Warm Herbs that Dissolve Cold Phlegm (8)

Here are the Warm Herbs that Transform/Dissolve Cold Phlegm:

(Zhi) Ban Xia

Xi Xin

(Zhi) Tian Nan Xing

Bai Fu Zi

Bai Jie Zi

Xuan Fu Hua

Bai Qian

The category of these herbs kind of says it all -- the herbs are warm, they dissolve/transform "cold phlegm." They also treat phlegm damp, and as Bensky says "They tend to be rather strong, and can be toxic."

They are respiratory stimulants and promote a productive cough with expulsion of phlegm by stimulating the bronchi. In addition to being warm, they are spicy and drying (because they are bitter). Some are salty, helping to soften "hard phlegm." They tend to go to the lung as well as the stomach and spleen. Phlegm in the lungs often results from a spleen deficiency which creates dampness that then settles in the lungs (earth impacting metal). Conditions they treat include bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and pneumonia.

Symptoms of "cold phlegm" disorders include: white, viscous, watery sputum that is easy to expectorate; a cough; wheezing; a greasy white coating on the tongue; and a slippery pulse.

Typical patterns of "cold phlegm" will show up as exterior evils (wind-cold OR wind-heat...huh?), and internal problems that include upper and burner phlegm stagnation in the lung, kidney (leukorrhea), and liver (seizures, strokes).

The treatment principle is to transform the cold phlegm (which is the branch, or secondary symptom) and to dry damp (caused, most likely, by spleen deficiency). Because the root of the disease is trouble with spleen qi, they are often combined with qi regulating herbs.