Classification of Chinese medicinals

There are several different methods to classify traditional Chinese medici-

nals. In ancient materia medica works, they are classified by:
1. The properties and actions of medicinals.
For instance, Shen Nongs Classic of the Materia Medica (
, Shn Nng Ben Cao Jing) listed medicinals with mild nature and
b1558_Ch-01.indd 4b1558_Ch-01.indd 4 7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM
b1558 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica b1558_Ch-01 9 Jul 2013 12:13 PM
First Week 5
boosting effect as the upper grade, those with drastic nature and purgative
effect
as the lower
grade, and others are the middle grade.
2. Sources of medicinals.
For instance, The Grand Compendium of Materia Medica (,
Ben Cao Gang M) recorded the type of water, fire, earth, golden stone,
grass, grain, vegetable, fruit, wood, tool, insect, scale, shell, bird, beast,
and human being.
3. Medicinal parts.
For instance, The Quality and Rational Application of Chinese Materia
Medica (, Zhong Yo De Zh Ling J Q H
Li Yng Yng) has divided Chinese medicinals into root and rhizome,
stem, peel, leaf, whole plant, flower, fruit and seed, animal, and mineral
categorizes.
4. Actions of medicinals.
In modern and contemporary Chinese medicine works, medicinals are
classified by actions into exterior-releasing, heat-clearing, purgation,
wind-dispelling and dampness-eliminating, dampness-eliminating, qirectifying,
digestion-promoting, worm-expelling,
blood-regulating,

phlegm,
cough and panting-relieving,
mind-calming, liver-calming
and

wind-distinguishing,
orifices-opening,
tonic, astringent, emetic, and

external-application
types. Each method has its advantages
and disadvantages;
classification
based on source of medicinal cannot reflect its

actions,
whereas classification
method employing
certain predominant
action
cannot objectively
reflect its overall
actions, although it is helpful

for
memorizing and comparison. For
instance, M Hung (Herba

Ephedrae,
ephedra herb) is capable of both releasing the exterior
and

arresting
panting but
is categorized
into the medicinal that release
the

exterior.
In this book, medicinals are classified
by actions and learners

are
expected
to pay more attention to make
comparison between medicinals
that have
similar actions.
Daily practice
1. What is Chinese materia medica? What are the main contents of
Science of Chinese Materia Medica?
2. What are the good ways to study Chinese materia medica?
3. How is Chinese materia medica classified?
b1558_Ch-01.indd 5b1558_Ch-01.indd 5 7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM
b1558 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica b1558_Ch-01 9 Jul 2013 12:13 PM
6 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica
2
II. Property Theory of Chinese Materia Medica
The Property theory section in this book includes information about
three aspects of Chinese medicinals that explained and interpreted with
unique theories of traditional Chinese medicine. One is the four qi and five
flavors (, S Q Wu Wi), one is the ascending, descending,
floating, and sinking, the other is channel entry. Property theory of
Chinese materia medica and other basic theories of traditional Chinese
medicine are closely related and constitute theoretical system of traditional
Chinese medicine.
The four Qi and five flavors (
, S Q Wu Wi)
Also known as Q Wi or Xng Wi , it is a basic theory used
to illustrate the actions of medicinals and also the core of property theory.
From the perspective of Traditional Chinese medicine, medicinals have
different natures and flavors that determine their therapeutic effects, and
therefore they can rectify and treat various pathogenic visceral changes
either functionally or organically. That is to say, learners should know the
natures and flavors of medicinals before learning their actions. This theory
includes two aspects, one is the four qi and the other is the five flavors.
[Four Qi] Four qi is also called S Xng, cold, hot, warm, and
cool are the four natures of Chinese medicinal. It is one of the characteristics
of traditional Chinese medicine in understanding medicinal properties.
The
cold, hot, warm,
or cool nature does not refer to the temperature
of
medicinal, but
a designation based on a patients
reaction to the medical
substances.
For
instance, medicinals that generate hot sensation and
relieve
cold symptoms such as abdominal pain relieved
by warmth,
watery

