Herbs 3: Tonics, Warming, Binding, and Shen-Calming Medicinals

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering traditional Chinese herbal categories including Qi Tonics, Blood Tonics, Yin Tonics, Yang Tonics, Interior-Warming Medicinals, Stabilizing/Binding Substances, and Shen-Calming Herbs from the Herbs 3 course curriculum.

Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix)

A sweet, slightly bitter, and slightly warm herb entering the Lung and Spleen channels that powerfully tonifies the Primal (Yuan) Qi of the 5 Zhang, strengthens the Spleen and Stomach, generates fluids, revives from collapse, and calms a deficient Shen.

Dang Shen (Codonopsis Radix)

A sweet and neutral herb entering the Lung and Spleen channels, often called "poor man's ginseng." It tonifies the Middle Burner and augments Spleen and Lung Qi; it is safe for long-term use and does not generate fluids.

Tai Zi Shen (Pseudostellariae Radix)

Known as "Prince Root," a mild sweet, slightly bitter, and neutral herb entering the Lung and Spleen channels. It tonifies Qi and mildly enriches Yin, generates fluids, and treats spontaneous sweating, making it ideal for pediatric or geriatric patients recovering from febrile disease.

Huang Qi (Astragali Radix)

A sweet and slightly warm herb entering the Lung and Spleen channels that raises clear Yang Qi, tonifies Spleen and Lung Qi, augments the protective Wei Qi to stabilize the exterior, promotes urination, and generates flesh by discharging pus.

Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma)

A sweet and neutral herb entering the Lung, Spleen, and Kidney channels. It tonifies both Qi and Yin of the Lungs, Spleen, and Kidneys, secures Essence to prevent leakages, and is essential for treating wasting and thirsting (Xiao Ke) disorder.

Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma)

A bitter, sweet, and warm herb entering the Spleen and Stomach channels that strongly tonifies Spleen Qi, dries dampness, promotes water metabolism, stabilizes the exterior, and calms/quiets the fetus.

Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Rhizoma)

A sweet and neutral herb (warm when honey-prepared as Zhi Gan Cao) entering all 12 channels (especially Heart, Lung, Spleen, Stomach). It tonifies Spleen Qi, moistens Lungs to stop cough, clears heat/fire, moderates spasms and pain, and harmonizes other herbs; it can raise blood pressure over time.

Bai Bian Dou (Lablab Semen Album)

A sweet and neutral seed entering the Spleen and Stomach channels that strengthens the Spleen, transforms dampness to treat diarrhea and vaginal discharge, clears Summerheat, and treats food poisoning (such as pufferfish); it must never be taken raw.

Shu Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata)

A sweet, slightly warm, and cloying herb entering the Liver, Kidney, and Heart channels. It strongly tonifies Blood, enriches Yin, generates Essence, augments marrow, relieves wasting and thirsting, and nurtures the Primal Root.

Zhi He Shou Wu (Polygoni Multiflori Radix Preparata)

A bitter, sweet, astringent, and slightly warm herb entering the Liver and Kidney channels that nourishes Blood and Yin, preserves Essence to treat premature greying hair, and expels wind from the skin by nourishing the Blood.

Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix)

A sweet, acrid, and warm herb entering the Heart, Liver, and Spleen channels characterized as "the blood-moving herb in the Tonify Blood category." It tonifies and invigorates blood, regulates menstruation, disperses cold to alleviate pain, and moistens the intestines.

Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba)

A bitter, sour, and slightly cold herb entering the Liver and Spleen channels that nourishes Blood, regulates menses, softens and curbs ascendant Liver Yang, preserves Yin, harmonizes Ying and Wei, and stops pain and cramps.

E Jiao (Asini Corii Colla)

A sweet and neutral donkey-hide gelatin entering the Kidney, Liver, and Lung channels that tonifies Blood, nourishes and moistens Yin, and stops bleeding; it is melted and stirred into the warm, strained decoction.

Sang Shen (Mori Fructus)

A sweet and cold mulberry fruit entering the Liver, Kidney, and Heart channels that gently tonifies Blood, enriches Yin to relieve thirst and dry mouth, cools the blood, and moistens the intestines for constipation.

