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Individual Herbs - 07 Resolve Phlegm and Stop Cough - Coggle Diagram
Individual Herbs - 07 Resolve Phlegm and Stop Cough
Cool herbs to resolve Phlegm
Jie Geng
Acrid and lifting. Jie Geng goes to Lung and very focused on Lung. It lifts other herbs and even whole formulas to the upper-jiao. Disseminates lung qi. Pairs very well with Xing Ren because while Xing Ren descends lung qi, Jie Geng raises and disseminates lung qi so together they regulate the lung qi. Also transforms Lung phlegm.
DUI YAO - Gan Cao
These 2 herbs make up the formula Jie Geng tang. Together they regulate Lung qi, expel phlegm and resolve toxicity. Can treat lung abscess. Need to use Sheng Gan Cao. Raw Gan Cao clears heat and toxicity and has greater moistening effect.
Gan Cao 5-10g, Jie Geng 9-15g
DUI YAO - Zhi Ke
Used together to regulate flow of qi in the chest and add Gua Lou PI to transform phlegm. Jie Geng moves upward while Zhi ke moves downward. Featured together in many formulas including Xing Su San. They both help to loosen phlegm and open the chest.
Jie Geng 3-10g, Zhi Ke 3-9g
DUI YAO - Xing Ren
Featured together in Xing Su San. Xing Ren tends to descend and direct rebellious qi downward while Jie Geng raises and disseminates Lung qi to open the throat and expel phlegm. Together they have complementary ascending and descending functions and serve to restore normal qi flow to the Lungs.
Jie Geng 6-10g, Xing Ren 6-10g
Gua Lou
Transforms phlegm-heat in lungs. Also dissipates chest nodules and moistens intestines. Gua Lou best used to lead turbid phlegm downward, transform clumping and phlegm in the chest. It also moistens the intestines which helps descend the turbid phlegm.
DUI YAO - Xie Bai
Used together by Zhong Zhong Jing especially in Gua Lou Xie Bai Ban Xia tang. This is for cold phlegm causing obstruction of the yang qi in the chest. Gua Lou transforms phlegm-heat in the Lungs while Xie Bai is warm to balance the coolness of Gua Lou and regulates the qi to cause the turbid phlegm to descend.
Gua Lou 10-20g, Xie Bai 5-15g
Zhu Ru
Bamboo Shavings
Enters lung, stomach and gallbladder. Sweet and slightly cold. This is a cool herb that clears heat and scours phlegm in the lung for pulmonary problems. It also clears heat and disperses constraint and scours phegm in the gallbladder that is causing irritability. It also clears heat in the stomach to treat nausea and vomiting. It is sweet and able to tonify the stomach yin fluids as well. Often paired with Huang Lian to treat heat and phlegm causing gallbladder-stomach disharmony.
DUI YAO - Ban Xia
Ban Xia is warm while Zhu Ru is cold. They both direct stomach qi downward to stop vomiting. They both treat phlegm/damp in the middle-jiao.
Ban Xia 6-10g, Zhu Ru 6-10g
DUI YAO - Chen Pi
Used together to treat phleg-heat causing vomiting. Used for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Featured in Ju Pi Zhu Ru tang to treat vomiting due to stomach heat with stomach qi and yin deficiency.
Chen Pi 6-10g, Zhu Ru 6-10g
Qian Hu
Before Barbarians
Enters the lung. Bitter, acrid and cool herb. This herb disperses wind-heat and directs lung qi downward to stop cough and rid the lung of phlegm. It's often paired with Chai Hu because Qian Hu directs lung qi downward while Chai Hu lifts and disperses lung qi. Together they can help restore proper lung qi dynamic.
DUI YAO - Bai Qian (the 2 Qians)
Two herbs that transform phlegm and descend lung qi. Bai Qian is warm and Qian Hu cool to balance each other out.
Bai Qian 6-10g, Qian Hu 6-10g.
Pang Da Hai
Fat Big Sea
Enters the lung and large intestine. Sweet and cold. This is a cool herb that goes to the lung to treat lung disorders related to heat and phlegm. Also treats sore throat. Also enters the large intestine to moisten the intestine and treat constipation. Both of these functions are relatively mild. It is a fairly gentle herb.
Chuan Bei Mu
Sichuan Shell Mother
Enters the heart and lung. Bitter, sweet and cool. This herb simultaneously moistens dryness in the lungs and transforms phlegm. Its phlegm resolving action ascribed to its ability to descend lung qi and promote movement. It is cool and also goes to the heart and descends heart fire to relieve constraint. Can also break up clumped phlegm-heat.
DUI YAO - Xing Ren
Xing Ren is warm while Chuan Bei Mu is cool and balance each other. Xing Ren primarily acts on the qi to restore descent while Chuan Bei Mu acts on the phlegm and moistenes. Together used for cough.