diarrhea
or diarrhea with undigested food, absence of thirst, ice-cold
hands
and feet, white moist tongue coating, pale tongue, and deep thin
pulse
are warm
or hot in nature. These
medicinals include F Zi
(Radix
Aconiti
Lateralis Praeparata, Monkshood),
Ru Gu (Cortex
Cinnamomi,
Cassia
Bark), Gan
Jiang
(Rhizoma Zingiberis, Dried
Ginger Rhizome),
J
P (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae,
Tangerine
Pericarp), and Sheng
Jiang

(Rhizoma
Zingiberis Recens, Fresh
Ginger). Whereas,
medicinals that
b1558_Ch-01.indd 6b1558_Ch-01.indd 6 7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM
b1558 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica b1558_Ch-01 9 Jul 2013 12:13 PM
First Week 7
eliminate heat symptoms such as high fever, thirsty with a desire for cold
drink, restlessness, yellow and dry tongue coating, red tongue, and slippery
rapid pulse are cold or cool in nature. These
medicinals include
Hung
Lin (Rhizoma Coptidis, golden thread), D Hung (Radix et
Rhizoma
Rhei, rhubarb
root and rhizome), Sh Gao
( Gypsum
Fibrosum,
gypsum),
J Hua
(Flos Chrysanthemi, chrysanthemun flower),
and Sang

Y
(Folium
Mori, mulberry leaf).
That is to say, these four qi are summaries based on patients reactions
to the medicinal substances. Shen Nongs Classic of the Materia Medica
(, Shn Nng Ben Cao Jing) noted that cold diseases must be
treated with hot medicinals, and hot diseases must be treated with cold
medicinals, indicating the basic principle of traditional Chinese medicine
treatment is to correct imbalance of yin and yang as well as of qi and
blood with properties of different medicinals. Meanwhile, medicinal properties
are credited by long-term observation
of its therapeutic
effects
on
imbalance
of yin and yang as well as qi and blood. Medicinals effective

for
cold pattern are considered hot in nature, and medicinals effective
for
heat
pattern are cold natured. Property theory is closely associated with

etiology,
pathogenesis
and treatment
based on pattern differentiation.
[ Five Flavors] Five flavors refer to the degree to which a medicinal has a
taste, namely acrid, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. In traditional Chinese
medicine, the taste of foods or medicinals has specific effects on the body.
Basic Questions (, S Wn) stated the basic summary of acrid substances
scatter,
sour
substances astringe, sweet
substances moderate,

bitter
substances drain, and salty
substances soften. Together,
five
flavors

and
four qi constitute the unique theoretical pharmacology system of
Science
of Chinese
Materia Medica.
Acrid substances move and disperse. Dispersing means to scatter and
dissipate the exterior pathogens, while moving refers to remove qi stagnation,
and unblock the obstructed channels, collaterals, and orifices.

Therefore,
medicinals that used to relieve
the exterior
such as
M
Hung
(Herba
Ephedrae,
Ephedra Herb), Gu Zhi
(Ramulus Cinnamomi, Cassia
Twig),
Zi
Su
Y
(Folium
Perillae, Perilla
Leaf ),
and B He (Herba
Menthae,
Field
Mint) are acrid, while medicinals that regulate
qi such as
J
P (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae,
Tangerine
Pericarp), M Xiang

(Radix
Aucklandiae,
Common
Aucklandia Root),
Sha
Rn (Fructus
b1558_Ch-01.indd 7b1558_Ch-01.indd 7 7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM
b1558 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica b1558_Ch-01 9 Jul 2013 12:13 PM
8 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica
Amomi, Villous Amomum Fruit), and Xiang F (Rhizoma Cyperi,
Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome) are also acrid.
Bitter substances dry and drain. Drying means to eliminate dampness,
and draining refers to dispel pathogenic heat outward and drain pathogenic
toxins downward.
For
this reason, medicinals that used for relieve

dampness
such as Hu P (Cortex
Magnoliae Officinalis,
Magnolia
Bark)
and
D Hu

(Radix Angelicae Pubescentis, Double Teeth Pubescent

Angelica Root) are bitter; and medicinals that clear heat and resolve toxins
or subdue fire,
such as Hung Lin (Rhizoma Coptidis,
Coptis

