Assistant Large Intestine

These two herbs are often used as assistants to promote Qi movement and descend the Qi in the Large Intestine so as to assist the chief herb to move the stool. 

These four herbs all enter the Large Intestine meridian. In formulas for promoting bowel movement, they can effectively promote Qi movement so as to assist the purgative function of the chief herbs. They can be selected separately or in groups. 

Lie Geng is a strategic assistant in the formula. As it enters the Lung meridian and has an ascending property, it ascends the Qi in the Lung in order to accelerate the Qi descending in the Large Intestine. 

Zhi Shi and Hou Po can activate the Qi movement in the Large Intestine and are used as assistants to promote bowel movement. 

As we have seen in this chapter steroids have a number of functions in human physiology Cholesterol is a component part of cell mem branes and is found in large amounts in the brain Derivatives of cholic acid assist the digestion of fats in the small intestine Cortisone and its derivatives are involved in maintaining the electrolyte balance in body fluids The sex hormones responsible for mascu line and feminine characteristics as well as numerous aspects of pregnancy from conception to birth are steroids... 

V. cholerae is a gram-negative bacillus. Vibrios pass through the stomach to colonize the upper small intestine. Vibrios have filamentous protein extensions that attach to receptors on the intestinal mucosa, and their motility assists with penetration of the mucus layer.2 The cholera enterotoxin consists of two subunits, one of which (subunit A) is transported into the cells and causes an increase in cyclic AMP, which leads to a deluge of fluid into the small intestine.20 This large volume of fluid results in the watery diarrhea that is characteristic of cholera. The stools are an electrolyte-rich isotonic fluid, the loss of which results in blood volume depletion followed by low blood pressure and shock.2 Of note, the diarrheal fluid is highly infectious. 

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