Question About Why Certain Herbs Are Used

[Guest guest]

I want to assure everyone that I'm not about to self-treat with herbs used in

TCM. This is question is for curiousity only but something I've wondered

about before.

 

In western alternative medicine, especially in Europe, herbs are commonly used

by many people without special training. Certain ones are well known to have

specific benefits so the average person will go to a herbal shop & buy

unprocessed herbs or a processed herbal product that's commonly used to treat

their own needs or minor problems. Examples I can think of right now are

horehound for coughs, calendula ointment or tea for minor skin problems,

elder blossoms for colds, tea tree preparations for minor fungal or skin

infections. Some are combinations but many are the dried raw herbs sold for

such use.

 

But I've learned in TCM, one single herb or herbal preparation doesn't fit

everyone since the symptoms may seem very similar but come from entirely

different causes. Only by checking the person over - pulse, tongue,

breathing, over-all demeanor, etc, does a TCM doctor decide what to use.

That's logical & makes obvious sense to me.

 

What I'd like to understand is how does a TCM doctor know which choice from a

wide range of herbs to choose? For example, there many be any number in one

category that clears away heat, relieves dampness obstruction, & promotes a

particular flow of energy along a certain path. I understand that the doctor

must choose herbs that don't conflict but how would one know which other

herbs to choose to modify certain actions of the important herbs or even IF

or WHY modifying herbs would be needed?

 

I don't require a long detailed explanation - the sort that I'd be told is

best learned by taking a TCM herbal course. But I'd like more than a standard

answer of it's long & hard to understand. I'm only seeking understanding, not

the ability to treat myself or others. If someone can explain (as this is

hardly important or vital), I'd really appreciate it. Thank you very much in

advance from a very curious person who feels she MUST understand life to the

best extent possible. :-)

 

Judy

[Guest guest]

Judy:

 

In simple terms, there are the Monarch, Minister,

Adjuvant and Dispatcher.

 

Monarch: principal herb with leading effects in

treating cause and main symptoms.

 

Minister: assistant herb, increases effectiveness of

principal herb, or treats additional symptoms.

 

Adjuvant: four types, generally to modify the first

two.

 

Dispatcher: mediates or coordinates all the other

herbs, and directs the action of the other herbs to

the affected area.

 

Hope that helps, Jack

 

 

 

 

--- Judy Wilkins <isomorphix wrote:

 

> I want to assure everyone that I'm not about to

> self-treat with herbs used in

> TCM. This is question is for curiousity only but

> something I've wondered

> about before.

>

> In western alternative medicine, especially in

> Europe, herbs are commonly used

> by many people without special training. Certain

> ones are well known to have

> specific benefits so the average person will go to a

> herbal shop & buy

> unprocessed herbs or a processed herbal product

> that's commonly used to treat

> their own needs or minor problems. Examples I can

> think of right now are

> horehound for coughs, calendula ointment or tea for

> minor skin problems,

> elder blossoms for colds, tea tree preparations for

> minor fungal or skin

> infections. Some are combinations but many are the

> dried raw herbs sold for

> such use.

>

> But I've learned in TCM, one single herb or herbal

> preparation doesn't fit

> everyone since the symptoms may seem very similar

> but come from entirely

> different causes. Only by checking the person over -

> pulse, tongue,

> breathing, over-all demeanor, etc, does a TCM doctor

> decide what to use.

> That's logical & makes obvious sense to me.

>

> What I'd like to understand is how does a TCM doctor

> know which choice from a

> wide range of herbs to choose? For example, there

> many be any number in one

> category that clears away heat, relieves dampness

> obstruction, & promotes a

> particular flow of energy along a certain path. I

> understand that the doctor

> must choose herbs that don't conflict but how would

> one know which other

> herbs to choose to modify certain actions of the

> important herbs or even IF

> or WHY modifying herbs would be needed?

>

> I don't require a long detailed explanation - the

> sort that I'd be told is

> best learned by taking a TCM herbal course. But I'd

> like more than a standard

> answer of it's long & hard to understand. I'm only

> seeking understanding, not

> the ability to treat myself or others. If someone

> can explain (as this is

> hardly important or vital), I'd really appreciate

> it. Thank you very much in

> advance from a very curious person who feels she

> MUST understand life to the

> best extent possible. :-)

>

> Judy

>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

In addition to the other reply regarding monarchs

ministers et al...

 

--- Judy Wilkins <isomorphix wrote:

 

> What I'd like to understand is how does a TCM doctor

> know which choice from a

> wide range of herbs to choose? For example, there

> many be any number in one

> category that clears away heat, relieves dampness

> obstruction, & promotes a

> particular flow of energy along a certain path.