Rhizome),
Lng Dan
Cao
(Radix et Rhizoma Gentianae, Chinese

Gentian),
Zhi
Zi
(Fructus Gardeniae,
Cape Jasmine Fruit), and Hung Bai

(Cortex
Phellodendri Chinensis,
Amur
Cork-tree Bark) are also bitter.
Sweet substances tonify qi, blood, yin, and yang, harmonize and relax
tension, and moderate the effects of other medicinals. That is why most
tonics are sweet, such as Gan Cao (Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae,
Liquorice Root), Feng M (Mel, Honey), and D Zao (Fructus Jujubae,
Chinese Date), they can also be used in relax tension. Besides, medicinals
that nourish, moisten the intestines to promote defecation, and moisten the
lung to dissolve phlegm are also sweet.
Sour substances astringe fluid and qi and prevent or reverse the abnormal
leakage, such as cough, sweating, seminal emission, enuresis, and
diarrhea.
Medicinals with sour taste include Wu
Wi
Zi
(Fructus Schisandrae
Chinensis,
Chinese
Magnolivine
Fruit), Wu
Mi (Fructus Mume, Smoked

Plum),
and Sh Li P (Pericarpium Granati, Pomegranate
Husk).
Salty substances soften hard masses, fixed abdominal masses of definite
shape, or movable
abdominal masses of indefinite
shape, such as

lumps
(benign or malignant tumor), scrofula (tuberculosis of lymph

nodes),
and Ying
Lu (goiter). These
salty medicinals include Mu
L

(Concha
Ostreae, Oyster
Shell), Kun
B (Thallus Laminariae, Kelp),

and
Hai
Zao
(Sargassum,
Seaweed).
Besides, owning
to their effects
on

softening
hard masses, they
are also commonly used for constipation

with
dry stools in the intestines, and sores and masses of external

diseases.
Astringent taste and sour taste have similar actions of astringing and are
usually part of the same medicinal. Such medicinals include Jin Ying Zi
(Fructus Rosae Laevigatae, Cherokee Rose Fruit) and Sh Li P
b1558_Ch-01.indd 8b1558_Ch-01.indd 8 7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM7/9/2013 12:09:12 PM
b1558 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica b1558_Ch-01 9 Jul 2013 12:13 PM
First Week 9
(Pericarpium Granati, Pomegranate Husk). However, some medicinals are
astringent but not sour, such as Lng Gu (Os Draconis, Dragon Bones),
Qin Sh (Semen Euryales, Euryale Seed), and Lin Zi (Semen Nelumbinis,
Lotus Seed). Substances that have none of these tastes are said to be bland,
bland taste affiliated to sweet taste mainly acts to promote urination and
percolate dampness, and medicinals that disinhibit water retention such as
F Lng ( Poria, Indian Bread) and Zhu Lng ( Polyporus, Polyporus) are
bland-tasted.
The concept of flavor is complicated, as different medicinals have different
tastes or distinctive
taste even
though with similar actions, some
medicinals
may taste the same but
be variously
thick or thin; and some
have
multiple flavors,
such as sour sweet, pungent bitter,
and pungent
sweet.
Medicinals with multiple tastes also have
multiple actions, for
instance,
sour and sweet
substances such as Shan
Zhu
Y
(Fructus Corni,

