Aromatic Herbs That Transform Dampness

TCM Materia Medica

Aromatic Herbs That Transform Dampness - Herbal Functional Grouping (7 herbs)

Full List by Function by Channel by Property
Aromatic Herbs That Transform Dampness General Introduction
  • The concept of dampness indicates a damp pathogenic influence which causes stagnation in the middle warmer (i.e. the Stomach and Spleen Channels).
  • General symptoms are - distension and fullness in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting or spitting up of sour fluids, absence of thirst, loss of appetite, diarrhea with some difficult in defecation, headache, body aches, etc.
  • The tongue will generally have a greasy coating (either white or yellow) and the pulse will often be soggy.
  • Aromatic herbs are used to revive the spleen with their fragrance and their strong effect in the transformation of dampness.
  • The majority of the herbs in this section are acrid, warm, aromatic, and dry - all properties which can potentially exhaust qi and injure the yin.
Aromatic Herbs That Transform Dampness Section Summary / Study Notes
  • Pei Lan, Huo Xiang - acrid and aromatic, transform dampness, good for damp-summerheat disorders, often used together.
    • Pei Lan - excess salivation, sticky sensation in mouth.
    • Huo Xiang - releasing exterior and stopping vomiting.
  • Cang Zhu, Hou Po - transform dampness and are often used together in treating abdominal distention, vomiting, diarrhea.
    • Cang Zhu - more effective for drying dampness and expelling wind-damp.
    • Hou Po - more for dispelling fullness and distention.
  • Sha Ren, Bai Dou Kou - used together in treating pain and distention of abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea.
    • Sha Ren - for middle and lower jiao issues, diarrhea.
    • Bai Dou Kou - for upper and middle jiao issues, vomiting.
    • Cao Dou Kou - similar to above 2 herbs, but stronger in the warming and drying functions - for ascendant damp-cold in the spleen and stomach.

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