Guest guest Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 I've read that licorice is included in many formulas because it is a harmonizing agent, but what does that really mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Chinese Traditional Medicine , " nancyschimel " <nancy@s...> wrote: > > I've read that licorice is included in many formulas because it is a > harmonizing agent, but what does that really mean? > harmonizing...doesn't really fit in this context soften moderate ease soothe relieve alleviate defuse take-the-edge-off relax would be a better translation. Licorice reduces the aggressive effects of certain herbals. It is used with cold or hot nature herbals to reduce their 'strongness'. In SiNiTang it is used to reduce the warmth of ginger and aconite, also in FuZiLiZhong in TiaoWeiChengQiTang it is used to reduce the laxative effect of Rhubarb and mirabilitum. From " Tang Ye Ben Cao " (Pharmacology of Herbals used Decoctions) by Wang Hao-Ku, 1246 " ...FuZiLiZhong uses Licorice..., TiaoWeiChengQiTang uses Licorice..., in these two recipes Licorice is not used to harmonize but to soften their effects. XiaoChaiHu has the cold effects of ChaiHu and HuangQin, has the warming effects of RenShen and BanXia, amidst these Licorice is used with a regulating/harmonizing effect in mind. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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