 

Basic classes of herbs:

Category (clearing heat for ex)

Energetic (cold for ex)

Taste (Bitter for ex)

Organ (Liver for ex)

Movement, indications, proper combination etc.

 

You can see that from the above categories, there may

only be one or two herbs in the " Clear Heat " category

that will have the appropriate match in the energetic,

taste, organ etc categories. You might have three

herbs that clear heat, a re cold and are bitter, but

one goes to the liver, one to the lungs and one to the

stomach. Which one to choose? Well the one that

matches the hot organ in your patient.

 

> I understand that the doctor

> must choose herbs that don't conflict but how would

> one know which other

> herbs to choose to modify certain actions of the

> important herbs or even IF

> or WHY modifying herbs would be needed?

 

All based on collecting information from the patient,

trying to understand the dynamics of the situation,

and then prescribing a formula of herbs that fits that

presenting dynamic.

 

Hugo

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi Judy,

I thought I'd also mention, when you gave us examples of Western people without

special

training using herbs in what you called " western alternative medicine " , what you

were

discribing was folk traditions.

People might know an herb that is said to be relief of a symptom of a disease

but not

know why that herb is good for that.

 

Though we don't talk about this often, people in Asia without formal training in

herbalism

many times attempt to do the same thing.

If it worked for grandma it might work for me too.

 

The whole secret of stepping beyond treating just the symptom of a disease is

assessment. This is where formal training in both Eastern and/or Western herbal

traditions

shows its worth.

Yes, an herbalist needs to know the virtues of herbs and how they work together

but they

also need to be able to assess what is going on in the client and be able to

monitor how

it adjusts as the herbs are taken.

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " hyldemoer " <hyldemoer

wrote:

>

> The whole secret of stepping beyond treating just the symptom of a

disease is

> assessment. This is where formal training in both Eastern and/or

Western herbal traditions

> shows its worth.

> Yes, an herbalist needs to know the virtues of herbs and how they

work together but they

> also need to be able to assess what is going on in the client and be

able to monitor how

> it adjusts as the herbs are taken.

 

I want to emphasize this. The critical first step is pattern diagnosis.

 

TCM healers note " diseases " (symptoms) but also do a pattern

diagnosis. For example breathing problems is the disease, but the

underlying pattern may be Lung Qi Deficiency, Kidney Yang Deficiency,

Liver Invading Lungs, or any of several underlyinging patterns that

can have the symptom of breathing problems. One looks at the overall

clinical picture in order to make a pattern diagnosis. For example,

Lung Qi Deficiency also will have the symptoms of the person being

reluctant to speak (takes too much energy), weak Protective Qi, etc.

Kidney Yang Deficiency also will have the symptoms of exhalation being

a lot easier than inhalation, the usual Yang Deficiency problems with

Cold, etc.

 

Once the underlying imbalances (Roots) have been identified, the

herbalist can develop a formula or use a classical one. If concocting

an original formula, the TCM Materia Medica (like an herbal PDR) has a

list of all healing substances used in TCM. As Hugo pointed out, they

are classified according to their main uses, and each substance also

has its TCM properties listed. The properties include things like

does it have a warming or cooling or neutral effect on the temperature

of the body, what is it's taste (bitter, sweet, sour, salty, spicy, or

bland), and which Organs the herb (or other healing substance) has an

affinity for (which it " enters " ).

 

Here are some sample chapter headings from Dan Bensky's and Andrew

Gamble's Materia Medica, revised ed. which will give you an idea of

how herbs are classified according to their primary function: Chaper 1

Herbs That Release the Exterior, subdivided into Warm, Acrid Herbs

that Release the Exterior and Cool, Acrid Herbs that Release the

Exterior. A Warm, Acrid Herb that Releases the Exterior would be

chosen when the person is suffering from Cold in the Exterior. A

Cool, Acrid Herbs That Release the Exterior are used to release Heat

in the Exterior. (The term " Exterior " refers to the head, shoulders,

arms, legs, skin, muscles, bones, and meridians. The " Evil " has not

yet reached the Interior, ie., the Organs.)

 

Some other examples include Chapter 6 Herbs That Transform Phlegm and

Stop Coughing, Chapter 8 Herbs That Relieve Food Stagnation, Chapter 9

Herbs That Regulate the Qi (for Qi Stagnation), Chapter 10 Herbs Thaqt

Regulate the Blood subdivided into Herbs That Stop Bleeding and Herbs

That Invigorate the Blood (for Blood Stasis), Chapter 11 Herbs that

Warm the Interior and Expel Cold, and Chapter 12 Tonifying

(supplementing) Herbs which is subdivided into Qi Tonic, Blood Tonic,

Yin Tonic, and Yang Tonic herbs.

