April 19, 2010

An exploration of Chinese herb flavors : A student project (Part 2 of 3)

Here’s the second section of Mitesh’s paper, a continuation of last weeks’ post on the topic. This is more set-up and mostly covers information about the herbs he used, including the Blue Poppy translations of each herb as described in the Shennong Bencao Jing. He also explains the reasoning behind some of his herb choices, sometimes citing scholar and clinician Heiner Fruehauf.

PS: I will announce the results of the Deepest Health Reader Survey shortly, and have just contacted the winner of the Living Meridian Acupuncture Charts. If I get permission from that person, I will divulge their name. Thanks everyone for your time and input!

Herb Selection and Essential Information

Note on references : The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing version used was the Blue Poppy translation. TCM information is provided along with links to the

appropriate page on the excellent Rootdown.us herbal database.

Editors note: Unfortunately, we could not include photos of each herb – we did not have photos of our own and we would run afoul of copyright guidelines if we used photos others had taken.

Renshen (Dangshen) – Sweet Calibration Herb (Sweet of Sweet)

There is some conversation about what plant was actually being referred to in Classical texts as “Shen,” usually translated as Ren Shen. In contemporary times, usually the red, Korean cultivated ginseng is used (Hong Shen). Dr. Heiner Fruehauf believes that the original “Shen” herb may have actually been Dang Shen, codonopsis. Here is his explanation as to why this may be true:

“One of the two stellar constellations that are associated with the 4th month of the year is called “Shen”–the Three Stars (Orion), the original character for Renshen (Human Trinity: ginseng). In ancient China, every region of the sky was considered to be linked to a region of China, in this case the state of Wei. Wei includes the district of Shangdang, where China’s best Dangshen grows. Dangshen, therefore, represents the earthly Shen grown in Shangdang, the region on which the Heavenly Shen projects its qi. From a purely clinical perspective, any northern type of ginseng would have overpowered formulas such as Xiao Chaihu Tang or Banxia Xiexin Tang, where Chaihu/Banxia is supposed to be the lead herb.”

For this reason, I selected Dangshen to be the Sweet of Sweet Herb. It was used extensively throughout the experiment, more than any other herb.

There is no Shen Nong Ben Cao entry for Dangshen, as such. however, the entry for Ren Shen, a Superior class Herb, is given below:

Ren Shen is sweet and a little cold. It mainly supplements the five viscera. It quiets the essence spirit, settles the ethereal and corporeal souls, checks fright palpitations, eliminates evil qi brightens the eyes, opens the heart, and sharpens the wits. Protracted taking may make the bod light and prolong life. Its other name is Ren Xian (Human Incarnation). Yet another name is Gui Gai (Ghost Shield). It grows in mountains and valleys.

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Basic TCM information about Dangshen
- Sweet, neutral
- Affiliated with the Lung and Spleen channels
- Herb that tonifies the Qi

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Wuweizi – Sour Calibration Herb (Sour of Sour)

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Wuweizi is a Middle Class Herb. It goes on to state:

Wu Wei is sour and warm. It mainly boosts the qi, treating cough and counterflow qi ascent, taxation damage, and languor and emaciation. It supplements insufficiency, fortifies yin and boosts male’s essence. It grows in mountains and valleys.

Basic TCM information about Wuweizi
- Sweet, Sour, Warm
- Affiliated with the Lung, Heart and Kidney channels
- Herb that stabilizes and binds

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Guizhi – Pungent Calibration Herb (Pungent of Pungent)

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Guizhi is a Superior Class Wood. It goes on to state:

Jun Gui is acrid and warm. It mainly treats hundreds of diseases, nurtures the essence spirit, and renders the facial complexion harmonious. It may serve as an usher or envoy for various medicinals Protracted taking may make the body light, prevent senility, and render the face bright and efflorescent, thus forever looking charming like a child’s face. It grows in the mountains and valleys of Jiao Zhi.

