big Functions

• Making a separate list of herbs with standout functions (calming the fetus, lowering blood pressure, treating hernia, benefiting the eyes, and/or promoting lactation) is helpful.

Regulate Qi

• Flavor: Acrid
• Temperature: Warm
• Treats liver Qi stagnation and MJ Qi stagnation

Liver Qi Stagnation

• Signs/Symptoms: Hypochondriac distension, pain or fullness, sighing, irritability, wiry pulse
• Herbs: Qing Pi, Xiang Fu, Wu Yao, Chuan Lian Zi, Tan Xiang
• Qing Pi, Wu Yao, Chuan Lian Zi are 3 herbs that address hernia
  • Chuan Lian Zi is a cold herb effective for burning pain in the inguinal/scrotal area for Shan qi or bulging disorder
• Xiang Fu is best for menstrual pain
• Chuan Lian Zi is cold and kills parasites, and treats burning pain in groin/testes
• Tan Xiang is best for chest pain

MJ Qi Stagnation

• Signs/Symptoms: Abdominal bloating, fullness/pain, wandering pain, subjective sensation of mass
• Herbs: Chen Pi, Ju Hong, Zhi Shi, Zhi Ke, Da Fu Pi, Mu Xiang, Chen Xiang
• Zhi Shi and Zhi Ke are best for focal distention
• Chen Pi and Ju Hong are best for drying phlegm and damp in the MJ and lung
• Chen Pi, Ju Hong, and Mu Xiang can be added to formulas to moderate cloying properties
• Da Fu Pi drives Qi downward, purges the intestines, and promotes urination, particularly for damp leg Qi, and promotes defecation and urination
• Chen Xiang descends rebellious lung Qi and treats asthma

Stop Bleeding

• Four treatments for bleeding include: invigorating blood, warming, inducing astringency, and clearing heat/cooling the blood
• San Qi and Pu Huang invigorate blood and stop bleeding, good for trauma, swelling, and pain
• Ai Ye warms and stops bleeding
  • Also calms the fetus by warming the womb
• Xian He Cao and Bai Ji simply induce astringency and stop bleeding
• Da Ji, Di Yu, Huai Mi, Ce Bai Ye, and Bai Mao Gen clear heat/cool the blood and stop bleeding
• Di Yu and Huai Mi are best for bloody hemorrhoids
• Ce Bai Ye is best for hemoptysis

Invigorate Blood

• Pattern treated: Blood Stagnation/Stasis
• Symptoms: Fixed, sharp, stabbing pain worse with pressure, menses issues, choppy pulse, purple tongue, distended sublingual veins, masses
• Flavor: Acrid
• Channels: Liver
• Yi Mu Cao and Ze Lan invigorate blood and promote urination, especially for post-pregnancy pain and edema
  • Ze Lan is contraindicated during pregnancy
• Ru Xiang and Mo Yao are best for trauma (swelling, pain) and generate flesh
• E Shu, San Leng, and Tao Ren are the strongest invigorators and treat physical masses by strongly invigorating blood and forcefully breaking up stasis
• Dan Shen moves blood, cools blood, nourishes blood, and focuses on the heart/PC/chest/shen and treats anxiety
• Chuan Xiong (warm, acrid) moves Qi, moves blood, and expels wind, effective for headaches
• Wang Bu Liu Xing promotes lactation and menstruation, opening channels or moving blood to treat amenorrhea and insufficient lactation
• Yan Hu Suo moves Qi and blood and helps with pain
  • Is a herbal morphine
• Ji Xue Teng nourishes and moves the blood and is best for nourishing sinews, particularly in elderly patients
• Tao Ren moistens the intestines
• Yu Jin opens the heart orifices and treats jaundice, which is tumeric
• Chi Shao is best for early-stage abscesses and boils
  • Cool and sour herb
• Wu Ling Zhi is prepared in a baggie
• Ren Shen is mutually antagonistic with Wu Ling Zhi
• Niu Xi tonifies the liver and kidneys, benefiting sinews and bones, especially in elderly patients with low back and knee pain

Warm the Interior

• Patterns: Yang Xu and/or Excess internal cold
• Symptoms: Chills, cold extremities, preference for warm beverages, slow, tight or forceless pulse, excess fluids
• Temperature: Hot/Warm
• Zhi Fu Zi best for yang collapse with icy cold limbs and icy cold sweat
• Gan Jiang is best for spleen yang Xu causing abdominal pain better with warmth/pressure and watery diarrhea
• Wu Zhu Yu impacts the liver and stomach-hernia channels, treats vertex HA, nausea/vomiting
• Rou Gui encourages the generation of Qi and blood
• Rou Gui guides fire back to its source
  • True cold, false heat where yang rushes to head/face
• Wu Zhu Yu and Xiao Hui Xiang treat hernia

