Lecture: Warm Acrid Herbs That Release the Exterior

Introduction

• Focus: Single herbs, specifically the category of warm acrid herbs that release the exterior.
• Fundamentals: What it means to release the exterior, basic properties of this herb category, and individual herbs.
• Total herbs: Around 12 to 15 discussed.

Resources

• Handouts: Available at tcmstudy.net (Herbology 1 section).
• Flashcards: Printable on four by six note cards available via link in the video description.

Overview of Category

• Taste: Warm, acrid (dispersing/moving properties).
• Temperature: Warm (used for cold conditions).
• Entering Channels: Primarily Lung (governs exterior, helps with sweating) and other channels as mentioned per herb properties.
• Main Action: Promotes sweating to release the exterior, has a diaphoretic effect (biomedicine: diaphoresis).
• Pathogens: Six evils - heat, cold, wind, dampness, dryness, summer heat (external attacks).
• Caution: Not for long-term use, potential to disperse normal Qi. Avoid with Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency, or sweat-heavy individuals.

Signs and Symptoms of External Attack

• Key Symptoms: Simultaneous fever and chills, floating pulse (Fumai - superficial pulse signifies exterior condition).
• Fever and Chills: Subjective feeling of heat (not necessarily high thermometer reading), aversion to cold or wind.

Pathology Context

• Shanghan Lun (Cold Damage School): Deals with cold pathogens, progresses through six levels: Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang, Taiyin, Shaoyin, Jueyin.
• Two Types of Taiyang Disorders:
  • Taiyang Excess: Fever and chills without sweating, floating tight pulse.
  • Taiyang Deficiency: Fever and chills with sweating, floating weak pulse.
• Herbs Application: Different herbs for Taiyang excess vs. Taiyang deficiency.

Individual Herbs Discussed

1. Ma Huang (Ephedra Herba)

• Functions:
  1. Promote sweating (strong diaphoretic) - Taiyang Excess.
  2. Stops coughing and wheezing (contains ephedrine, similar to Sudafed).
  3. Promotes urination to treat edema (especially in the upper body).
  4. Disperses from channels to treat B syndrome (not major function).
• Properties: Warm, acrid, slightly bitter. Enter lung and bladder channels.
• Dosage: 3-9 grams.

2. Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Ramulus)

• Functions:
  1. Promote sweating to release muscle layer - Taiyang Deficiency.
  2. Warm different parts of the body - middle jiao, chest, bladder, channels (moves blood indirectly).
• Properties: Warm, acrid, sweet. Enter heart, lung, and bladder channels.
• Dosage: 3-9 grams.

3. Zi Su Ye (Perilla Folium)

• Functions:
  1. Mildly release the exterior - common cold symptoms.
  2. Regulate middle jiao Qi - nausea, vomiting, morning sickness.
  3. Calm restless fetus (controversial claim).
  4. Detoxify seafood poisoning.
• Properties: Warm, acrid, aromatic. Enter lung and spleen channels.
• Dosage: Standard.

4. Jing Jie (Schizonepeta Herba)

• Functions:
  1. Release exterior - wind cold and wind heat due to slightly warm/neutral temperature.
  2. Vent rash.
  3. Charred to stop bleeding.
• Properties: Warm, acrid, slightly warm/neutral. Enter lung and liver channels.

5. Fang Feng (Saposhnikovia Radix)

• Functions:
  1. Release exterior - wind cold and wind heat.
  2. Dispel wind-dampness (B syndrome).
  3. Relieve spasms and contractions.
  4. Detoxify mercury and arsenic poisoning.
• Properties: Warm, acrid, slightly warm/neutral. Enter lung, bladder, liver, spleen channels.

6. Qiang Huo (Notopterygii Rhizoma Seu Radix)

• Functions:
  1. Release exterior with dampness.
  2. Treat Taiyang/occipital headache.
  3. Treat B syndrome - especially upper body.
• Properties: Warm, acrid, bitter, aromatic. Enter bladder and kidney channels.

7. Gao Ben (Ligustici Rhizoma)

• Functions:
  1. Treat exterior invasion symptoms - headache (vertex/occipital), low back pain.
  2. Release exterior (goes to the DU channel).
• Properties: Warm, acrid. Enter bladder and DU channels.

8. Bai Zhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix)

• Functions:
  1. Release exterior - Yangming headache, frontal headache.
  2. Open nasal orifices.
  3. Eliminate dampness - lower jiao conditions.
• Properties: Warm, acrid. Enter lung, spleen, stomach channels.

9. Xi Xin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma)

• Functions:
  1. Release exterior (pain due to cold, headache, and body ache).
  2. Warm the lung (treat profuse thin white phlegm).
  3. Dispel cold in channels.
• Properties: Warm, acrid, toxic (roots safe), small dosage 1-3 grams.

10. Sheng Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens)

• Functions:
  1. Mildly release exterior (early-stage symptoms).
  2. Warm middle jiao (nausea and vomiting due to cold).
  3. Warm lung (less common).
• Properties: Warm, acrid. Enter lung, spleen, stomach channels.

11. Sheng Jiang Pi (Skin of Fresh Ginger)

• Functions:
  1. Promote urination to treat skin edema.
• Properties: Cool, acrid. Enter lung, spleen, stomach channels. Dosage smaller 5-9 grams or slices.

12. Cong Bai (Allii Fistulosi Bulbus)

• Functions:
  1. Mildly release exterior (early-stage symptoms).
  2. Warm stomach.
• Properties: Warm, acrid. Dosage 3-9 grams.

13. Xiang Ru (Moslae Herba)

• Functions:
  1. Release exterior - wind cold during summer.
  2. Treat summer heat dampness.
• Properties: Warm, acrid. Enter lung and stomach channels.

14. Cang Er Zi (Xanthii Fructus)

• Functions:
  1. Open nasal orifices.
  2. Dispel wind dampness - treat B syndrome.
  3. Treat wind-related skin problems.
• Properties: Slightly toxic. Enter lung and nasal orifice channels.

15. Xin Yi Hua (Magnoliae Flos)

• Functions:
  1. Open nasal orifices.
• Properties: Acrid. Enter lung and nasal orifice channels. Wrap in gauze to avoid throat irritation.

Additional Herb

• Wu Bu She Cao: Geese don't eat grass, not on syllabus, good for clearing face, can cause stomach upset in larger dosages.

Conclusion

• Recap: Emphasis on the two critical herbs Ma Huang and Gui Zhi.
• Resources available via TCM Study website and course offerings for in-depth study or quick review.
• Experimental potential: Flashcards and downloadable content for further study.