Plant Herbal Treasures®

Angelica Pubescent and Mulberry Stems Decoction

Chinese Prescription: Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang

English Translation: Angelica Pubescent and Mulberry Stems Decoction

Formula Type: Dispel Wind-Dampness

Actions: Expels wind-dampness, disperses painful obstruction, & tonifies deficiency.

Indications: Heavy & painful sensations at fixed locations in the lower back & lower extremitites accompanied by weakness & stiffness or hypertonicity & immobility, an aversion to cold & attraction to warmth, palpitations, shortness of breath, a pale tongue with a white coating, & a thin, weak, slow pulse. There may also be paresthesias or numbness.

Contraindications: Contraindicated for painful obstruction marked by strong excess conditions or damp-heat.

Du Huo / Angelica Root (Pubescent)
Taste: Bitter, Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Dispel Wind-Damp-Cold • Sub Category: Pain Relieving
Dosage 3-9g	Actions 1. Dispels wind-dampness & alleviates pain: for such disorders as wind-cold-damp painful obstruction, especially in the lower back & legs. Can be used for both acute & chronic conditions. 2. Disperses wind-cold-dampness & releases the exterior: for exterior wind-cold together with dampness. 3. Also used for lesser yin stage headache & toothache.	Meridians Kidney, Bladder	Cautions Contraindicated for yin deficiency with heat signs.

Xi Xin / Ginger, Chinese Wild
Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Exterior Releasing - Warm • Sub Category:
Dosage 1-3g	Actions 1. Releases the exterior & disperses cold: for any exterior cold patterns, especially with the addition of dampness & underlying yang deficiency. This herb is oftern used for externally contracted wind-cold when the dominant symptoms & head & body aches. 2. Warms the Lungs & transforms phlegm: for patterns of externally contracted wind-cold with congested fluids, manifested in coughing & copious, watery sputum. 3. Disperse cold & alleviates pain: for pain in various parts of the body, most commonly headache, toothache, or painful obstruction, due to wind &/or cold. 4. Disperses & unblocks the qi of the nasal orifices: for various types of nasal congestion.	Meridians Lung, Kidney	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of qi deficiency with profuse sweating, headache due to blood deficiency, or cough due to yin deficiency. According to some traditional sources, this herb antagonizes shan zhu yu & huang qi, & counteracts hua shi. Use with caution in patients with renal problems as it can be nephrotoxic.

Fang Feng / Siler Root, (Ledebouriella Root)
Taste: Acrid, Sweet • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Exterior Releasing - Warm • Sub Category:
Dosage 3-9g	Actions 1. Releases the exterior & expels wind: for headache, chills, & body aches due to externally contracted wind-cold. 2. Expels wind-dampness & alleviates pain: for exterior wind-damp painful obstruction, especially when wind is predominant. 3. Expels wind: as an auxiliary herb to alleviate trembling of the hands & feet & tetany. Also for intestinal wind due to imbalance between the Spleen & Liver manifested in recurrent, painful diarrhea with bright blood in the stool. Also for migraine headaches.	Meridians Bladder, Liver, Spleen	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of blood deficiency with spasms, & for yin deficiency with heat signs. According to some traditional texts, this herb antagonizes gan jiang & li lu, & counteracts bei xie.

Qin Jiao / Gentiana Root (Macrophylla)
Taste: Bitter, Acrid • Temperature: Slightly Cold • Category: Dispel Wind-Damp-Heat • Sub Category: Pain Relieving
Dosage 4.5-12g	Actions 1. Dispels wind-dampness & relaxes the sinews: for wind-damp painful obstruction & cramping, especially in the extremitites. Can be used for conditions that are acute or chronic, cold or hot. 2. Clear heat from deficiency: for yin deficiency patterns that manifest with fever, including steaming bone disorder. 3. Resolves dampness & reduces jaundice due to damp-heat, especially in acute cases & in infants. 4. Moistens the Intestines & unblocks the bowels: for dry constipation. This herb is commonly used to counteract the drying qualities of other herbs that dispel wind-dampness.	Meridians Gallbladder, Liver, Stomach	Cautions Contraindicated in cases with frequent urination, or chronic pain with emaciation, or Spleen deficiency with diarrhea. Taking a relatively high dose can cause nausea & vomiting.