Xing Ren 6-10g, Chuan Bei Mu 6-10g
DUI YAO - Zhi Mu
This combination is featured in Er Mu San (Two Mother Powder) with equal parts of both herbs. Both herbs are cooling and moistening with primary indication for lung heat and dryness. Secondarily it transforms phlegm and nourishes yin.
Chuan Bei Mu 6-10g, Zhi Mu 6-12g
Dan Nan Xing
Arisaema with Pig's Bile
Enters the Lung, Liver and Spleen. Bitter and cool. This is a bitter and cool herb that transforms phlegm-heat and extinguishes wind. Used for tremors, seizures, stroke due to phlegm-heat and wind.
DUI YAO - Xuan Fu Hua
Dan Nan Xing and Xuan Fu Hua both transform phlegm in the lungs. Dan Nan Xing is cool and Xian Fu Hua is warm. Did not see in any classical formulas but according to book used together for phlegm, heat and wind in lungs.
Dan Nan Xing 3-10g, Xuan Fu Hua 3-10g
Warm herbs to resolve Phlegm
Ban Xia
Half Summer
Dries dampness and transforms phlegm. Directs rebellious qi downward (cough, vomit). Ban Xia is a warm, acrid herb that transforms spleen phlegm. One of the most important combinations is Ban Xia + Chen Pi. Ban Xia transforms Spleen phlegm and secondarily directs qi downward. While Chen Pi primarily regulates qi and secondarily dries dampness. So the 2 herbs work in harmony to regulate qi of Sp/St, transform phlegm, and restore the Sp/St dynamic.
DUI YAO - Chen Pi
These 2 herbs make up Er Chen Tang (2 aged decoction). One of the most important pairings to treat phlegm. Ban Xia primarily transforms phlegm and secondarily regulates qi. Chen Pi primarily regulates qi and secondarily transforms damp.
Ban Xia 6-10g, Chen Pi 6-10g
DUI YAO - Huang Lian
Ban Xia warms the spleen while Huang Lian cools the stomach. They both dry dampness. Ban Xia is acrid while Huang Lian is draining. Used together for nausea and vomiting due to middle-jiao phlegm.
Ban Xia 6-10g, Huang Lian 6-10g
DUI YAO - Huang Qin
Key combination used in both Xiao Chai Hu tang and Ban Xia Xie Xin tang. In both those situatios they are used in scenarios of combined hot and cold complexes. Their opposite temperatures allow them together to clear hot/cold complexes with phlegm
Ban Xia 6-10g, Huang Qin 6-10g
DUI YAO - Sheng Jiang
Combination used for vomiting, especially with damp or phlegm accumulation in the middle-jiao.
Ban Xia 6-10g, Sheng Jiang 6-10g
DUI YAO - Zhu Ru
Ban Xia is warm while Zhu Ru is cold. They both direct stomach qi downward to stop vomiting. They both treat phlegm/damp in the middle-jiao.
Ban Xia 6-10g, Zhu Ru 6-10g
Xuan Fu Hua
Rotated Upturned Flower
Disperses phlegm and fluids in Lung. Redirects Lung qi down to stop cough. Redirects Stomach qi down to stop vomiting. It can also soften hardened phlegm and breakup accumulation.
DUI YAO - Dan Nan Xing
Dan Nan Xing and Xuan Fu Hua both transform phlegm in the lungs. Dan Nan Xing is cool and Xian Fu Hua is warm. Did not see in any classical formulas but according to book used together for phlegm, heat and wind in lungs.
Dan Nan Xing 3-10g, Xuan Fu Hua 3-10g
Bai Jie Zi
White Mustard Seed
Enters the lung. Warm and acrid. This is a warm herb that goes to the lung and expels phlegm. It is also acrid and promotes the movement of qi in the lung and helps resolve damp/phlegm. There's controversy on whether the qi moving ability of this herb is strong enough to cause damage to patients with weak constitutions. Notably, this herb also has specific ability to target dampness residing in the subcostal region between the skin and membranes.
Bai Qian
White Before
Enters the lung. Acrid, sweet and neutral. Maybe slightly warm. This herb directs lung qi downward and dispels phlegm. It is recognized as an outstanding herb for lung disorders marked by excess with phlegm obstruction. It strongly descends lung qi. Because of its strong qi moving ability it should not be used in deficient patients. Often paired with Qian Hu (the two Qians).
DUI YAO - Qian Hu (the 2 Qians)
Two herbs that transform phlegm and descend lung qi. Bai Qian is warm and Qian Hu cool to balance each other out.
Bai Qian 6-10g, Qian Hu 6-10g.
Zao Jia
Soap Pod
Enters lung/large intestine. Acrid, warm and slightly toxic. This herb dispels phlegm in the lungs and large intestine. It also opens the orifices. It is a strong herb and can be used for stubborn phlegm. But it also needs to be used cautiously in deficient patients. It opens the orifices and is useful in cases of clenched-jaw and frothing at the mouth.