Tcm Herbs Intro

Front 1

Cao

Back 1

entire grass with or w/o the root

Front 2

Gen

Back 2

root

Front 3

Hua

Back 3

Flower

Front 4

Pi

Back 4

bark or peel

Front 5

Ren

Back 5

Seed (that has hard shell like peach pit)

Front 6

Zi

Back 6

seed (like papaya seeds)

Front 7

Shi

Back 7

Stone or mineral

Front 8

Ye

Back 8

leaf

Front 9

Zhi

Back 9

twig

Front 10

Jiao

Back 10

horn

Front 11

Teng

Back 11

vine that climbs

Front 12

Tan

Back 12

charred herb- increases effectiveness to stop bleeding

Front 13

She

Back 13

snake

Front 14

Zhi

Back 14

means processed
: Zhi= means processed (adj) Like Zhi Gan Cao...(This will be the 1st word in the formula as opposed to (Zhi= twig) which will be the 2nd or 3rd word like Gui Zhi

Front 15

What are the purposes of processing the herbs?

Back 15

1- purify them
2- make active components easier to dissolve
3- increase effect
4- remove side effect or toxicity
5- Change property or action
6- remove unpleasant taste

Front 16

What are the mechanical methods of processing herbs?

Back 16

1- cleaning- remove non-medicinal part
2- pulverizing- (minerals & shells must be ground to fine powder, making active ingredients avail for dig)
3- slicing- active ingred more avail & standardizes the sizes for dosage

Front 17

What are the water based methods of processing herbs?

Back 17

1- bleaching- removes salt & other undesirable sub
2- soaking- for preparation
3- trituration with water (Shui Feng)- minerals are ground with water until reduced to fine powder (used for eye decoctions)

Front 18

What are the methods of processing with heat?

Back 18

1- Zhi- frying with liquid
2- Chao- stir-frying
2a- stir frying to yellow
2b- stir-frying to brown
2c- carbonizing
3- Wei- roasting in ashes
4- Hong or Bei- baking
5- Pao- quick frying
6- Duan- calcining

Front 19

Process with both heat and water methods?

Back 19

1- Zheng- steaming
2- Ao- simmering
3- Zhu- boiling
4- Cui- Quenching
5- Tamg- scalding in hot water

Front 20

Mechanisms of the actions of TCM medication? (3)

Back 20

1- expel pathogen and remove causes
2- tonify deficiency
3- readjust function of Zhang Fu organs and meridians

Front 21

Action of Pungent/Acrid?

Back 21

"dispurse and move"

Expel, move Qi & blood

(LU/LI)

Front 22

Action of sweet?

Back 22

tonify, harmonize, relieve spasm & pain

ST/SP

Front 23

Action of sour?

Back 23

"astringe, condense, prevent abnormal leakage"

keep, hold something to stop sweating, spontaneous emission or leukorraghia, astringe qi, stop bleeding & diarhhea

LV/GB

Front 24

Action of bitter?

Back 24

"to drain and dry"

clear, drain to clear heat toxicity, purge and clear dampness

HT/ SI

Front 25

Action of salty?

Back 25

purge, soften hard masses

KD/BL

Front 26

Action of astringent?

Back 26

similar action to sour (condense, prevent abnormal leakage)

Front 27

Action of neutral or tasteless?

Back 27

remove dampness an promote urination

Front 28

Mutual accentuation is:

Back 28

herbs w/ similar actions reinforce each other to increase their therapeutic actions.

Front 29

Mutual enhancement is:

Back 29

herbs with similar actions reinforce each other, acting as principal herb and as assistant herb.

Front 30

Mutual counteraction is:

Back 30

the toxicities or side effects of one herb can be reduced or eliminated by another herb.

Front 31

Mutual suppression is:

Back 31

one herb reduces the side effects of another herb.

Front 32

Mutual antagonism is:

Back 32

one herb reduces the therapeutic action of another herb.

Front 33

Mutual incompatibility is:

Back 33

2 herbs used together can increase or give rise to side effect or toxicity.

