All Common Herbs

History  Burdock root and seeds have been used for centuries, in many parts of the world, to treat a variety of ailments. In China, Arctium lappa seeds are used medicinally. They are found as a component in Honeysuckle and Forsythia powder (yin qiao san) from the ’Analysis of Warm Diseases’ by Wu Ju Tong, 1798 which is still a very popular formula treating Wind-Heat and Heat Toxin including respiratory infections. They are also found in some versions of Eliminate Wind Powder (xiao …

TCM: Listed under ‘Herbs that dispel Wind-Dampness’, bitter, acrid, warm Angelica pubescens enters the Kidney and Bladder channels, it also disperses Wind-Cold-Damp and releases Wind-Cold from the exterior and relieves lesser Yin stage (relating to the Heart and Kidney channels) headaches and toothaches. General: Used in the treatment of headaches due to Wind-Cold, and spasmodic pain in the lower body. …

This is the traditional story of Dang Gui’s origin. “A young Chinese man who dearly loved his new wife left for the mountains to prove his courage after being teased and taunted by the other men of their village. He asked his wife to wait for him for three years. If he hadn’t returned, she should consider him lost and thus be free to re-marry. His wife re-married sometime after the three years had passed, only to have her husband return …

Listed under "Herbs that release the Exterior", included in "Warm, Acrid Herbs", warm, acrid Angelica dahurica (bai zhi) enters the Lung, Stomach and Spleen channels. It dispels Wind and Cold in the exterior, dries Damp, discharges pus, removes swelling and relieves pain. It treats headache (esp. frontal) due to common cold, nasal obstruction, toothache, rheumatic arthralgia, menorrhagia, leukorrhagia, sores and boils. …

TCM: Listed under "Herbs that clear Heat", included in "Herbs that drain Fire", bitter, sweet, cold Anemarrhena asphodeloides enters the Lung, Stomach and Kidney channels. It clears Heat, extinguishes Fire and moistens dryness, generates fluids and ameliorates the dryness of warm or tonifying herbs. General: For the treatment of thirst in hot diseases, for diabetes, hyperthyroidism and hypertension, Lung Heat cough, Yin deficient oral ulcers and inflammation, consumptive fever, foetal distress,constipation, and irritability. It has been shown to have antibacterial, sedative, antipyretic, hypoglycemic and adrenal tonic actions. …

TCM: Listed under "Herbs that clear Heat", in "Herbs that clear Heat and resolve Toxicity" bitter and cold Andrographis paniculata (chuan xin lian) enters the Large Intestine, Lung, Small Intestine and stomach channels. It clears Heat and Fire toxicity, relieves inflammation and reduces swelling, dries Dampness and stops diarrhea. General: Used in the treatment of acute bacillary dysentery, pneumonia, tonsillitis, bronchitis, cholecystitis, urethral infections, common colds, epidemic meningitis, pertussis, carbuncles and sores, infections of external injuries. …