 

There are rules for concocting a formula which Jack and Hugo have

given you an intro into. There also are lists of herbs that one

doesn't want to combine for various reasons.

 

But let's say you decide to go with a Classical formual that has been

obseved and used for centuries. You consult a Formula book. The

following sample chapters from Formulas & Strategies by Dan Bensky and

Randall Barolet include Chapter 1 Formulas That Release the Exterior,

Chapter 6 Formulas That Expel Dampness, Chapter 7 Formulas That Warm

Interior Cold, Chapter 8 Formulas That Tonify (Qi, Blood, Yin, and

Yang Tonic formulas) Chapter 9 Formulas That Regulate the Qi, etc.

 

Let's say that the person suffers from Spleen Qi Deficiency. You turn

to Chapter 8 and the Qi Tonic section. In Bensky's and Barolet's

formula book, there is a summantion chart at the end of each chapter.

The one for Qi Tonic formulas lists 6 formulas. Under the Diagnosis

heading, there is one for Spleen Qi Deficiency, Spleen Qi Deficiency

W@ith Internally-Generated Dampne3ss, Sinking of the Yang Due to

Spleen and Stomach Deficiency, Simultaneous Lung Qi and Yin

Deficiency, Lung Qi Deficiency, and Lung Qi Deficiency with Heat in

the Lungs. The indications (symptoms) are given for each and there are

additional remarks. Since this example is Spleen Qi Deficiency, we

won't be looking at the Lung Qi formulas. Since there's no Spleen Qi

Sinking, we won't need that formula. Since Dampness is not yet too

bad, we're choose the first, Four-Gentleman Decoction, which the

remarks say is " A basic, mild formula " (p. 283.) The Indications

say " Pallid complexion, low and soft voice, reduced appetite, loose

stools, pale tongue, thin and/or frail pulse. " (p. 283)

 

There are only 4 incredients in Four-Gentleman Decoction: Radix

Ginseng (Ren Shen), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Bai Zhu),

Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling), and Honey-fried Radix Glycyrrhizae

Uralensis (Zhi Gan Cao - honey-fried licorice). Today, Radix

Codonopsis Pilosulae (Dang Shen) often is substituted for ginseng

because it's " well-suited for this pattern and is much less

expensive. " (p. 237.) Substituting codonopsis for ginseng is also

better for people with CFIDS.

 

The section on " Analysis of Formula " will give you insight into what

Jack told you:

 

" The chief herb in this formula is sweet, warm Radix Ginseng (ren

shen), a powerful tonic for the Spleen qi. In most modern

formulations, however, Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae (dang shen ) is

substitutede both because it is well-suited for this pattern and is

much less expensive. The deputy, bitter and warm Rhizoma Atractylodis

Macrocephalae (bai zhu), strengthens the Splenn and dries dampness.

These tow herbs work synergistically to improve the transportive and

transformative functions of the Spleen, i.e., the Spleen Qi.

 

" The assistant herb is Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (fu ling), a sweet,

bland substance that leaches out dampness. It also assists the chief

and deputy herbs in strengthening the Spleen. The envoy, honey-fired

Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis (zhi gan cao) warms and regulates the

middle burner. The combination of these two herbs is instructive.

Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (fu ling) moderates the cloying nature of

honey-fried Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis (zhi gan cao) to prevent

abdominal distention, while the tonifying properties of Radix

Glycyrrhizae Uralensis (zhi gan cao) moderate the draining properties

of the former ingredient. These herbs work harmoniously together as a

simple but effective formula. " (p. 237.)

 

Modifications also are listed in the text. for this particular

formula, if indigestion is particularly bad and there is weight loss,

add Rotundi (xiang fu) and Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis (hou po). (p.

237.) For morning sickness, the herbsFructus Amomi (sha ren),

Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (chen pi), and Cortex Magnoliae

Officinalis (hou po) are added. (p. 237.). There also are

modifications for edema while pregnant, periodic paralysis, and

uterine fibroids. 9(p. 238.)

 

At the end of the Four-Gentleman Decoction section, there is a list of

formulas derived from Four-Gentleman. Six-Gentleman Decoction is one

of them. Six-Gentleman is used when there's also Phlegm and/or there

is is a " stifling sensation in the chest and epigastrium, and often

coughing of copious, thin, and white sputum. " (p. 238.) Six-Gentleman

has the 4 herbs that are in Four-Gentleman pplus Pericarpium Citri

Rticulatae (chen pi_ and Rhizoma Pinelliae Ternatae (ban xia).