Stabilize & Bind - Actions & Indications

wu wei zi

Actions

• Contains LU, stops cough

• Tonifies KD, binds essence, stops diarrhea

• Inhibits sweating, generates fluids

• Calms Shen

Indications

• Chronic coughs

• Kidney xu; nocturnal emissions, spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge, urinary frequency

• Spleen and Kidney xu; daybreak diarrhea

• Excessive sweating, esp when accompanied by thirst or dry throat

• Injury to blood/yin of HT/KD; palpitations, dream-disturbed sleep, insomnia

bai guo

Actions

• Preserves the lungs and arrests wheezing

• Invigorates blood, stops pain

Indications

• Wheezing with coughing, esp useful for chronic coughs or those with copious sputum

• Vaginal discharge, turbid urine. Used in both cases of damp-heat or deficiency

hai piao xiao

Actions

• Restrains, holds in, and stops bleeding

• Secures the essence and stops discharge

• Controls acridity and alleviates pain

• Resolves dampness and promotes healing

Indications

• Uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge

• Use topically for traumatic injury to stop bleeding

• Nocturnal emissions, premature ejaculation

• Stomach or epigastric pain, distasteful belching, acid regurgitation

• Non-healing skin ulcers

• Pain near the navel

he zi

Actions

• Directs LU Qi downward

• Transforms phlegm to stop cough, benefits throat

• Restrains SP and Intestinal Qi to stop chronic diarrhea

Indications

• Chronic diarrhea and dysenteric disorders

• Can be used for both hot and cold patterns, depending on the other herbs in the formula

• Intestinal wind with blood in the stool

• Chronic cough, wheezing, loss of voice

wu bei zi

Actions

• Contains LU Qi

• Binds intestines

• Transforms phlegm/mucus

• Resolves fire toxicity

Indications

• Chronic cough d/t LU xu

• Chronic diarrhea, dysenteric disorders, chronic blood in stool, rectal prolapse

• Wide variety of leakage disorders; nocturnal emissions and spermatorrhea, excessive sweating, bleeding

• Sores, dermatosis, toxic swellings damp ulcerated skin

wu mei

Actions

• Inhibits the leakage of LU Qi

• Binds the intestines and stops diarrhea

• Generates fluids and alleviates thirst

• Expels parasites

• Stops bleeding

• Treats corns and warts

Indications

• Lung xu; chronic cough

• Thirst d/t heat from deficiency or qi/yin deficiency. Often used for wasting and thirsting disorder d/t heat from deficiency

• Roundworm induced vomiting and abdominal pain

• Incessant chronic diarrhea or dysenteric disorders

• Blood in the stool and excessive uterine bleeding accompanied by blood xu symptoms of dryness and thirst together with a parched mouth

• Used as a plaster topically for corns and warts

shi liu pi

Actions

• Binds up the intestines and stops diarrhea

• Kills parasites

Indications

• Chronic diarrhea d/t cold from xu, dysenteric disorders, rectal prolapse

• Kidney instability; excessive uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge

• Tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms

chun pi

Actions

• Dries dampness

• Cools heat

• Binds intestines

• Stops bleeding

• Kills parasites

Indications

• Chronic diarrhea or dysenteric disorders esp d/t damp-heat. Particularly useful when there is blood in the stool

• Chronic vaginal discharge d/t damp-heat

• Roundworms

rou dou kou

Actions

• Binds the intestines and stops diarrhea

• Warms middle jiao

• Stops pain by moving middle jiao qi

• Binds, warms, and moves

Indications

• Chronic, intractable diarrhea or daybreak diarrhea d/t cold from deficiency of the SP and KD

• Pain and distention of the epigastrium and abdomen, reduced appetite, and vomiting d/t cold from SP/ST xu

chi shi zhi

Actions

• Binds up intestines and stops diarrhea

• Contains the blood and stops bleeding

• Promotes healing of wounds

• Treats conditions associated with deficiency

Indications

• Chronic diarrhea d/t cold from deficiency, or chronic dysenteric disorders with mucus and blood in the stool

• Uterine bleeding, excessive menstruation, blood in the stool, and bleeding prolapsed rectum d/t cold from deficiency of the lower jiao

• Used topically for chronic non-healing sores (weeping, damp sores) and prolapsed rectum

lian zi

Actions

• Tonifies and stabilizes the SP, HT, and KD

• Calms Shen

Indications

• Spleen xu; chronic diarrhea, loss of appetite

• Problems associated with lack of communication between HT and KD

• Palpitations with anxiety, irritability associated with deficiency, insomnia

qian shi

Actions

• Tonifies and stabilizes the KD and SP

• Expels dampness

Indications

• Chronic diarrhea caused by weakness in the transportive functions of the SP

• KD Qi xu with nocturnal emissions, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea, and urinary frequency or incontinence

• Vaginal discharge d/t either deficiency or damp-heat

shan zhu yu

Actions

• Astringes KD essence

• Augments LV/KD, tonifies yang

• Stops sweating

• Stabilizes menses

• Calms Shen

Indications

• Urinary frequency, incontinence, spermatorrhea, excessive sweating

• Excessive sweating, esp in cases of devastated yang and collapsed qi (shock)

• Liver and Kidney xu; lightheadedness, dizziness, soreness, and weakness of the lower back and knees, or impotence

• Deficiency patterns of excessive uterine bleeding and prolonged menses

yin ying zi

Actions

• Binds lower jiao to secure the essence

• Contains urination

• Halts chronic diarrhea

Indications

• Deficiency and instability of the lower jiao; spermatorrhea, urinary incontinence, and vaginal discharge

• Chronic diarrhea and dysenteric disorders

fu pen zi

Actions

• Augments the true yin of the KD

• Contains urination

• Secures the essence

• Benefits eyes

Indications

• Kidney yang xu; urinary frequency or enuresis, impotence, spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation, or wet dreams

• Liver Kidney xu; poor vision, soreness of lower back, impotence

fu xiao mai

Actions

• Augments HT Qi

• Inhibits HT fluids

• Clears heat from the pores and interstices, stops spontaneous sweating/nightsweats

Indications

• Many kinds of sweating from deficiency; spontaneous sweating from qi xu, nightsweats from yin xu

xiao mai

Actions

• Nourish HT Qi

• Eliminates irritability

Indications

• Irritability, restlessness, insomnia

sang piao xiao

Actions

• Reinforces yang at the Mingmen Gate

• Secures the essence

• Contains urine

Indications