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The herbs in this category release pathogenic diseases which are found in the superficial level of the body. When Pathogenic factors attack the body they first attack the superficial area and exterior aspects of our bodies. These herbs will expel or release the external pathogenic factors through sweating, when the disease is in the skin sweating will bring it out. If the disease progresses past the skin and deeper into the body it enters the muscles.
Herbs that release exterior wind cold will generally have a warm and pungent property. They will be used for such symptoms of severe chills with a mild fever, body aches, neck pain and no thirst.
Ma Huang Properties: PUNGENT, BITTER - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Ephedra Stem Meridian: LUNG, BLADDER
-release exterior, disperse cold wind-cold, chills, fever, headache, no sweating
-helps move lung Qi controls wheezing, cough
-promotes urination reduce edema
Qiang Huo Properties: PUNGENT, BITTER, AROMATIC - WARM Dosage: 6 15g.
Notopterygium Root Meridian: BLADDER, KIDNEY
-release exterior, disperse cold - chills, fever, headache, damp body ache
-unblocks painful obstruction wind-cold-damp pain
-guiding herb to governing vessel and greater yang channel
Xiang Ru Properties: PUNGENT, AROMATIC - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Aromatic Madder Meridian: LUNG, STOMACH
-release exterior, expel summer heat, transform damp chill, fever, no sweat, body ache, diarrhea
-promote urination reduces edema and swellings, lin syndrome
Gui Zhi Properties: PUNGENT, SWEET - WARM Dosage: 3- 9g. Cinnamon Twig Meridian: HEART, LUNG, BLADDER
-pertains to Ying and Wei Qi levels exterior cold with deficiency
-warms channels, disperse cold wind-cold, painful joints, dysmenorrhea
-unblocks Yang Qi in chest palpitations
Zi Su Ye Properties: PUNGENT, AROMATIC - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Perilla Leaf Meridian: LUNG, SPLEEN
-release exterior, disperse cold fever, chills, headache, congestion, cough
-promotes Qi movement expands chest nausea, vomit, poor appetite
-calming restless fetus alleviates morning sickness
-used alone or in combination with other herbs for sea food poisoning
Jing Jie Properties: PUNGENT, AROMATIC - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Schizonepeta Meridian: LUNG, LIVER
Stem or Bud -release exterior, expel wind wind cold or wind heat chills fever, carbuncles or boils
in initial stages of eruptions
-vents rashes and alleviate itching of measles and pruritic skin disease
-stops bleeding blood in stool, uterine bleeding
Fang Feng Properties: PUNGENT, SWEET - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Ledebouriella Root Meridian: LIVER, SPLEEN
-release exterior, expel wind headache, chills, body ache
-expel wind damp, alleviate pain trembling hands and feet, painful diarrhea, blood in stool imbalanced spleen and liver
Bai Zhi Properties: PUNGENT - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Angelica Root Meridian: LUNG, STOMACH
-expel wind-cold, alleviate pain supraorbital pain, congestion, toothache
-clears swelling, expel pus early stage, carbuncles, sores, ulcer
-expel dampness leucorrhea
-opens nasal passages for nasal congestion
Sheng Jiang Properties: PUNGENT - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Fresh Ginger Rhizome Meridian: LUNG, SPLEEN, STOMACH
-release exterior, disperse cold in middle jiao vomiting
-disperse cold phlegm in lung chronic and acute cough
-reduce toxicity of other herbs or treating overdoses
-adjusts ying and wei Qi for sweating without improvement
Cang Er Zi Properties: SWEET, BITTER - WARM/TOXIC Dosage: 3 9g.
Cocklebur Fruit Meridian: LUNG
(Xanthium) -expel wind and damp painful obstruction, skin disorders, itching, headache continuing down to back of neck and back
-nasal passage obstruction thick nasal discharge, sinus headache
Gao Ben Properties: PUNGENT - WARM Dosage:3 9g.
Chinese Lovage Root Meridian: BLADDER
(Ligusticum Root) -expel wind and cold, alleviate pain headache at vertex, lower back pain
Xin Yi Hua Properties: PUNGENT - WARM Dosage: 3 9g.
Magnolia Flower Meridian: LUNG, STOMACH
-expel wind-cold, unblocks nasal passages nasal discharge/congestion, loss of smell, sinus headache
Xi Xin Properties: PUNGENT - WARM Dosage: 1 - 3g.
Chinese Wild Meridian: LUNG, KIDNEY
Ginger -release exterior, disperse damp and cold headache, body ache
-warms lung, transforms phlegm coughing, excessive watery sputum
-unblocks Qi for nasal congestion
Cong Bai Properties: PUNGENT - WARM Dosage: 2-5 scallions
Spring Onion Meridian: LUNG, STOMACH
(Scallion) -release exterior, induce sweat early stages of wind-cold
-disperse cold, unblock yang abdominal pain, nasal congestion
-topically for relieving toxicity, disperse clumps abscess, sores
© tcm.health-info.org 2002