Front 34

Single effect:

Back 34

use the herb alone.

Front 35

5 special considerations of herbal treatment:

Back 35

1- pregnancy
2- breast feeding
3- neonatal and pediatric patients
4- geriatric patients
5- herbal taboo with food (dietetic restraint)

Front 36

Describe the affects of Stir frying? (chao)

Back 36

Stirfry to yellow/brown= facilitate the dissolution of active ingred, it will attenuate toxicity and potentiate an astringent action.

-if stir-fried w/ soil, bran or rice = increase therapeuticc action and reduce side affect.

stirfry with salt directs their action downward to KD. this also nourishes yin and reduces fire signs.

Front 37

Purpose of frying herbs with different liquids?

Back 37

Honey- slows down the effect (TONIFY)
vinegar- targets liver (MOVES QI)
Jiu zhi: wine or alcohol- brings to the upper part of body (BLOOD MOVING)
Jiang zhi- ginger- warms and dissipates (REDUCES SIDE AFFECT AND TOXICITY)
salt- softens and expels; targets kidneys and reduces toxicity
soil- helps SP & ST

Front 38

What is calcining and its effects?

Back 38

put herb directly or indirectly into flames until heated or red so it becomes brittle and easy to pulverize.

Front 39

Pungent/Acrid: Function & Caution

Back 39

comes from volatile oils in herb;
Expels pathogens from superfices of body by perspriation. Moves Qi & Blood.

Can cause dryness-->exhaustion of qi and yin b/c of dispersing action, use carefully w/ yin & qi def when there is excessive sweating.

Front 40

Sweet taste Function:

Back 40

Tonify

Some sweet herbs moisten lungs to resolve phlegm & intestines to relieve constipation (these usually contain sugar)

Front 41

Sour function:

Back 41

Stop sweating, spontaneous emmissions or leukorraghia, astringe Qi, stop bleeding and diarrhea.

Some can stimulate the apetite & promote digestion.

Usually contain tannins and organic acids.

Front 42

Bitter function:

Back 42

Cause purging, checks the upward flow of qi and clears fire.

Small amount of bitter herb can stimulate appetite and promote digestion.

Contain alkaloids and glycosides.

Front 43

Salty function:

Back 43

Act as purgatives and soften hard masses, resolve scrofula and subcutaneous nodules.

Front 44

Astringent function:

Back 44

(similar to sour)
Treat sweating due to def, diarrhea, bleeding, freq micturition, etc..

Front 45

Tasteless, neutral

Back 45

Remove damp and promote diuresis

Front 46

Summary of the 5 tastes:

Back 46

Pungent: expels, moves qi & blood

Sweet: tonifying, harmonizing/analgesic

Bitter: clearing/draining

Sour: holding/astringing

Salty: purgative/ soften

Front 47

The Four Properties:

Back 47

Cold or Cool- clears heat & toxicity, removes heat from blood, nourish yin and purge fire.

Warm or hot: yang: warm interior, dispel cold, support yang and tonify qi

Front 48

Hot diseases being treated with cold herbs will have what physiological effects on body?

Back 48

Decrease in the following:
body temp, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and amount of saliva

Front 49

Warm or hot herbs in general do what to the body:

Back 49

stimulate central nervous system, increase oxygen consumption in tissues, carbohydrate metabolism and amount of water taken in.

Front 50

Cool or cold herbs in general have what effects on the body:

Back 50

tranquilizing, sedative, analgesic or anti-convulsant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-toxin. some have anti-tumor. also like antibiotics.