Long Yan Rou (Longan Arillus)

A sweet and warm fruit entering the Heart and Spleen channels that tonifies Spleen Qi, nourishes Heart Blood, and calms the Spirit (Shen); low dosages are strictly required for children.

Xi Yang Shen (Panacis Quinquefolii Radix)

A sweet, slightly bitter, and cold American Ginseng entering the Lung, Heart, and Kidney channels. It benefits Qi, generates fluids, enriches Yin, and cools fire from Yin deficiency and Lung consumption.

Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogonis Radix)

A sweet, slightly bitter, and slightly cold herb entering the Heart, Lung, and Stomach channels that moistens the Lungs, augments Stomach Yin, generates fluids, moistens the intestines, and clears Heart heat to eliminate irritability.

Tian Men Dong (Asparagi Radix)

A sweet, bitter, and very cold wild asparagus root entering the Kidney and Lung channels that sinks deep to nourish Kidney and Lung Yin, clears deficiency heat from the Upper Jiao, and generates fluids for wasting and thirsting.

Shi Hu (Dendrobii Herba)

A sweet, bland, slightly salty, and slightly cold herb entering the Kidney and Stomach channels that nourishes Stomach Yin, clears deficiency heat, generates fluids after warm-pathogen damage, and enriches Kidney Yin to brighten the eyes.

Gui Ban (Testudinis Plastrum)

A salty, sweet, and cold freshwater turtle ventral shell entering the Kidney, Liver, and Heart channels. It strongly tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin, anchors ascendant Yang, strengthens bones, stabilizes Chong and Ren vessels, and cools blood to stop uterine bleeding.

Bie Jia (Trionycis Carapax)

A salty and slightly cold softshell turtle dorsal carapace entering the Liver and Spleen channels that tonifies Yin, anchors Yang, clears deficiency heat, softens areas of hardness, and dissipates nodules and clumping.

Lu Rong (Cervi Cornu Pantorichum)

A sweet, salty, and warm deer velvet entering the Kidney and Liver channels that powerfully fortifies the Primal Yang/Ming Men Fire, generates Essence, augments marrow and Blood, strengthens sinews and bones, and regulates Chong, Ren, and Du channels.

Rou Cong Rong (Cistanches Herba)

A sweet, salty, and warm herb entering the Large Intestine and Kidney channels that tonifies Kidney Yang, enriches Essence and Blood, and moistens the intestines to "float the boat" and treat deficiency constipation.

Suo Yang (Cynomorii Herba)

A sweet and warm herb entering the Large Intestine, Kidney, and Liver channels known as "Lock Yang." It tonifies Kidney Yang, enriches Liver Yin and Blood, moistens the intestines, and treats Wei (atrophy) disorder and essence leakage.

Yin Yang Huo (Epimedii Herba)

An acrid, sweet, and warm herb entering the Kidney and Liver channels that tonifies Kidney Yang and Ming Men Fire, treats erectile dysfunction, and dispels Wind-Cold-Damp Bi syndrome and post-stroke hemiplegia.

Bu Gu Zhi (Psoraleae Fructus)

An acrid, bitter, and very warm herb entering the Kidney and Spleen channels that tonifies Kidney Yang, aids the Kidneys in grasping Qi, stabilizes essence to secure urine (bedwetting), and warms Spleen Yang to arrest Cock's Crow diarrhea.

Yi Zhi Ren (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus)

An acrid and warm herb entering the Kidney and Spleen channels that warms the Kidneys to secure urine and retain essence, and warms the Spleen to stop diarrhea and control excessive salivation.

Zhi Fu Zi (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Preparata)

An acrid, hot, and toxic herb entering the Heart, Kidney, and Spleen channels that revives devastated Yang, tonifies Ming Men Fire, disperses cold, warms channels to relieve Cold-Damp Bi, and guides actions to all 12 channels; it must be pre-boiled for 30–60 minutes.

Gan Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma)

An acrid and hot dried ginger root entering the Heart, Lung, Spleen, and Stomach channels that warms the Middle Jiao to expel interior cold, rescues devastated Spleen Yang, and warms the Lungs to transform thin watery mucus.

