Pinyin: Mao Dong Qing  Chinese: 毛冬青
Pharmaceutical: Radix Ilicis pubescentis
Taxonomy: Ilex pubescens
English: Wintergreen Root

Tastes: Bitter, astringent, cold
Meridians Entered: Heart and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood and unblocks the channels and collaterals
   Heart Blood Stasis with chest pain and stroke with hemiplegia
   heart Qi Stagnation
   Chest Bi
2. Clears Heat, resolves toxicity and stops cough
   Lung Heat cough
   Wind-Heat cough
   Swollen, painful throat
   Topically, as a powder for burns

Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: It is toxic so avoid taking for a long time or overdose.

Pinyin: Bo He  Chinese: 薄荷
Pharmaceutical: Herba Menthae haplocalycis
Taxonomy: Mentha haplocalyx
English: Field Mint / Wild Mint

Tastes: Pungent, cool
Meridians Entered: Lung and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Disperses Wind-Heat, cools and clears the head and eyes and benefits the throat
   Wind-Heat with fever, cough, headache, red eyes and a sore throat
2. Vents rashes
   Early-stage rashes e.g. measles
3. Relieves Stagnation of Liver Qi
   Liver Qi Stagnation with pressure in the chest or flanks, emotional instability and gynecological problems
4. Expels turbid filth
   Exposure to unclean Qi in the Summertime leading to gastric distress with abdominal pain, vomiting. diarrhoea and a thick, yellow, greasy tongue coat
5. Releases the Exterior and Drives Out Snakes
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
   One of the chief herbs for treating Gu Syndrome, along with Bai Zhi and Zi Su Ye, classed as "open the exterior with snake killing herbs" (Fruehauf, 1998).

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: An Ye  Chinese: 桉葉
Pharmaceutical: Folium Eucalypti
English: Eucalyptus Leaf

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen, Stomach and Liver (tcmwiki), or Lung, Large Intestine and Bladder (American Dragon)

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes expectoration, resolves Phlegm-Heat and Dryness, relieves coughing, tonifies Lung Yin and relieves the bronchi
   Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs with cough, sore throat, purulent green-yellow sputum or fetid bloody pus. Treats bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia and Lung abscess.
   Phlegm-Dryness in the Lungs with coughing up plugs of sputum, difficult expectoration and wheezing. Treats allergic asthma.
   Lung Yin Deficiency with low-grade afternoon fever, dry mouth and throat and cough with expectoration of thick or bloody sputum. Treats pulmonary tuberculosis.
2. Promotes sweating, expels Wind-Heat, reduces fever, promotes eruptions, opens the sinuses and relieves pain
   Wind-Heat Invades the Lungs with sore throat, aches and pains, cough and possible fever. Treats common cold and influenza.
   Damp-Heat with nasal and head congestion and pain and watery nasal discharge. Treats sinusitis, rhinitis, post nasal drip, otitis media. remittent fevers and eruptive fevers.
   Wind-Damp-Heat Bi with joint pain and redness, and muscle aches. Treats rheumatism, arthritis and neuralgia.
3. Clears Damp-Heat, reduces infection and inflammation, stimulates immunity, stops discharge and expels parasites
   Treats viral and bacterial respiratory infections and throat infections
   Bladder and Kidney Damp-Heat with urgent, burning cloudy urination. Treats Uro-genital infections.
   Genitourinary Damp-Heat with purulent vaginal discharge and painful urination, Treats cervical erosion, chronic peptic ulcer and parasites.
4. Promotes tissue repair, reduces inflammation, benefits the skin and repel insects
   Treats burns, injuries, ulcers and abscesses.
   Treats skin eruptions.
   Use topically as an insect repellant (Lemon Eucalyptus / Neng Ming An Ye / Folium Eucalypti Citriodorae is better against mosquitoes)
5. Supports the pancreas and lowers Blood sugar
   Treats hyperglycemia and diabetes

Standard Dosage: 6-15g in decoction. More often as tincture or drops of essential oil.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in case of allergic dermatitis.

Pinyin: Zhang Nao  Chinese: 樟脑
Pharmaceutical: Camphorae
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum camphora
English: Camphor

Tastes: Pungent, hot, slightly toxic
Meridians Entered: Heart and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Expels Wind and Dampness and kills parasites
   Wind-Damp skin lesions
   Scabies, tinea and itching sores
2. Opens the Orifices and expels turbidity
   Delirium and loss of consciousness due to Hot disorders
3. Invigorates the Blood, Disperses Cold and alleviates pain
   Topically for Blood Stagnation due to traumatic injury (injuries from falls, fractures, contusions, sprains pain and swelling)
   Toothache

Standard Dosage: 0.06-0.15g as powder or pills. It should not be decocted.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for qi deficiency and pregnant women. It should be used very carefully for people with skin allergy. It should not be overdose for qi deficiency when taking orally.

Pinyin: Xun Yi Cao  Chinese: 薰衣草
Pharmaceutical: Herba Lavandulae
English: Lavender

Tastes: Pungent, cool

Actions:
Clear heat and remove toxicity, expel wind and relieve itching.

Indications:
Sore throat, scalds and burns, rubella, tongue boil, aphtha, dizziness, headache, scabies

Standard Dosage: 3-9g in decoction.