mutual accentuation (xiang xu)

• ma huang + gui zhi: fu zi + gan jiang; chen pi + ban xia

• combination of two substances with similar functions and use them together to enhance the action

mutual enhancement (xiang shi)

• huang qi + fu ling; gou qi zi + ju hua; shi gao + niu xi; huang lian + mu xiang

• combination of two different function herbs but similar to xiang xu

mutual counteraction (xiang wei)

• mutual fear, combination in which toxicity or side effects of one substance are reduced or eliminated by another substance

• zhi ban xia with sheng jiang (zhi ban xia fears sheng jiang)

mutual suppression (xiang sha)

• mutual killing, opposite of mutual counteraction, is that here one substance reduces the undesirable side effect of another.

• sheng jiang suppresses/kills the toxicity of zhi ban xia

mutual antagonism (xiang wu)

• mutual aversion, ability of two substances to minimize/neutralize each other’s positive effects

• known as eight pairs and one trio of substances that have this effect on each other

• together referred to as the 19 antagonisms

• ba dou antagonizes qian niu zi

• ding xiang antagonizes yu jin

• zhi wu tou antagonizes xi jiao

• ren shen antagonizes wu ling zhi

• rou gui antagonizes chi shi zhi

mutual incompatibility (xiang fan)

• mutual opposition, occurs when combination of two substances gives rise to side effects or toxicity which would not be caused by either substance when used alone

• three sets with total of 18 incompatible substances

  • gan cao: gan sui, da ji, yuan hua, hai zao

  • zhi wu tou: bei mu, gua lou, zhi ban xia, bai lian, bai ji

  • li lu: ren shen, sha shen, dan shen, ku shen, xi xin, bai shao

single effect

• use of one medicinal substance to treat a patient

• ren shen alone to treat qi deficiency with collapse of yang

dan xing

• du shen tan-ren shen, qing jin san-huang qin

dry frying (chao):

• browning is used to dry the herb for storage

frying with liquids (zhi):

• frying with honey increases an herb’s tonifying and moistening actions.

• frying with vinegar enhances it’s astringent, analygesic, blood-invigorating and detoxifying actions.

• frying with wine enhances its ability to clear blockages form the channels, expels wind, alleviates pain

• frying in ginger juice reduces the tendency of bitter and cold herbs to upset the stomach

• this method enhances the ability of some herbs to warm the stomach and stop vomiting

calcining (duan):

• placing a substance directly or indirectly in the flames until it is thoroughly heated and turns red.

• purpose is to render the substance brittle and thus easy to pulverize.

• technique applied to minerals and shells

quick frying (pao):

• her is fried at an extremely high temperature until it becomes dark brown or cracked.

• reduces its toxicity or moderates its harsh characteristics

dry curing or baking (hong/bei):

• form of drying that uses a slow, mild heat to avoid charring the herb.

• often used in processing flowers and insects because it is the only method that dries them quickly without destroying them

roasting in ashes (wei):

• wrapping herb in moistened paper, past or mud and heating in hot cinders until the coating is charred or cracked and it’s insides have reached a high temperature

steaming (zheng):

• refers to steaming and then drying the herbs in the sun

• used to alter properties eg. sheng di huang into shu di huang

boiling (zhu):

• can be done in either water or some other medium to alter characteristics of an herb

• da ji is boiled in vinegar to reduce it’s toxicity

quenching (cui):

• usually minerals, are heated and then immediately immersed in cold water or vinegar

• both facilitates pulverization and moderates their medicinal properties

simmering (ao):

• herb reduced to a thickened liquid or sryup by boiling in several changes of water, collecting the supernatants, and then condensing and solidifying it into a gel.

• other ingredients are added before making the gel

• (ji xue teng)

• honey or brown sugar are used to help for easy storage…tasty way to easily dissolve formula under your tongue or drop in tea

honey (moderating/nourishing (middle jiao def.)

• ma huang

• gan cao

• huang qi

• pi pa ye

vinegar (enhance entering liver channel functions, soothe digestion, astringing and binding

• yan hu suo

• xiang fu

• chai hu

• qing pi

alcohol (entering and invigorating blood, extract volatile oils, raising)

• dang gui

• da huang

salt (entering kidney, better dissolves, move downward)

• ba ji tian

• rou cong rong

• bu gu zhi

• yan hu suo

ginger (reduce toxic, harmonize stomach, more dispersing)

• ban xia (also can use alums)

• hou po

bile juicy (change temperature)

• dan nan xing

black sesame/wheat barn (nourishing, better digestion, correct the smell)

• cang zhu, bai zhu, zhi ke, qian shi, shan yao, jiang can

fermentation/calm or pu huang powder/stir-fry to brown: better digestion

• ban xia qu/shen qu

• e jiao zhu

• jiao san xian (shan zha, shen qu, mai ya)

decocted first (30-60 min)

• chuan wu/cao wu/ fu zi

• shi jue ming/long gu/mu li/ci shi/zhen zu mu/dai zhe shi/gui ban/bie jia/shi gao

• si gua luo

separately decocted or simmered

• ren shen/xi yang shen/lu rong

added near end (last 5 min)

• bo he

• mu xiang

• sha ren

• dou kou

• qing gao

• da huang

dissolved (sticky)

• e jiao/yi tang

decocted in gauze

• xuan fu hua

• che qian zi

• chi shi zhi/pu huang

take with strained decoction (powder)

• chuan bei mu/san qi/niu huang

• zhu li (liquid bamboo juice)

pills (wan)

• water

• honey/tonify

• flour/food stag.

• wax/reaching intestines

plasters (gao)

• external use

powder (san)

• fast reaction

• convenient

• stable effects

special or vermillion (cinnabar pills) (dan)

• expansive

• storage

syrups (gao)

• sugar/honey, for chronic condition, tonifying/cough sore throat

medicinal wines (jiu)

• external use

• nourishing

• invigorating blood