cornus)
can tonify and astringe.
In theories of Science of Chinese Materia Medica, the flavor of a
medicinal partly determines its therapeutic effects. They are precious
inheritance from our ancestors, and most of them are practical. However,
it has certain one-sided limits due to historical conditions, and modern
researches reveal that Chinese medicinals contain multiple active ingredients,
which have
shown
different
pharmacological effects,
the flavor
of
its
effective
component contributes
partially to its actions. For
instance,
tonics
contain saccharides that taste sweet, exterior-releasing
and qi-
rectifying
medicinals contain volatile
oil that taste acrid, heat-clearing and
toxin-relieving
medicinals contain alkaloid that taste bitter,
and astringents
contain
organic
acid that taste sour.
However,
for some active
ingredients,
flavors
are not inevitably
connected to actions. Therefore,
in Science of
Chinese
Materia Medica, the flavor
of medicinal refers to its original taste
and
also the taste that deductively
grouped taking into account its actions.
Bi
Sho (Radix Paeoniae
Alba,

White
Peony
Root), for instance, does not
taste
sour but
is grouped into medicinal with sour flavor
based on its
actions
of astringing yin and softening the liver.
In this way,
the flavor
of
medicinal
and its actions are most closely related to each other,
that is to
say,
knowing
the flavor
provides
a preliminary clue regarding
its actions;
however,
on the other hand, the original taste of few
medicinals is different

from
that recorded in Science
of Chinese Materia Medica.
b1558_Ch-01.indd 9b1558_Ch-01.indd 9 7/9/2013 12:09:13 PM7/9/2013 12:09:13 PM
b1558 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica b1558_Ch-01 9 Jul 2013 12:13 PM
10 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica
[Relationship between four qi and five flavors] Each medicinal has four
qi ( cold, hot, warm, and cool) and five flavors ( acrid, sweet, sour, bitter,
and salty). Understanding the properties of medicinals should take both qi
and flavors into account. This book elaborates upon the qi and flavor of
every medicinal, which are regarded as necessary foundations for further
analysis of their actions. For instance, Hung Lin (Rhizoma Coptidis,
Coptis Rhizome) is cold in qi and bitter in flavor and therefore capable of
clearing heat, drying dampness, and draining downward; Hu P (Cortex
Magnoliae Officinalis, Magnolia Bark) is warm in qi and pungent-bitter
in flavor and therefore effective in warming the middle jiao and moving
qi to dry dampness.
In Science of Chinese Materia Medica, the action of medicinal can be
distinguished by certain qi and flavors. Medicinals with the same flavor
(acrid, sweet, sour, bitter, or salty) can present with different qi (cold, hot,
warm, or cool); and vise versa. For this reason, different medicinals may
act differently. M Hung (Herba Ephedrae, Eph Edra) and B He (Herba
Menthae, Field Mint), for instance, are both acrid in flavor and can release
the exterior and induce sweating, but the former is warm in nature and
therefore suitable for wind-cold exterior pattern, and the latter is cool in
nature and therefore appropriate for wind-heat exterior pattern; Hung
Lin (Rhizoma Coptidis, Coptis Rhizome) and Sheng D (Radix
Rehmanniae, rehmannia root) both are cold in nature and can clear heat,
but the former is bitter in flavor and therefore capable of clearing heat and
drying dampness and suitable for damp-heat disorders, while the latter is
sweet in flavor and hereby effective in nourishing yin, engendering fluid,
and cooling blood and appropriate for yin fluids deficiency, yin deficiency
resulting in vigorous fire, and blood heat. The actions of every medicinal
are predominated by either four qi or five flavors, which are heavily
dependent on the specific situation.
Daily practices
1. What is the theory of medicinal property of Chinese materia medica?
What are the best ways to master them comprehensively?
2. What is the concept of four qi and five flavors? What are their actions?
3. What are the relationships between four qi and five flavors?
b1558_Ch-01.indd 10b1558_Ch-01.indd 10 7/9/2013 12:09:13 PM7/9/2013 12:09:13 PM
b1558 Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica b1558_Ch-01 9 Jul 2013 12:13 PM
First Week 11
3
Ascending and descending, floating and sinking
the theory of ascending, descending, floating and sinkin