Tonify Qi

• Best for Lung Qi Xu and Spleen Qi Xu

• Lung Qi Xu symptoms: Shortness of breath, weak voice, weak cough, frequent sweat, frequent illness, fatigue

• Spleen Qi Xu symptoms: Low appetite, loose stool, fatigue

• Flavor: Sweet

• Temp: Warm

• Ren Shen is good for lung, spleen and source Qi, generating fluids and is warm in temperature

• Dang Shen is weaker, doesn't affect source Qi, and is neutral in temperature

• Bai Zhu tonifies the spleen and dries dampness with sweet, bitter, and warm properties, also closes pores and inhibits sweating

• Ren Shen should be cooked separately in a double boiler

• Huang Qi is lifting and treats prolapse

• Bai Zhu calms the fetus

• Bai Bian Dou treats summerheat with diarrhea

• Huang Qi tonifies the Wei Qi and firms the exterior

• Gan Cao goes to all 12 channels

  • Harmonizes and moderates toxicity of herbs

• Tai Zi Shen is for summerheat in kids

• Yi Tang is best for spleen Qi Xu with abdominal pain

• Shan Yao astringes yin and treats wasting and thirsting disorder

Tonify Blood

• Pattern: Liver blood deficiency

• Symptoms: Pale, dry skin, dry eyes, blurry vision, floaters, dizziness, scanty menses, pale tongue, thin pulse

• Flavor: Sweet

• Channel: Liver

• Sang Shen, Dang Gui, and He Shou Wu moisten the intestines

• Shu Di Huang and He Shou Wu tonify yin, blood, and essence and treat premature gray hair

  • Caution is advised with poor digestion due to their cloying nature

• E Jiao tonifies blood, moistens lung yin, and stops bleeding

• E Jiao is dissolved in decoction at the end

• He Shou Wu expels wind from the skin

• Dang Gui tonifies and invigorates blood, regulating menses

• Bai Shao softens and comforts the liver and alleviates cramping related to PMS

• Long Ran Rou tonifies heart blood and spleen Qi and is good for forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, palpitations, and stress

• Gou Qi Zi benefits the eyes and tonifies essence

  • Goes to liver and kidneys

Tonify Yang

• Two Patterns:

  • Kidney Yang Xu: Lower back pain, knee pain, cold, copious/frequent/clear urination, low libido, impotence, infertility
  • Spleen Yang Xu: Watery diarrhea with undigested food, low appetite

• Flavor: Sweet, Acrid

• Temp: Warm/Hot

• Channels: Kid, Liver

• Lu Rong tonifies yang, blood, and essence and is good for developmental delays/failure to thrive

• Ge Jie and Dong Chong Xia Cao are for lung and kidneys, kidneys help grasp the Qi for asthma

• Rou Cong Rong and Suo Yang are for moistening intestines

• Yi Zhi Ren, Bu Gu Zhi, and Tu Si Zi tonify spleen and kidney yang, treats cock's crow diarrhea

  • Tu Si Zi benefits the spleen

• Suo Yang, Yin Yang Huo, Ba Ji Tian, Xian Mao, Du Zhong, Xu Duan, Gu Sui Bu dispel wind-damp/bi syndrome

• Hu Lu Ba targets hernia

• Du Zhong, Xu Duan, and Tu Si Zi calm the fetus

• Yin Yang Huo and Xian Mao may help with impotence, low libido with caution as Xian Mao is toxic

• Flavor: Sweet, Bitter

• Temp: Cool, Cold

• The difference between herbs that moisten lung/stomach yin versus those that tonify liver/kidney yin is important

• Sha Shen, Xi Yang Shen, Mai Men Dong, Yu Zhu, and Bai He are for lung/stomach yin Xu treating dry cough, hoarseness, dry throat, and dry mouth

• Mo Han Lian/Han Lian Zi, Nu Zhen Zi, Hei Zhi Ma, Gui Ban, and Bie Jia are good for liver/kidney yin Xu helping five center heat, malar flush, night sweats, low back pain, scanty urine, dry eyes

• Tian Men Dong nourishes the lung and kidney yin, treats wasting and thirsting disorder

