Viewing entries in
tcm
Latin: Astragalus propinquus, astralagus membranaceus
TCM: Huang Qi
Also known as milkvetch.
“Immune enhancer, tonic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” say, “Sweet, slightly warm … Tonifies the spleen … [and] lung … [and] blood …”
David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal” notes its role in deep immune activation along with, amongst others, Ligusticum wallichii and Schizandra chinensis.
Paul Robin and Paul Brecher in, “Practical TCM”, say, “To keep the spleen strong we eat millet, beef and apricots. Then in late summer when it is humid our spleen can stay balanced.”
Paul Robin and Paul Brecher in, “Practical TCM”, say, “To keep the heart strong we eat millet, sheep and plums. Then in summer when it is hot our heart can stay balanced.”
Latin: Arctium Lapa
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Niu Bang Zi
“Burdock is used the world over as a blood-purifying agent as well as a diaphoretic, a diuretic, and an alterative.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
A “vaso-tonic alterative” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
A “most valuable remedy for the treatment of skin conditions which result in dry and scaly skin. It may be most effective for psoriasis if used over a long period of time. Similarly, all types of eczema (though primarily the dry kinds) may be treated if Burdock used over a period of time … useful as part of a wider treatment for rheumatic complaints, especially where they are associated with psoriasis … It will aid digestion and appetite … in general Burdock will move the body to a state of integration and health…” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” say it is, “acrid, bitter, cold … disperses wind-heat … clears heat … vents rashes… moistens intestines…”
Latin: Rubus Idaeus,
Arabic: Toot al-aleeq
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Fu Pen Zi (translation: “overturned fruit bowl) (Fructus Rubi Chingii)
An “excellent herb … one of the best things for women in labor … it is also much used for relief of urethral irritation and is soothing for the kidneys, urinary tract, and ducts.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
A “tonic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
An “astringent, tonic, refrigerant, parturient … Raspberry leaves have a long tradition of use in pregnancy to strengthen and tone the tissue of the womb, assisting contractions and checking any haemorrhage during labour. As an astringent it may be used in a wide range of cases, including diarrhoea, leucorrhoea and other loose conditions. It is valuable in the easing of mouth problems such as mouth ulcers, bleeding gums and inflammations. As a gargle it will help sore throats.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” say it is, “sweet, astringent, slightly warm … [it] augments and stabilizes the kidneys … assists the Yang and improves vision: for poor vision, sore lower back, and impotence due to Liver and Kidney deficiency.”
Latin: Scutellaria Lateriflora
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Huang Qin
A “nervine and anti-spasdmodic, and is slightly astringent … it has been known to render the patient free of disturbance in many cases of hydrophobia. This is also true in cases of insomnia, excitability, and restlessness.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
A “central nervous system vaso-dilator and antispasmodic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Skullcap is perhaps the most widely relevant nervine available to us in the materia medica. It relaxes states of nervous tension whilst at the same time renewing and revivifying the central nervous system … it may be used in all exhausted or depressed conditions.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” say, in the section headed “Herbs that clear Heat and Dry Dampness”, that it is, “bitter, cold … [it] clears heat and drains fire … drains dampness … sedates ascendant Liver yang…”.
Latin: Crataegus oxycanthoides
Arabic: Zaaroor
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Shan Zha
A “cardiac muscle tonic” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber").
“Hawthorn berries provide us with one of the best tonic remedies for the heart and circulatory system. They act in a normalising way upon the heart by either stimulating or depressing its activity depending on the need. In other words, hawthorn berries will move the heart to normal function in a gentle way. As a long-term treatment, they may safely be used in heart failure and weakness.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” say hawthorn berries are, “sour, sweet, slightly warm” and are used for food stagnation, blood statis, diarrhoea and, “used recently for hypertension, coronary heart disease, and elevated serum cholesterol.”
Paul Robin and Paul Brecher in, “Practical TCM”, say, “To keep the liver strong we eat wheat, chicken and peaches. Then in spring when it is windy our liver can stay balanced.”
David Hoffman in his introduction to “The New Holistic Herbal” states, “Herbs can be used freely and safely as part of one’s lifestyle without thinking of them as ‘medicines’. For specific health needs, their best use would be preventative … There are specific herbs which strengthen and tone specific organs and systems … the following may be safely used over extended periods of time:
Circulatory system: Hawthorn Berries (Crataegus oxyacanthoides) (Shan Zha)
Respiratory system: Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus) (Jia Yan Ye)
Digestive system: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) (Xuan Gao Wen Zi Cao)
Nervous system: Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora -Labiatae) (Not Baical Skullcap Root which is Huang Qin - Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis - Labiatae)
Skin: Nettles (Urtica) (Xun Ma)
Muscular and skeletal system: Celery Seed (Apium Graveolens) (Qin Cai)
Reproductive system: Raspberry Leaves (Rubus idaeus) (Fu Pen Zi)
Urinary system: Buchu** (Agathosma betulina) …”
(We’ve added in italics the Latin and, where known, the Chinese Medicine name.)
**Contraindicated in pregnancy
According to Tibb, Chishti in "The Traditional Healers Handbook" said, "When there are toxic matters in the body, … the body tries to expel them as quickly as possible ... the normal systems are sometimes already congested … the body then tries to send the toxins out through … the pores of the skin. Since the skin is not designed to eliminate this type of matter, the pores themselves become clogged, and a boil is formed.” He then advises on different types of boils appearing on different parts of the body.
In TCM many skin problems are seen as “heat and toxins in the blood” so the aim is to use herb formulae to increase sweating, coolness and defecation. These herbs may include Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle), pictured.
