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 - 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.