Front 51

Combining flavors:
Pungent-Pungent

Back 51

dispel pathogens from exterior; regulate the flow of qi

Front 52

pungent-bitter:

Back 52

disperse external pathogens first and then relieve internal factors

Front 53

pungent-sweet:

Back 53

dispel pathogenic factos; rectify derangement of the nutritive and protective qi

Front 54

pungent-sour

Back 54

disperse;astringe

Front 55

pungent-salty

Back 55

resolve phlegm: reduce masses

Front 56

pungent-tasteless

Back 56

dispel damp;resolve turbidity

Front 57

bitter-bitter

Back 57

dry damp by purging

Front 58

bitter-sweet

Back 58

remove heat from the viscera & bowels

Front 59

bitter-sour

Back 59

purge water

Front 60

bitter-salty

Back 60

expel internal heat & excessive fluid by purging; relieve constipation and stagnation of food or blood

Front 61

bitter-tasteless:

Back 61

drain dampness through the urinary tract

Front 62

sweet-sweet

Back 62

tonify and replenish

Front 63

sweet-sour

Back 63

consolidate yin to soothe acute disease

Front 64

sweet-salty

Back 64

nourish the liver; quench pathogenic wind

Front 65

sweet-tasteless

Back 65

strengthen the spleen; dispel damp

Front 66

sour-sour

Back 66

contract and arrest discharge

Front 67

sour-salty

Back 67

remove phlegm caused by pathogenic wind

Front 68

sour-tasteless

Back 68

relieve summer heat

Front 69

salty-salty

Back 69

relieve constipation;soften hard masses

Front 70

salty-tasteless

Back 70

dispel by purging

Front 71

tasteless-tasteless

Back 71

dispel damp thru diuresis

Front 72

Pungent-warm

Back 72

diaphoretic action to dispel external cold and wind; Resolve summer and spleen dampness with aromatic fragrance; Anti-rheumatic action; Regulating stagnation qi; Invigorate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis; Resolve cold and damp phlegm; Expelling the intestinal parasites

Front 73

Bitter-Cool

Back 73

Purge exterior-excess due to retention of undigested food; Remove the pathogenic heat and dry dampness; Remove evil heat, detoxify suppurative infection on the body surface; Diuretic action for lingering dampness or anuria; Emetic action for retention or stagnation of undigested food in the stomach and spleen; Expelling action for intestinal parasites

Front 74

Bitter-warm

Back 74

Regulate the flow of qi and relieve the stagnation of qi

Front 75

Bitter-tasteless

Back 75

Relieve coughing and asthma

Front 76

Sweet-warm

Back 76

Replenish qi deficiency; Nourish blood deficiency; Reinforce yang deficiency

Front 77

Sweet-cold

Back 77

Febrigugal action and promoting secretion for the internal heat and burning fluids; Clear up pathogenic summer heat; Replenish yin deficiency; Resolve heat or dry phlegm; Diuretic action for anuria and other urinary disturbance

Front 78

Sweet-tasteless

Back 78

Relieve constipation due to insufficient fluid; Tranquilize mind for insomnia, firritability; Nourish blood deficiency

Front 79

Salty-Cold

Back 79

Eliminate pathogenic heat from blood; Sedative action for mental instability; Anticonvulsive action for endogenous wind stirring in the liver; Nourish yin deficiency to relieve internal heat; Resolve heat phlegm; Relieve constipation by purgation, and soften hard masses

Front 80

Tasteless

Back 80

1) Tasteless-Tasteless: Dispel lingering dampness; relieve anuria or uropenia;
2) Tasteless-Cool: Dispel lingering dampness; relieve anuria or uropenia;

Front 81

Ascending and Floating herbs do what? Which tastes do this?

Back 81

Elevating the Yang, dispelling pathogenic factors from the exterior of the body, expelling coldness and causing vomiting
Pungent or sweet tastes and warm or hot properties

Front 82

Descending and sinking herbs do what? Which tastes do this?

Back 82

Clearing away heat, catharsis, inducing diuresis, checking perverted flow of Qi and relieve asthma
Sour, bitter or salty tastes and cool or cold properties.

Front 83

What are the herbal formulations?

Back 83

1. Tang/Cha=soup/tea
2. Wan=big pill
3. San/Fen/Mo=powder
4. Ran Gao=ointment
5. ying gao-plaster
6. jiang/gao=syrup
7. jiu=medicinal wine