Clear Heat / Dry Damp vs. Expel Wind Damp

A little review of all the herbs for this test!

Summary of Herbs that Clear Heat and Dry Damp:

Huang Qin (dysentery, lower and upper burner, yellow sputum, stops bleeding, calms fetus, sedates Liver Yang)
Huang Lian (dysentery, fire toxicity - primary heart fire herb - secondary liver fire herb, stops bleeding, mouth sores)
Huang Bai (dysentery - Lower Burner, vaginal discharge, Kidney fire (yin def. heat), drains fire/toxicity, does not nourish the yin)
Long Dan Cao (Damp-Heat in LV/GB channel, jaundice, sore throat, red eyes, ear pain, deafness, genital swelling and itching, pacifies LV fire - short temper, insomnia, seizures)
Ku Shen (Lower Burner damp heat - dysentery, jaundice, vag. discharge, disperse wind/kills parasites, stops itching, promotes urination)
Qin Pi (clears heat dries damp - diarrhea, dysentery; Clears liver fire, brightens eyes; sends lung qi down - asthma)
Bai Xian Pi (Itching; Bi Zheng in extremities; rashes; damp heat jaundice)



Those herbs are bitter, cold, and drying. They purge fire, eliminate toxins. They tend to help with Liver Damp Heat (jaundice), Large Intestine Damp Heat (dysentery), Lower Jiao Damp Heat (painful urination, genital itching, yellow-turbid leukorrhea), and eczema, abscess, ear infections.

Huang Qin is tops for clearing lung fire.

Huang Lian is tops for heart fire.

Huang Bai is good for Kidney fire.

The channels they travel to:

Huang Qin: LU/LI, ST, GB
Huang Lian: Heart, LI, ST, Liver
Huang Bai: Kidney, UB
Long Dan Cao: LV/GB, ST
Ku Shen: HT/SI, LV, ST, LI, UB
Qin Pi: LV/GB, ST, SI
Bai Xian Pi: SP/ST



Herbs that expel wind damp are good for painful obstruction syndromes: arthritis, trauma, orthopedics, sports medicine, geriatrics. They treat excess conditions, Bi syndromes, stagnations, wind-cold and damp, they work in the channels and meridians to unblock the obstruction therby relieving pain, relaxing the muscles and tendons, opening the channels and collaterals, strengthening the tendons and bones.

They are primarily acrid (spicy/pungent) and bitter. They are often combined with Qi and Blood movers. They are very opening and invigorating, so caution must be used with patients who have yin and / or blood deficiency (the herbs are drying), and in cases of endogenous Liver Wind. They have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunosuppressive, antipyretic effects.

Du Huo: releases exterior - WARM and BITTER and SPICY
Wei Ling Xian: Focal Distension in Middle Jiao - SPICY and SALTY
Han/Fen Fang Ji: Edmea / Promotes Urination / Painful joints - BITTER and SPICY
Qin Jiao: Clears yin deficient heat (not nourishing) / Soothes Sinews - COOL, BITTER, SPICY
Xi Xian Cao: Pacifies Liver (LV Wind, LV Heat, hypertension) - COOL and BITER
Mu Gua: Stomach Dampness & Stagnation / Low body joint pain - WARM and SOUR
Luo Shi Teng: Painful obstructions in extremities / Cools blood/swellings - COOL and BITTER
Sang Zhi: Unblocks channels - joints and upper limbs / Edema - NEUTRAL and BITTER
Sang Ji Sheng: Nourishes LV, KD, Blood, Skin / Calms Fetus - NEUTRAL, BITTER, SWEET
Wu Jia Pi: Strengthens Sinews / Transforms Damp - SPICY and BITTER
Hu Gu: Strengthens Sinews and Bones - SPICY, SALTY
Bai Hua She: Wind dispeled from channels, skin, sinews - SWEET, SALTY, TOXIC
Wu Shao She: Wind from channels, skin, sinews - NEUTRAL, SWEET, SALTY, LESS TOXIC
She Tui: Wind / Spasms, Visual Obstruction - NEUTRAL, SWEET, SALTY, TOXIC
Hai Tong Pi: Hot or Cold / Edema / Itching SKIN / Toothache - NEUTRAL, BITTER, SPICY
Can Sha: Turbid Damp in Stomach / Itching SKIN - WARM, SWEET, SPICY
Qian Nian Jian: Acute and Chronic Low back, knee pain, versitle, strengthening, tonifiying - WARM, SPICY BITTER