Herbs That Relieve Coughing and Wheezing 🌿

Overview

• Final section in the category: Herbs that transform phlegm and stop cough
• These herbs mainly treat symptomatic branches of coughing and wheezing
• They may or may not transform phlegm, but their primary function is to down-bear lung qi
• Considered not a very exciting category
• Herbs treat symptoms (branch); combine with others to treat underlying issues (root)

Wheezing Explained

• Chinese term: Chuan
• Translations: Wheezing, panting, dyspnea
• Characteristics: Difficulty in breathing, short rapid breaths, raised shoulders, flaring nostrils, inability to lie flat
• Sign of lung qi constraint

Properties of Herbs

• Flavors:
  • Acrid: Disperse constraint
  • Bitter: Downward direction, stop cough
  • Sweet: Moisten lung, good for cough due to dryness
• Temperature: Warm, cold, or neutral
• Channels: Lung
• Main action: Stop cough and relieve panting/wheezing

Individual Herbs

Xing Ren (Apricot Seed)

• Stops coughing and wheezing (any pattern)
• Moistens large intestine (gently relieves constipation)
• Slightly warm, bitter
• Slight toxicity (peel and cook to reduce toxicity)
• Normal dosage range safe: 3-9 grams

Zi Wan (Aster Root)

• Stops cough, transforms phlegm
• Cough due to wind heat, wind cold, or lung deficiency
• Often paired with Kuan Dong Hua

Kuan Dong Hua (Farfara Flower)

• Moistens lung to stop cough
• Used with Zi Wan
• Cough due to wind heat, wind cold, or lung deficiency

Zi Su Zi (Perilla Seed)

• Stops cough, transforms cold phlegm
• Targets excess conditions, especially when exhalation is difficult
• Moistens large intestine

Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf)

• Stops cough, transforms phlegm (especially lung heat/lung dryness)
• Clears stomach heat, directs rebellious stomach qi downward (nausea, vomiting, belching)
• Slightly cold

Bai Bu (Stemona Root)

• Moistens lung to stop cough (sweet flavor)
• Cough due to lung yin deficiency
• Kills parasites (pinworms, lice, fleas)

Sang Bai Pi (Mulberry Root Bark)

• Clears lung heat to stop cough
• Promotes urination (treats upper body edema)
• Lowers high blood pressure

Ma Dou Ling (Aristolochia Fruit)

• Toxic and obsolete (illegal in many countries)
• Stops cough and wheezing, clears large intestine heat

Formulas Involving These Herbs

Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan (Clear the Qi and Transform Phlegm Pill)

• Main use: Phlegm heat in lungs
• Ingredients: Ban Xia, Chen Pi, Fu Ling, Dan Nan Xing, Gua Lou Ren, Huang Qin, Xing Ren, Zhi Shi

Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang (Ephedra, Apricot Kernel, Gypsum & Licorice Decoction)

• For wind cold with coughing and wheezing
• Ingredients: Ma Huang, Xing Ren

Ding Chuan Tang (Arrest Wheezing Decoction)

• Wind cold attack with phlegm heat interior
• Ingredients: Ma Huang, Xing Ren, Su Zi, Kuan Dong Hua, Sang Bai Pi

Bu Fei Tang (Tonify the Lungs Decoction)

• Lung qi deficiency with cough
• Ingredients: Ren Shen, Huang Qi, Zi Wan, Sang Bai Pi

San Zi Yang Qin Tang (Three-Seed Decoction to Nourish One's Parents)

• Phlegm in lungs with qi stagnation
• Ingredients: Bai Jie Zi, Su Zi, Lai Fu Zi

Zhi Sou San (Stop Coughing Powder)

• Lingering cough after wind cold
• Ingredients: Zi Wan, Bai Bu, Bai Qian, Jie Geng, Jing Jie

Conclusion

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Next section: Aromatic herbs that transform dampness or food stagnation.