Sang Ji Sheng / Mulberry Mistletoe("parasite")Stems
Taste: • Temperature: • Category: Dispel Wind-Damp • Sub Category: Tendon & Bone Strengthening
Dosage 9-30g	Actions	Meridians	Cautions

Du Zhong / Eucommia Bark
Taste: Sweet, Slightly Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Yang
Dosage 6-15g	Actions 1. Tonifies the Liver & Kidneys, strengthens the sinews & bones: for Liver & Kidney deficiency with such symptoms as weak, sore, or painful lower back & knees, fatigue, & frequent urination. 2. Aids in the smooth flow of qi & blood: used to promote circulation, especially in those with weakness of the sinews & bones. 3. Calms the fetus: for cold deficient Kidney patterns with bleeding during pregnancy. Also used to prevent miscarriage when the fetus is restless or agitated, & when the pregnant woman has significant back pain or presents with a deficient condition. 4. Recently used for dizziness & lightheadedness (hypertension) from rising Liver yang.	Meridians Kidney, Liver	Cautions Contraindicated in heat from yin deficiency. According to some traditional sources this herb antagonizes xuan shen. Toxicity: has a mild sedative effect in very large doses, though no symptoms of overdose with du zhong have been recorded.

Niu Xi / Achyranthes Root
Huai Niu Xi - Achyranthes Bidentata - Henan Chuan Niu Xi - Sichuan Ox Knee, Cyathula root Tu Niu Xi - Achyranthes Longifolia
Taste: Bitter, sour • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood
Dosage 4.5-9g	Actions Invigorates and expels blood stasis with symptoms of dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, and lochoschesis. Strengthens sinews and bones, assists the joints with symptoms of pain and soreness in the low back and knees due to Liver and Kidney deficiency.	Meridians Liver, Kidney	Cautions

Rou Gui / Cinnamon, (inner bark)
Rou Gui - Cinnamon Bark Gui Zhi - Cinnamon Twigs
Taste: Acrid, Sweet • Temperature: Hot • Category: Warm Interior & Expel Cold • Sub Category:
Dosage 1.5-4.5g, crush into small pieces before using, usually taken as powder, pill or tincture to avoid loss of volatile oils	Actions 1. Warms the Kidneys & fortifies the yang: for a wide variety of problems due to insufficiency of Kidney yang & waning of the gate of vitality. Common manifestations include aversion to cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence, frequent urination. Also for waning of the Spleen & Kidney yang with abdominal pain & cold, reduced appetite, & diarrhea. Also important for wheezing due to the failure of the Kidneys to grasp the qi. 2. Leads the fire back to its source: the principal herb for treating the upward-floating of the deficient yang. Manifestations include flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (when the sweat pours out like oil), weak & cold lower extremities, & a deficient & rootless pulse. This patterns is called illusionary heat & true cold, or heat above/cold below. Also used for other conditions where the upper part of the body is hot (e.g., dry mouth, sore throat, or toothache that become worse at night) & the lower part is cold (e.g., lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhea, weakness in the proximal position of the pulse). 3. Disperses deep cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels & vessels, & alleviates pain: for deep cold causing qi stagnation or blood stasis. Associated problems include cold in the blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, damp-cold painful obstruction, yin type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave & ooze a clear fluid), & abcesses or sores that do not heal. 4. Encourages the generation of qi & blood: with qi & blood tonics as an auxiliary herb for chronic deficiency of qi & blood.	Meridians Heart, Kidney, Liver, Spleen	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, interior excess heat, & the reckless movement of hot blood. Use with caution during pregnancy.

Dang Gui / Angelica (Chinese) Root
Dang Gui - Angelica Sinensis Whole Root Sliced Dang Gui Tou - Angelica Sinensis Root Head Sliced Dang Gui Tou - Angelica Sinensis Root Head Whole Dang Gui Wei - Angelica Sinensis Whole Root Tails
Taste: Sweet, Acrid, Bitter • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood
Dosage 3-15g	Actions 1. Tonifies the blood & regulates the meses: for patterns of blood deficiency with such symptoms as a pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, & palpitations. Also very commonly used fro blood deficiency associated with menstrual disorders such as irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, etc. 2. Invigorates & harmonizes the blood & disperses cold: an important herb for stopping pain due to blood stasis. Commonly used for abdominal pain, traumatic injury, & carbuncles due to blood stasis, especially when there is also cold from deficiency. Also used in the treatment of blood deficiency with chronic wind-damp painful obstruction. 3. Moistens the Intestiones & unblocks the bowels: for dry Intestines due to blood deficiency. 4. Reduces swelling, expels pus, generates flesh, & alleviates pain: used in treating sores & abscesses where its ability to both tonify & invigorate the blood leads to improvement.	Meridians Heart, Liver, Spleen	Cautions Use with caution in cases of diarrhea or abdominal distention due to damp obstruction. Contraindicated for yin deficiency with heat signs.

