Bitter elimination

Hou Po is bitter and warm, and can effectively descend the Qi in the Lung, Stomach and intestines to reduce fullness, dry dampness and eliminate phlegm. 

Qian Niu Zi is bitter, cold and poisonous, and enters the Lung, Kidney and Large Intestine meridians. It can purge accumulation from the intestines and treat constipation, as well as drive out water accumulation and treat edema. It can eliminate phlegm and open up the San Jiao meridian. Although less poisonous than Da Ji, Yuan Hua and Gan Sui, it is still a very harsh herb. 

Zhi Zi is bitter and cold, and enters the San Jiao and Liver meridians. It can be used as chief in the formula if the heat particularly disturbs the Heart and the region of the diaphragm, manifested as irritability, restlessness, insomnia and poor appetite. Zhi Zi can clear the heat and eliminate heat by promoting urination. 

Dan Dou Chi is pungent and slightly warm, and enters the Lung and Stomach meridians. It can disperse and spread the constrained Qi and heat in the Upper-Jiao. In the formula, it is often used as assistant with bitter and cold herbs that can descend and clear the heat. The combination of pungent and warm with bitter and cold can eliminate the heat completely. 

These three herbs are bitter and cold, and all enter the Heart meridian. They can clear the heat from the Heart and treat restlessness, warmth in the chest and bitterness in the mouth. Moreover, they can lead the heat from the Heart downward and eliminate the heat by increasing urination. Furthermore, these herbs can clear heat in the Small Intestine directly, and treat dark and scanty urine and painful and urgent urination due to damp-heat. 

The very bitter and cold Long Dan Cao is used as chief because it can either drain the fire from the Liver or eliminate the damp-heat from the Lower-Jiao. 

Da Huang is bitter and cold, and can intensively stimulate the intestines to promote bowel movement. From this purgative effect, it eliminates the heat in the intestines. Mang Xiao is salty and cold, can increase the fluid in the intestines and soften the stool. These two substances can enhance each others effects. They can effectively clear the heat in the intestines and treat constipation. However, as they are both purgatives they may injure the fluid in the intestines and therefore should not be used for a long period of time. 

These three herbs are bitter and cold. They enter the Large Intestine meridian and can dry and eliminate the dampness and clear the heat there. 

These herbs are bitter and cold, are able to clear heat and transform dampness from the Middle- and Lower-Jiao, increase urination and eliminate dampness. They are mainly used for treating skin disorders, where red, itchy and weeping skin lesions are often present. 

Qin Pi serves as assistant it is bitter, cold and astringent, can clear heat and eliminate dampness, as well as bind up the intestines to stop diarrhea. It is an essential herb in the treatment of chronic conditions where diarrhea lasts for a long time and the Spleen-Qi has been injured. 

Ban Xia is pungent and warm, and enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It can soothe the Stomach-Qi and eliminate phlegm. Chen Pi is pungent, bitter and warm, and enters the Spleen and Lung meridians. It can regulate the Qi and remove phlegm. 

These two herbs are pungent, bitter and warm, and enter the Heart meridian. They are able to eliminate the invisible phlegm, open the chest and calm the mind. They can be applied in the formula if phlegm is generated by deficiency of the Spleen-Qi and Heart-Qi, and the phlegm covers the mind and leads to insomnia, palpitations and restlessness. 

When damp-heat accumulates in the Lower-Jiao, bland and cold or bitter and cold herbs that enter the Bladder and Small Intestine meridians and can leach out or dry damp-heat should be selected if there is a urinary disorder. Pungent and warm herbs that can stimulate the intestines and eliminate dampness should be used together with bitter and cold herbs that clear heat in the intestines when there is a disorder of bowel movement. 

Yin Chen Hao is used as chief. It is bitter and cold, and enters the Liver, Gall Bladder, Spleen and Stomach meridians. It can clear heat and eliminate dampness. It has an aromatic smell, can revive the function of the Spleen and transform the dampness. It can benefit the Gall Bladder and reduce the jaundice. 

The cold and bitter properties of the herbs are used to eliminate heat and dampness. 

In this formula, many bitter and cold herbs are used to clear heat and promote urination so as to eliminate damp-heat. 

Zhi Shi is cold and has a bitter taste. It moves downwards. It has an intensive action of opening the obstruction of the Qi, breaking up the accumulations of Qi, blood, food or phlegm, and can also promote bowel movement. In formulas that eliminate phlegm, this herb is often used when the Qi is obstructed and bowel movement is difficult. It is also used to treat constipation. 

Da Huang and Qian Niu Zi are deputies. As they are bitter and cold purgatives, they can strongly descend the Qi and eliminate the accumulation and heat in the Large Intestines. 

Xi Xian Cao is pungent, bitter and cold, and enters the liver and Kidney meridians. It enters the deep regions of the body, the tendons and the bones. It searches out and expels wind, dampness and heat. It is selected when a Bi syndrome is at the active stage and the joints are swollen and painful with a burning sensation. Moreover, it can eliminate wind-dampness and treat heaviness and numbness of the limbs. Because it enters the Liver and Kidney meridians, Xi Xian Cao is especially effective in treating weakness and stiffness of the knees and back, pain of the bones, numbness and a tingling sensation of the limbs. 

Gu Cao is able to reach the bones, expel wind and eliminate dampness from the bones. It is bitter and warm, and enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. When wind, dampness and cold stay in the body for a very long period of time, and the tendons become very stiff and the joints and the bones are very painful, Tou Gu Cao can be applied. 

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