• Xi Yang Shen tonifies yin and Qi

• Tian Men Dong is very cold

• Yu Zhu extinguishes internal wind

  • Internal wind is tremors, convulsions, spasms, dizziness

• Mo Han Lian stops bleeding, treats spotting

• Bai He moistens lung yin, clears heat from the heart, and calms the spirit. Specializes in post-febrile disease restlessness and insomnia

• Mo Han Lian, Nu Zhen Zi, and Hei Zhi Ma help with premature gray hair

• Hei Zhi Ma promotes lactation

Stabilize and Bind

• Category is all about stopping leakages and the herbs overlap in function
• Functions often include the words stabilize, bind, restrain, and secure
• Symptoms: Diarrhea, urinary frequency/dribbling, spermatorrhea, leucorrhea, vaginal discharge, bleeding, sweating, coughing/wheezing
• Flavor: Sour (astringent)
• Shan Zhu Yu secures essence
  • For urinary incontinence, spermatorrhea and leucorrhea and stopping sweating
• Know Wu Wei Zi well
  • Secures essence, stops sweating, secures lung Qi to stop coughing/wheezing, tonifies kidneys, generates fluids
  • Stops leakage and replaces lost fluids
• Wu Mei expels roundworms
• Rou Dou Kou binds intestines to stop diarrhea, warms middle Jiao, alleviates MJ pain
• Chi Shi Zhi stops bleeding and binds intestines, for bloody diarrhea
• Lian Zi/Qian Shi/Jin Ying Zi secures essence and binds intestines to stop diarrhea
• Fu Pen Zi specializes in stopping bed wetting
• Bai Guo secures lung Qi for asthma signs and symptoms
• Fu Xiao Mai goes to heart channel only and stops sweating
• Hai Piao Xiao stops bleeding and lowers stomach acidity

Anchor, Settle, Calm the Spirit

• Mainly know what the category does and what herbs are in the category.
• Anchors, settles, and calms the spirit, with heavy substances to anchor the spirit
• Astringing yin will anchor the yang and calm the spirit. Involves excess heat conditions that harass the shen
• Symptoms: Anxiety, delirium, restlessness, convulsions, palpitations, red face, headache, dizziness, forceful/rapid pulse, and red tongue
• Temp: Cool/Cold
• Long Gu and Mu Li benefit yin, anchor yang, settle, calm the spirit
• Zhen Zhu treats superficial visual obstruction

Nourish, Heart, Calm the Spirit

• Deficiency patterns that cause shen disturbance like heart blood or yin deficiency
• Symptoms: Sadness, depression, anxiety, insomnia, palpitations, thin pulse, pale tongue
• Flavor: Sweet
• Channels: Heart and Liver
• Suan Zao Ren nourishes liver blood and heart yin, also stopping abnormal sweating
  • Treats irritability and insomnia
• Bai Zi Ren treats insomnia with heart yin and blood Xu and moistens the intestines
• Yuan Zhi treats phlegm obstructing heart orifices
• Ye Jiao Teng is specific for dream-disturbed sleep and is good for sinews and extremities

Aromatic Open Orifices

• Know this whole category as a whole, what herbs are in the category, and whether the herbs treat heat/cold patterns
• Pattern & S/S: Phlegm misting/obstructing heart orifices with delirium, loss of consciousness, and coma
• Bing Pian and Niu Huang treat phlegm heat
• She Xiang, Su He Xiang, and Shi Chang Pu treat phlegm damp/phlegm cold

Extinguish Internal Wind

• Treats internal wind caused by underlying liver fire, liver yang rising, and yin/blood deficiency

• Includes many insects

• Symptoms: Dizziness, convulsions, seizures, twitching, tremors, spasms, paralysis

• Temp: Generally cool/cold, with one exception

• Channel: Liver

• Gou Teng clears liver heat, pacifies liver yang, and extinguishes internal wind to treat tremors, spasms, and convulsions

• Tian Ma fits category

• Ci Ji Li brightens eyes, promotes lactation, itching

• Di Long unblocks channels and collaterals, clears heat, transforms phlegm for cough/wheezing, promotes urination, lowers blood pressure

• Wu Gong is only warm herb in Di Long category

Kill Parasites

• Symptoms: Unexplained weight loss, itchy anus, digestive discomfort
• Shi Jun Zi kills parasites and tonifies spleen
• Bing Lang promotes downward movement of qi for accumulations and treats tapeworms

External Application

• Treats itching, ulceration, topical parasites, burns, trauma
• Liu Huang and She Chuang Zi warm kidney yang