Rou Gui (Cinnamomi Cortex)

An acrid, sweet, and hot cinnamon bark entering the Heart, Kidney, Liver, and Spleen channels that fortifies Kidney and Spleen Yang, disperses deep cold, unblocks vessels, promotes blood movement, and leads floating fire back to its source.

Wu Zhu Yu (Evodiae Fructus)

An acrid, bitter, hot, and slightly toxic herb entering the Liver, Spleen, and Stomach channels that warms the Middle and Lower Jiao, redirects rebellious Qi downward to stop vomiting, warms the Spleen to arrest diarrhea, and treats vertex headaches and Shan disorders.

Xiao Hui Xiang (Foeniculi Fructus)

An acrid and warm fennel seed entering the Liver, Kidney, Spleen, and Stomach channels that disperses Cold, warms the Liver and Kidneys to stop pain in bulging (Shan) disorders, and harmonizes Stomach Qi for gas and bloating.

Shan Zhu Yu (Corni Fructus)

A sour and slightly warm herb entering the Liver and Kidney channels that augments the Liver and Kidneys, stabilizes essence to contain bodily fluids, prevents abandonment, and stops excessive sweating from collapsed Yang.

Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Fructus)

A sour, sweet, and warm "Five Flavored Seed" entering the Kidney, Heart, and Lung channels that contains leakage of Lung Qi to stop cough, enriches Kidneys to stop diarrhea and seminal emission, inhibits sweating, generates fluids, and quiets the spirit.

Wu Mei (Mume Fructus)

A sour, astringent, and warm smoked plum entering the Large Intestine, Lung, Liver, and Spleen channels that inhibits leakage of Lung Qi, binds the intestines to stop chronic diarrhea, generates fluids, and quiets roundworms to alleviate pain.

Hai Piao Xiao (Sepiae Endoconcha)

A salty, astringent, and slightly warm cuttlefish bone entering the Kidney, Liver, and Stomach channels that restrains bleeding, secures essence to halt vaginal discharge, and controls gastric acidity to alleviate epigastric pain.

Sang Piao Xiao (Mantidis Ootheca)

A sweet, salty, and neutral mantis egg-case entering the Kidney and Liver channels that tonifies Kidneys, assists Ming Men Yang, secures essence, and contains urine to treat enuresis and frequent urination.

Long Gu (Fossilia Ossis Mastodi)

A sweet, astringent, and neutral fossilized bone entering the Heart, Liver, and Kidney channels that heavily settles anxiety, calms the Spirit, anchors floating Liver Yang, and binds astringently to prevent leakage of bodily fluids.

Mu Li (Ostreae Concha)

A salty, astringent, and cool oyster shell entering the Liver and Kidney channels that heavily settles and calms Shen, anchors floating Liver Yang, softens hardness and dissipates nodules/goiters, and absorbs stomach acidity.

Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen)

A sweet, sour, and neutral seed entering the Heart, Spleen, Liver, and Gallbladder channels that nourishes Heart Yin and Liver Blood, quiets the Spirit to promote sleep, and inhibits abnormal spontaneous sweating and night sweats.

Bai Zi Ren (Platycladi Semen)

A sweet and neutral arborvitae seed entering the Heart, Kidney, and Large Intestine channels that nourishes Heart Blood and Yin to calm Shen, and moistens the intestines to unblock bowels in deficient or elderly patients.

Yuan Zhi (Polygalae Radix)

A bitter, acrid, and slightly warm herb entering the Heart and Lung channels that calms Shen, expels Phlegm, clears orifices to stop cough and clear disorientation, and reestablishes communication between the Heart and Kidneys.

He Huan Pi (Albiziae Cortex)

A sweet and neutral silktree bark entering the Heart and Liver channels that relieves emotional constraint, calms Shen, harmonizes Blood to alleviate pain, reconnects sinews and bones, and dissipates swellings.

Ye Jiao Teng (Polygoni Multiflori Caulis)

A sweet and neutral fleeceflower vine entering the Heart and Liver channels that nourishes Heart Blood to calm Shen for dream-disturbed sleep, unblocks channels and collaterals for numbness, and relieves itching.