Chuan Xiong / Lovage Root (Ligusticum)
Chuan Xiong - Ligusticum Wallichi - Prepared Chuan Xiong Sheng - Ligusticum Wallichi - Unprepared
Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood
Dosage 3-6g, up to 9g for irregular menstruation	Actions 1. Invigorates the blood & promotes the movement of qi: for any blood stasis pattern. This is an important herb in gynecology & is used for such problems as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, difficult labor, or lochioschesis. It is also indicated for patterns of stagnant qi & blood stasis with pain & soreness in the chest, flanks, & hypochondria. 2. Expels wind & alleviates pain: a leading herb for any externally contracted wind disorder characterized by headache, dizziness, or painful obsstruction. Also used for a variety of skin problems caused by wind. 3. Headaches: moves the qi upward & alleviates pain. Depending with which other herbs it is combined, it can be used for headaches due to wind, heat, cold, or blood deficiency.	Meridians Liver, Gallbladder, Pericardium	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, headaches due to ascendant Liver yang, qi deficiency, or excessive menstrual bleeding. Vomiting & dizziness may occur from overdosage. May antagonize shan zhu yu & huang qi, may counteract hua shi & huang lian, & may be incompatible with li lu.

Sheng Di Huang / Rehmannia Root, Unprepared
Sheng Di Huang - Rehmannia Root - Unprepared Shuu Di Huang - Rehmannia Root - Prepared Shu Di Huang - Rehmannia Root - Prepared
Taste: Sweet, Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Cool Blood
Dosage 9-30g	Actions 1. Clears heat & cools the blood: for all warm-febrile diseases where heat enters the nutritive level causing very high fever, thirst, & a scarlet tongue. Also indicated in cases of hemorrhage due to heat entering the blood level. 2. Nourishes the yin & generates fluids: for yin deficiency with heat signs, as well as injury to the body's fluids. Manifestations include dry mouth, continuous low-grade fever, & constipation. Also for throat pain associated with yin deficiency. 3. Cools the upward-blazing of Heart fire: for mouth & tongue sores, & for irritability, insomnia, afternoon or low-grade fevers, & malar flush. 4. Wasting & thirsting disorder.	Meridians Heart, Kidney, Liver	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of Spleen deficiency with dampness, yang deficiency, & in pregnant women with blood deficiency or Spleen or Stomach deficiency.

Bai Shao Yao / Peony (White)
Bai Shao Yao - White Peony Root Chi Shao Yao - Red Peony Root
Taste: Bitter, Sour • Temperature: Cool • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood
Dosage 6-15g, very large doses up to 30 g	Actions 1. Nourishes the blood & regulates the menses: for blood deficiency with such symptoms as menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, & uterine bleeding. This is a very commonly used herb for treating women's disorders. 2. Calms & curbs the Liver yang & alleviates pain: for such symptoms as flank, chest, or abdominal pain from either constrained Liver qi or disharmony between the Liver & Spleen. In general, this herb is used to "soften & comfort" the Liver, stop painful spasms in the abdomen, stop cramping pain or spasms in the hands & feet, & alleviate abdominal pain associated with dysentric disorders. It is also used for headache & dizziness due to ascendant Liver yang. 3. Preserves the yin & adjusts the nutritive & protective levels: for vaginal discharge & spermatorrhea, as well as exterior wind-cold from deficiency patterns with continuous sweating that does not resolve the problem. It is also used for yin deficiency where the yang floats to the surface causing spontaneous sweating or night sweats.	Meridians Liver, Spleen	Cautions Use with caution in cases of diarrhea due to cold from deficiency, & in patients with weak yang & cold from deficiency. May antagonize shi hu & mang xiao, may counteract with bie jia & xiao ji, & may be incompatible with li lu.

