Herbs That Tonify Qi

Front 1

Channels: LU, SP

Properties: Sweet, Slightly Bitter, Slightly Warm

A&I:
* Strongly tonifies the yuan qi: extreme collapse of the qi (shallow respiration, short breath, labored breathing, profuse sweat, cold limbs, minute or weak pulse) usually from severe blood loss. Use alone
- Tonifies Lungs & augments the qi: Lung qi xu (wheezing, short breath, labored breathing with exertion). Usually a concurrent failure of the Kidneys to grasp qi.
- Strengthens the Spleen & tonifies the Stomach: lack of appetite, chest & abdominal distention, chronic diarrhea, perhaps prolapse of stomach, uterus, or rectum.
- Benefits the Heart qi & calms the spirit: qi & blood xu (palpitations with anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness & restlessness). The shen disorders indicate the presence of blood xu along with qi xu.

C&C:
- Yin xu with heat signs
- Excess heat
- Hypertension with Ascendant Liver Yang
- Very high BP (systolic over 180mmHg)
- Overdose: headache, insomnia, palpitations, rise in BP
- Antagonizes Wu Ling Zhi
- Incompatible with Li Lu

Dosage: up to 9g
- 30g if used for hemorrhage shock

Back 1

Ren Shen
"Man Root"
Ginseng Root
Radix Panacis Ginseng

Front 2

Channels:
LU, SP

Properties:
Sweet, Neutral

A&I:
* Tonifies the middle jiao & augments the qi: Spleen Qi Xu, also for uterine, stomach or rectal prolapse from Spleen qi collapse

~ Tonifies the Lungs: Lung Xu (chronic cough & shortness of breath) or copious sputum due to Spleen qi xu.

* Tonifies Zheng Qi: "supports the normal". Use along with herbs that release the exterior or drain downward ("expel pathogenic influence")when the presentation includes significant qi xu.

C&C: incompatible with Li Lu

Dosage: up to 30g

Back 2

Dang Shen
"Group Root"
Codonopsis Root
Radix Codonopsitis Pilosulae

Front 3

Channels:
LU, SP

Properties:
Sweet, Slightly Bitter, Neutral

A&I:
* Strengthens the Spleen & augments the qi: mild Spleen & Stomach xu. Also Lung xu

- Generates fluids: thirst & injury to fluids after a febrile disease. Also unrelenting fever or summerheat in children.

C&C: do not use with Li Lu

Dosage: up to 30g

Back 3

Tai Zi Shen
"Prince Root, Child Root"
Pseudostellaria
Radix Pseudostellariae

Front 4

Channels: LU, SP

Properties: Sweet, Slightly Warm

A&I:
* Tonifies the Spleen & augments the qi: Spleen xu (lack of appetite, fatigue, diarrhea)
~ Raises Yang qi of Spleen & Stomach: prolapse disorders such as uterus, stomach, or rectum. Also for uterine bleeding
- Augments the wei qi & stabilizes the exterior: deficiency with spontaneous sweating, also tonifies the Lungs (frequent colds or shortness of breath)
~ Tonifies the qi & blood: post partum fever from qi & blood xu, recovery stage from severe blood loss.
- Promotes urination & reduces edema: deficiency edema
- promotes the discharge of pus & generates flesh: chronic ulcerations & sores from deficiency that have formed pus but have not drained or healed well.
- Xiao Ke Bing, limb numbness, paralysis, and Bi. ( Qi xu with blood stasis only)

C&C: exterior excess
- qi stagnation
- damp obstruction
- food stagnation
- yin xu with heat signs
- skin lesions in early stages or with heat toxin

Dosage: up to 30g
- up to 60g in exceptional cases

Back 4

Huang Qi
Astragalus
Radix Astragali Membranacei

Front 5

Channels:
KI, LU, SP

Properties:
Sweet, Neutral

A&I:
* Tonifies the Kidneys & also stabilizes & binds: benefits both Yin & Yang of Kidneys & Lungs (use for xiao ke bing), Binds essence (spermatorrhea, frequent urination, & vaginal discharge)

~ Tonifies & augments the Spleen & Stomach: Spleen & Stomach xu (diarrhea, fatigue, spontaneous sweats, & lack of appetite)

- Tonifies the Lung qi & augments the Lung Yin: chronic cough or wheezing from Lung xu.