Basic TCM information about Guizhi
- Pungent, Sweet, Warm
- Affiliated with the Lung, Bladder and Heart organ systems
- Warming herb that releases the exterior

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Xuanfuhua – Bitter Calibration Herb (Bitter of Bitter)

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Xuanfuhua is a Middle class Herb. It goes on to state:

Xuan Fu Hua is salty and warm. It mainly treats bound qi, rib-side fullness, and fight palpitations, removes water, eliminates cold and heat in the five viscera, supplements the enter, and down bears the qi. Its other name is Jin Fei Cao (Boiling Gold Weed). Another name is Sheng Zhan (Profound Clearness). It grows in rivers and valleys.

Basic TCM information about Xuanfuhua
- Pungent, Bitter, Salty, Slightly Warm
- Affiliated with the Lung, Spleen, Liver, Stomach organ systems
- Warming herb that transforms phlegm and stops coughing

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(Sheng) Di Huang – Salty Calibration Herb (Salty of Salty)

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Di Huang is a Superior class Herb. It goes on to state:

Gan Di Huang is sweet and cold. It mainly treats broken [bones], severed sinews from falls, and damaged center. It expels blood impediment, replenishes the bone marrow, and promotes the growth of muscles and flesh. When used in decoctions, it eliminates cold and heat, accumulations and gatherings, and impediment. Using the uncooked is better. Protracted taking ma make the body light and prevent senility. Its other name is Di Sui (Earth Marrow). It grows in rivers and swamps.

Basic TCM information about Shengdihuang
- Sweet, Bitter, Cold
- Affiliated with the Heart, Liver and Kidney organ systems
- Herb that clears heat and cools the blood

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Maimendong – Sour of Sweet

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Maimendong is a Middle class Herb. It goes on to state:

Mai Men Dong is sweet and balanced. It mainly treats bound qi in the heart and abdomen, damaged center, overeating damage, [damaged] stomach, vessel network [or pulse] expiry, languor and emaciation, and shortness of breath. Protracted taking may make the bod light, prevent senility, and make one free from hunger. It grows in rivers and valleys.

Basic TCM information about Maimendong
- Slightly bitter, sweet, slightly cold
- Affiliated with the Lung, Heart and Stomach organ systems
- Herb that tonifies the Yin

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Shaoyao (Chi Shao) – Sweet of Sour

Shaoyao has two expressions in Chinese Herbal Medicine: Bai Shao and Chi Shao. According the Dr. Fruehauf:

In the Shanghan lun, Baishao is just called Shaoyao, which at the time was the uncultivated and less processed species we now call Chishao. Baishao started coming into use only 600 years later, since the Tang dynasty. I therefore often use Chishao in Guizhi Tang and other Shanghan lun formulas, since that is what Zhang Zhongjing used.

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Shaoyao is a Middle class Herb. It goes on to state:

Shaoyao is bitter. It mainly treats evil qi and abdominal pain, eliminates blood impediment, breaks hard gatherings and cold and heat mounting conglomeration, relieves pain, disinhibits urination, and boosts the qi. It grows in rivers and valleys.

Basic TCM information about Chishao
- Bitter, sour, slightly cold
- Affiliated with the Spleen and Liver organ systems
- Herb that invigorates the blood

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Gan Cao – Pungent of Sweet

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Gan Cao is a Superior class Herb. It goes on to state:

Gan Cao is sweet and balanced. It mainly treats the five viscera and six bowels, cold and heat, and evil qi. It fortifies the sinews and bones, promotes the growth of the muscles and flesh, doubles [one's physical] strength, [heals] incised woulds and swellings, and resolves toxins. Protracted taking may make the body light and prolong life. It grows in rivers and valleys.