Ren Shen / Panax Ginseng
Ren Shen (Hong) - Red Panax Ginseng Root Sliced Ren Shen (Bai) - White Panax Ginseng Root Sliced Xi Yang Shen - American Ginseng Root Sliced
Taste: Sweet, Slightly Bitter • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Qi
Dosage 1-9g, up to 30 grams (hemorrhagic shock)	Actions Ren Shen / Panax Ginseng is used in treating patterns of qi, yang & yin deficiency. 1. Strongly tonifies the basal qi: for extreme collapse of the qi or abandoned conditions that manifest in shallow respiration, shortness of breath, cold limbs, profuse sweating, & a minute or weak pulse. The herb is used alone for this condition after severe loss of blood. 2. Tonifies the Lungs & augments the qi: for wheezing, shortness of breath, & labored breathing with exertion caused by Lung qi deficiency. There is usually also a concurrent failure of the Kidneys to grasp the qi. 3. Strengthens the Spleen & tonifies the Stomach: for lethargy, lack of appetite, chest & abdominal distention, chronic diarrhea, & in severe cases, prolapse of the stomach, uterus, or rectum. 4. Generates fluids & stops thirst: for wasting & thirsting disorders, as well as in cases when the qi & fluids have been injured by high fever & profuse sweating. 5. Benefits the Heart qi & calms the spirit: for palpitations with anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness, & restlessness due to qi & blood deficiency. Notes: Red Ginseng is more warming than White Ginseng. American Ginseng is considered cool and is better suited for those patients having a tendency towards heat signs.	Meridians Lung, Spleen	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, heat excess, or in the absence of significant qi deficiency. Contraindicated for hypertensive patient with ascendant Liver yang, & in cases of very high blood pressure (systolic over 180mmHg). Overdose can lead to headache, insomnia, palpitations, & a rise in blood pressure. The traditional antidote is mung bean soup. This herb may antagonize wu ling zhi & may be incompatible with li lu. Patients taking this herb are advised to abstain from drinking tea & eating tunips, as this may reduce the effect of the herb.

Fu Ling / Poria, Hoelen, Tuckahoe
Fu Ling (Poria sliced) Fu shen (Poria Spirit w/ piece of wood) Fu Ling Pi (Poria Peel)
Taste: Sweet, Bland • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Drain Damp • Sub Category:
Dosage 9-15g, up to 60g	Actions 1. Promotes urination & leaches out dampness: for urinary difficulty, diarrhea, or edema due to stagnation of fluids or dampness. Also used in cases of scanty urine due to damp-heat (more often in its red form). 2. Strengthens the Spleen & harmonizes the middle burner: for Spleen deficiency compounded by dampness with such symptoms as loss of appetite, diarrhea, & epigastric distention. 3. Strengthens the Spleen & transforms phlegm: for Spleen deficiency with congested fluids in which phlegm moves upward with such symptoms as palpitations, headache, dizziness, & a thick, greasy tongue coating. 4. Quites the Heart & calms the spirit: for palpiations, insomnia, or forgetfulness.	Meridians Heart, Spleen, Lung	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of frequent, copious urine due to cold from deficiency. May counteract di yu, qin jiao & bie jia. Taking this herb in large doses or long-term is discouraged.

Gan Cao / Licorice Root (Chinese)
Gan Cao - Licorice Root - Large Gan Cao - Licorice Root - Medium Gan Cao - Licorice Root - Small Zhi Gan Cao - Honey-baked Licorice Root
Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Neutral (raw root) • Category: Tonic / Harmonize • Sub Category: Tonify Qi
Dosage 2-12g	Actions 1. Tonifies the Spleen & augments the qi: commonly used for Spleen deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude, & loose stools. Also for qi or blood deficiency patterns with an irregular or intermittent pulse & /or palpitations. 2. Moistens the Lungs & stops coughing: for coughing & wheezing. Because of its neutral properties, it can be used for either heat or cold in the Lungs. 3. Clears heat & relieves fire toxicity: used raw for carbuncles, sores, or sore throat due to fire toxin. For this purpose, it can be taken internally or applied topically. 4. Moderates spasms & alleviates pain: for painful spasms of the abdomen or legs. 5. Moderates & harmonizes the characteristics of other herbs: by virtue of its sweet, neutral, & moderating properties, this herb moderates hot & cold herbs, & mitigates the violent properties of other herbs. Since it is said to enter all 12 primary channels, it can lead & conduct other herbs into the channels. 6. Used as an antidote for a variety of toxic substances, both internally & topically. 7. The raw root clears heat & relieves toxicity, the honey-fried tonifies the middle & moderates spasms.	Meridians All 12 channels (principally the Heart, Lung, Spleen, & Stomach)	Cautions Contraindicated in cases of excess dampness, nausea, or vomiting. May be in compatible with jing da ji, yuan hua, gan sui, & hai zao, & may antagonize yuan zhi. The toxicity of gan cao is very low, but if taken long-term it may cause hypertension &/or edema. Glycyrrhetinic acid has been reported to cause a reduction in the activity of the thyroid & a reducation in the basal metabolic rate.

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