Herbs That Drain Fire

Front 1

Shi Gao
(Gypsum)

Back 1

Drain Fire LU, ST
sweet, acrid, very cold
1- Clear heat and subdues fire
2- Treat restlessness & stop thirst
3- Topical Astringent for eczema, burns and ulcerated sores
1a- Qi level excess heat
2a- LU heat, ST heat

S- Most important herb for clearing qi level excessive heat in LU (cough) and ST (thirst and toothache)

Front 2

Zhi Mu
(Rhizoma Anemarrhenae)

Back 2

Drain Fire LU,ST,KD
bitter,cold
1- clears heat & purges fire from LU, and ST
2- Nourishes KD and LU yin, and moistens dryness
3- clears def heat & generates fluid
1a- Qi level excessive heat
2a- Lu exc heat or LU yin def
3a- Bone steaming fever
4-5a- Yin deficiency
S- This herb clears heat in 3 jiaos & nourishes yin. Its good for excessive & deficient heat

Front 3

Zhi Zi
(Fructus Gardeniae Jasminoidis)

Back 3

Drain Fire- HT,LR,LU, ST, SJ
bitter, cold
1- Clears heat and relieves restlessness
2- Drains damp heat from SJ & promotes urination
3- Cools blood and clears toxic heat
4- Removes blood stasis, relieves pain reduces swelling
1a- fever, irritability, stifling chest, insomnia, delirious speech
2a- Jaundice d/t damp heat
3a- Bleed patterns d/t heat in blood
4a- Topical w/ egg white or vinegar for swelling &redness w. trauma
S- Clears fire in 3 jiaos, esp. HT fire. Very commonly used herb for restless in febrile diseases.

Front 4

Xia Ku Cao
(Herb Prunella)

Back 4

Drain Fire- GB, LR
bitter, acrid, cold
1- Clears LR fire & brightens eye
2- Resolves the hard clumps
1a- LR fire
2a- Scrofula and goiter- phlegm fire complication
3a- Hypertension d/t ascendant LR Yang
S- Very good @ clearing LR fire. It is often used for red painful eyes d/t LR fire

Front 5

Lian (Zi) Xin
(Plumuia Nelumbinis Nuciferae

*less common in this group

Back 5

Drain Fire- HT, PC

1- Subdues HT-fire, & relieves vexation
2- Stops bleeding & astringes the essence
1a- Mental confusion or delirium or spermatorrhea
2a- Insomnia or irritability or spermatorrhea
S- Clears HT fire. Used in 1 of the warm disease formula for heat in PC. In regular acupuncture clinic where warm diseases are not the major concern this herb may be used to make a tea for HT heat or fire.

Front 6

Lu Gen
(Rhizoma Phragmitis Communis)

*less common in this group

Back 6

Drain fire- LU, ST
sweet, cold

1- Clear heat & generate fluid
2- Relieve restless & stop vomiting
3- Promotes urination
1a- High fever, irritability, thirst
2a- Vomiting d/t ST heat
3a- Cough d/t LU heat, LU abscess
4a- Strangury d/t heat: dark scanty urine...
S- A sweet & cold herb. It clears ST and LU heat and generates fluid

Front 7

Jue Ming Zi
(Semen Cassiae)

* less common in this group

Back 7

Drain Fire- LR, KD, LI
bitter, Sweet, cold

1- Disperse wind-heat, clears LR fire, and improves visual acuity
2- Lubricates the intestine & relaxes the bowels
1a- LR or wind heat attacking eyes
2a- other eye problems...
3a- Constipation d/t fire and dryness
4a- HA,dizziness,hypertension
5a- prevents atherosclerosis
S- Clears LR heat and wind heat. It also benefits KD yin (only mildly)

Front 8

Qing Xiang Zi
(Semen Celosiae Argenteae)

* less common in this group

Back 8

Drain Fire- LR
sweet, cold

1- Disperse wind-heat, eliminates LR fire and removes nebula
1a- Red, painful, swollen eyes, superficial visual obstruction, or cataracts

S- Clears LR heat/fire and treats eye problems. Contraindicated for glaucoma.

Front 9

Dan Zhu Ye
(Herba Lophatatheri Gracillis)

* less common in this group

Back 9

Drain Fire- HT, SI, ST
sweet, bland, cold

1- Clears heat & reduces restlessness and irritability
2- Promotes urination & generates fluids
1a- Febrile diseases: irritability, thirst, mouth sores, swollen, painful gums, or painful scanty urine w/ irritability and red tip on tongue

S- Clears heat & promotes urination. Good for clearing HT heat form SI (urination)

Contraindicated in pregnancy

Front 10

Xiong Dan
(Vesica Fellea Ursi)

* less common in this group

Back 10

BEAR GB Drain fire- GB, HT, LR
bitter, cold

S- believed to be very effective for eye problems and toxic heat in traditional teaching. Now prepared with a substitute in place of bear gall bladder.