Damp-cold syndrome assistant

Damp-cold accumulation often coexists in Yang deficiency syndrome. Because cold obstructs the meridians, this leads to obstruction of Qi movement and water circulation, and cold-dampness is thus formed. Moreover, when the Yang is too weak to steam the fluid into Qi and Yin, the water metabolism becomes very slow and the water may accumulate in certain places in the body. In this condition, herbs that are warm in nature and have the function of transforming dampness should be used as assistants in formulas. 

Fu Ling is neutral and bland, and enters the Heart, Spleen and Kidney meridians. It can gently tonify the Qi of these organs, and can be used in either heat or cold syndromes of deficiency. It is often used as assistant to eliminate dampness in the Middle-Jiao. The dampness can be generated by deficiency of Spleen-Qi or from the cloying nature of the sweet tonifying herbs. Fu Ling can also tonify the Heart-Qi and calm the mind. 

Assistant Promote the movement of Qi, eliminate cold-dampness serve as strategic assistant in treating the syndrome of Yang collapse moderate the harsh herbs and protect the Yin... 

These two herbs are warm and pungent, and enter the Kidney meridian. They do not tonify the Yang or stimulate the Yang of the Kidney, but they can expel wind, cold and dampness in the Kidney meridian. Therefore they can assist the Yang growing and spreading in the Lower-Jiao. They are particularly useful in formulas that treat chronic Bi syndrome and where the Kidney is weakened with time. In such cases, patients suffer from pain particularly in the lower part of the body, such as arthritis of the back and legs in elderly people and after the menopause. 

The other three herbs are able to leach out dampness and promote urination. They can be selected in the formula to assist the chief and deputy herbs to remove damp-phlegm. Among these herbs, Fu Ling is neutral and can gently tonify the Spleen-Qi Ze Xie and Yi Yi Ren are cold and are more suitable for treating phlegm-heat syndrome. 

Qing Hao is bitter, cold and aromatic, and enters the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians. It can clear and disperse heat from these meridians, especially from the blood and Yin levels. In a formula that descends the Liver-Yang, Qing Hao is used as a corrective assistant to disperse and ascend the restrained Liver-Qi, which is suppressed by the heavy and cold descending minerals and herbs. Meanwhile, since Qing Hao can brighten the eyes, clear summer-heat and damp-heat, it can be selected if red and swollen eyes with blurred vision are present in the syndrome. 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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