Basic TCM information about Gancao
- Sweet, neutral
- Affiliated with all of the organ systems
- Herb that tonfies the Qi

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Baizhu – Sweet of Salty

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Zhu is a Superior class Herb. It goes on to state:

Zhu is bitter and warm is bitter and warm. It mainly treats damp impediment, dead muscles, tetany, and jaundice. It stops sweating, eliminates heat, and disperses food. It can be used as a conductor in decoctions. Protracted taaking may make the body light, prolong life, and make one free from hunger. Its other name is Shan Ji (Mountain Thistle). It grows in the mountains and valleys of Zheng Shan.

Basic TCM information about Baizhu
- Sweet, bitter and warm
- Affiliated with the Spleen and Stomach organ systems
- Herb that tonifies the Qi

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Dazao – Bitter of Sweet

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Da Zao is a Superior class Fruit. It goes on to state:

Dao Zao is sweet and balanced. It mainly treats heart and abdominal evil qi, quiets the center and nourishes the spleen, assists the 12 channels, levels the stomach qi, frees the nine orifices, supplements shortage of qi, shortage of fluids, and insufficiency of the body, [eliminates] great fright and heaviness of the limbs, and harmonizes hundreds of medicinals. Protracted taking may make the body light and lengthen life. Together with Herba Ephedrae, its leaf [Folium zizyphi Jujubae] is able to promote sweating. It grows in plains and swamps.

Basic TCM information about Dazao (hong)
- Sweet, warm
- Affiliated with the Spleen and Stomach organ systems
- Herb that tonifies the Qi

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Zexie – Sweet of Bitter

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Ze Xie is a Superior class Herb. It goes on to state:

Ze Xie is sweet and cold. It mainly treats wind, cold, damp impediment and difficult lactation. It disperses water, nourishes the five viscera, boosts the qi and [physical] force, and makes one fat and strong. Protracted taking may sharpen the ears and eyes, make one free from hunger, prolong life, make the body light, render the face brilliant, and enable one to walk over water. Its other name is Shui Xie (Water Drain). Yet another name is Mang Yu (Awned Yam). It is also called Hu Xie (Swan Drain). It grows in pools and swamps.

Basic TCM information about Zexie
- Sweet, bland and cold
- Affiliated with the Bladder and Kidney organ systems
- Herb that drains dampness

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Fuling – Salty of Sweet

According to the Shen Nong Ben Cao, Fu Ling is a Superior class Wood. It goes on to state:

Fu Ling is sweet and balanced. It mainly treats chest and rib-side counterflow qi, binding and pain below the heart due to worry, indigestion, fright, and fear, cold and heat, vexation fullness, cough and counterflow, and parched mouth and dry tongue. It disinhibits urination. Protracted taking may quiet the ethereal soul, mourish the spirit, make one free from hunger, and prolong life. Its other name is Fu Tu (Crouching Rabbit). It grows in mountains and valleys.

Basic TCM information about Fuling
- Sweet, bland, neutral
- Affiliated with the Lung, Heart, Spleen and Kidney organ systems
- Herb that drains dampness

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Sheng Jiang – Sweet of Pungent

According to the Blue Poppy translation of the Shen Nong Ben Cao, both Sheng Jiang and Gan Jiang are listed under Gan Jiang. This is a Middle class Herb and its entry is provided below:

Gan Jiang is acrid and warm. It mainly treats chest fullness, cough and counter flow qi ascent. It warms the center, stops bleeding, promotes perspiration, expels wind damp impediment, and treats intestinal afflux and dysentery. The uncooked is especially good. Protracted taking may remove foul smell and enable one to communicate with the spirit light. It grows in rivers and valleys.

Basic TCM information about Shengjiang
- Pungent and slightly warm
- Affiliated with the Lung, Spleen and Stomach organ systems
- Warm herb that releases the exterior

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In the next installment, we will learn about Mitesh’s experiences as he tastes the herbs and their combinations. He will also discuss thoughts about future experimentation. Thanks for reading!

An exploration of Chinese herb flavors : A student project (Part 2 of 3)

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