Herbs That Drain Downward

TCM Materia Medica

Herbs That Drain Downward - Herbal Functional Grouping (11 herbs)

Herbs That Drain Downward General Introduction
  • Purgatives - constipation from interior-heat or interior-cold (both are interior excesses).
  • Moist laxatives - often nuts or seeds, lubricates the intestines; mild in nature - elderly or weakness from febrile disease or from child birth.
  • Harsh expellants - induce diarrhea; only for severe cases - injures the yin and qi; due to stagnation of fluids in thoracic or abdominal cavities or poor water metabolism.
Herbs That Drain Downward Section Summary / Study Notes
  • Da Huang, Mang Xiao, Fan Xie Ye - bitter, cold purgatives.
    • Da Huang - drains heat and purges accumulations, fire; reduces heat toxicity; clears heat from the stomach and intestines and reduces heat toxicity at blood level.
    • Mang Xiao - moistens dryness and softens hardness - hard and dry stool.
    • Fan Xie Ye - similar to Da Huang, good for edema.
  • Huo Ma Ren, Yu Li Ren - moistens intestines.
    • Huo Ma Ren - more gentle in action, nourishes, used in deficient disorders.
    • Yu Li Ren - stonger, promotes urination and treats edema; excessive disorders.
  • Gan Sui, Da Ji, Yuan Hua - severe edema and fluids in the abdomen and chest; only for short term usage.
    • Qian Niu Zi is more moderate in nature in this grouping; can be used for intestinal worms and food stagnation.

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