Chinese Herbal Medicine Guide

Used in the early stages of illness to expel pathogens from the body's surface. Includes warm-acrid herbs like Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) and cool-acrid herbs like Bo He (Mint).

Address conditions of internal heat with signs like fever, inflammation, and infections. Sub-categories include herbs that clear heat and dry dampness, cool the blood, or resolve toxins.

Strengthen and nourish the body's Qi, blood, Yin, or Yang when deficient. These are among the most commonly used herbs in clinical practice.

Promote the smooth flow of Qi and alleviate stagnation. Commonly used for digestive disorders, chest tightness, and emotional stress.

Break up blood stasis and promote circulation. Used for pain, traumatic injury, and menstrual irregularities.

Settle the mind and treat insomnia, anxiety, and palpitations. Include heavy minerals that anchor the spirit and nourishing herbs that calm the heart.

Promote urination and leach out dampness. Used for edema, urinary dysfunction, and damp-heat conditions in the lower Jiao.

Transform phlegm (cold or hot), stop coughing, and calm wheezing. Sub-categories address warm-drying or cool-moistening approaches.

Use aromatic properties to transform dampness obstructing the middle Jiao. Often combined with Qi-regulating herbs for digestive complaints.

Promote bowel movement to purge heat accumulation or moisten dry intestines. Range from harsh cathartics to gentle laxatives.

Expel wind-dampness from channels, sinews, and joints. Primary herbs for Bi syndrome (painful obstruction) with joint pain and stiffness.

Contain leakage of Qi, blood, fluids, and essence. Used for chronic conditions involving spontaneous sweating, diarrhea, spermatorrhea, and excessive urination.

Warm the interior and expel cold. Used for Yang deficiency and interior cold patterns with cold limbs, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Reduce food stagnation and promote digestion. Each herb targets specific food types — meat, grains, or general accumulation.

Control bleeding through astringent, cooling, or warming mechanisms depending on the underlying pattern causing hemorrhage.

Subdue Liver Yang and extinguish internal wind. Used for convulsions, tremors, spasms, headache, and dizziness from Liver wind.

Aromatically penetrate and open the sensory orifices to revive consciousness. Used in emergencies for closed disorders with loss of consciousness.

Kill or expel intestinal parasites including roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. Often combined with purgatives to expel dead parasites.