C&C:
- Excess Conditions: fullness from dampness, stagnation, or accumulation
- Antagonizes Gan Sui

Dosage: up to 30g
- up to 250g decocted daily for xiao ke bing
- use raw to tonify yin
- dry-dry to strengthen Spleen

Back 5

Shan Yao
"Mountain Herb"
Chinese Yam, Dioscorea
Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae

Front 6

Channels:
HT, KI, LU

Properties:
Sweet, Slightly Bitter, Cold

A&I:
* Benefits the qi, generates fluids, & nourishes the yin: yin xu with heat signs, chronic unabating fever. Qi and Yin Both Deficient. Dry mouth, dry tongue, with thirst.

* Nurtures Lung yin & clears fire from the Lungs: Lung yin xu with blazing fire (thick, viscous yellow/green sputum with bloody streaks).

C&C: Stomach damp-cold
- Incompatible with Li Lu
- Spleen yang xu

Dosage: up to 6g, perhaps up to 9g

Back 6

Xi Yang Shen
"Western Seas Root"
American Ginseng Root
Radix Panacis Qinquifolii

Front 7

Channels:
SP, ST

Properties:
Bitter, Sweet, Warm

A&I:
* Tonifies the Spleen and augments the qi: Spleen or Stomach Deficiency

~ Strengthens the Spleen & dries dampness: Digestive disorders from Spleen yang failing to rise, loss of transportation and transformation function and subsequent accumulation of dampness. Also edema

- Stabilize the exterior & stops sweating

- Strengthens the Spleen & calms the fetus: restless fetus disorder, especially when due to Spleen deficiency

C&C: Yin xu with heat signs

Dosage: up to 15g
- raw for dampness & promote urination
- dry fry for strengthen Spleen and tonify qi

Back 7

Bai Zhu
White Atractylodes Rhizome
Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae

Front 8

Channels:
SP, ST

Properties:
Sweet, Neutral

A&I:
* Tonifies Spleen & augments the qi: Spleen & Stomach xu (weakness, short breath, lassitude, reduced appetite, loose stools)

* Nourishes the blood & calms the spirit: restless Organ disorder (wan appearance, irritability & severe emotional lability)

- Moderates & harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs

C&C:
- overuse leads to fullness in middle jiao
- excess dampnes
- food stagnation
- intestinal parasites
- damp-phlegm disorders

Dosage: 3-12 pieces
- 10-30g

Back 8

Da Zao
"Big Date"
Chinese Date, Jujube
Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae

Front 9

Channels:
All 12 Channels

Properties:
Sweet, Neutral

A&I:
* Tonifies the Spleen & augments the qi: Spleen xu (short breath, lassitude, & loose stools). Qi or blood xu patterns with irregular or intermittent pulse, palpitations.

* Moderates & harmonizes the characteristics of other herbs:

- Moistens the Lungs & stops coughing: neutral property allows use for both hot and cold patterns. Also dryness.

- Clears heat & relieves fire toxicity: use raw, internally or topically.

- Moderates spasms & alleviates pain

- antidote for a variety of toxic substances: internal and topical

C&C:
- excess dampness, nausea, vomiting, distention
- incompatible: jing da ji, yuan hua, gan sui, hai zao
- antagonize: yuan zhi

Dosage: up to 15g
- raw: clear heat & relieve toxicity
- honey-fry: tonify middle & moderate spasms

Back 9

Gan Cao
"Sweet Herb"
Licorice Root
Radix Glycyrrhizae

Front 10

Channels:
LU, SP

Properties:
Sweet, Slightly Warm

A&I:
* Tonifies the Spleen qi & augments the Stomach yin: Spleen & Stomach qi xu, Stomach yin xu (dry mouth, loss of appetite, loss of taste, dry stools, dry red tongue)

- Moistens the Lungs: Lung qi & yin xu (dry cough with little sputum)

- Tonifies Kidneys & augments the essence:

C&C: Spleen xu with dampness
- cases of poor digestion

Dosage: up to 18g

Back 10

Huang Jing
"Yellow Essence"
Siberian Solomon Seal Rhizome,
Polygonatum
Rhizoma Polygonati

Front 11

Channels:
LU, SP, ST

Properties:
Sweet, Slightly Warm

A&I:
- Tonifies the spleen & augments the qi:

- Tonifies the middle jiao qi & alleviates pain: Cold deficiency of the middle jiao (excessive salivation, abdominal pain, pale tongue, white coat, deep slow pulse)

- Moistens the Lungs & stops coughs

C&C:
- excess dampness
- internal damp-heat
- fullness in middle with vomiting
- phlegm-heat cough
- Childhood nutritional impairment with food accumulation

Dosage: up to 60g
- Dissolve in strained decoction at very end of cooking

Back 11

Yi Tang
Barley Malt Sugar, Maltose
Saccharum Granorum