Herbs That Release The Exterior Wind Cold herbs traditional chinese medicine Bai Zhi Angelica Root Cong Bai Spring Onion Fang Feng Ledebouriella root, siler Gao Ben Chinese Lovage Root, Ligusticum Root Gui Zhi Cinnamon Twig Jing Jie Schizonepeta Stem Ma Huang Ephedra Qiang Huo Notopterygium Root Sheng Jiang Fresh Ginger Rhizome Xiang Ru Aromatic Madder Xin Yi Hua Magnolia Flower Xi Xin Chinese Wild Ginger Zi Su Ye Perilla Leaf

Herbs That Release The Exterior Wind Cold

Function Overview

  • Many are acrid and warm
  • Used when fever is mild, chill severe, headache, body & neck pain, no thirst
  • Focus is on the superficial layer of the body and lung
  • Precautions:
  • Do not overdose herbs that promote sweating – disperses qi too much and consumes yin
  • Caution in bleeding conditions or pregnancy – too moving

Summary & Key Herbs

  • Bai Zhi best for pain in forehead, eyebrows, teeth, gums; also for swelling, pus, vaginal discharge.
  • Cong Bai releases the exterior in the very early stages of wind-cold, may be used topically for abscesses and sores.
  • Fang Feng – releases exterior, useful for bi-syndromes, particularly wind-type.
  • Gao Ben – expels wind-cold, headaches, particularly vertex.
  • Gui Zhi – releases muscle layer of exterior, useful for wind/cold/damp bi-syndromes in the joints, limbs, and shoulders.
  • Jing Jie – releases exterior, useful for carbuncles or boils in initial stages, stops bleeding.
  • Ma Huang – releases exterior, induces sweating, disperse lung qi, promotes urination.
  • Qiang Huo – releases exterior, best with damp related body/joint pain and/or occipital headache, guiding herb for the governing vessel.
  • Sheng Jiang – release exterior, disperses cold, warms middle jiao, warms lung, reduces toxicity of other herbs.
  • Xi Xin – releases exterior, used most often with head and body aches in wind-cold, particularly with dampness or underlying KD Yang Deficiency, warms lung, unblocks nasal congestion.
  • Xiang Ru – release exterior, clears summerheat, transforms dampness, promotes urination, reduces swelling.
  • Xin Yi Hua – most often used with wind-cold, but always useful for any nasal/sinus conditions within appropriate combinations.
  • Zi Su Ye – releases exterior, wind-cold with fever, calms restless fetus, alleviates morning sickness, may be used alone or in a formula for seafood poisoning.

13 herbs in this functional category.

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