Damp-cold syndrome chief

These three herbs are able to expel wind, cold and dampness from the skin, subcutaneous region and muscles. They can be selected as chief in a formula to treat a severe excess condition of wind-cold syndrome. 

Qin Jiao is pungent, bitter and neutral, and primarily enters the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians. Pungent can disperse the dampness, and bitterness can drain and dry the dampness. In particular, this herb expels the dampness from the subcutaneous region and the muscles and can therefore relax the tendons and muscles. It can be used as chief in a formula to expel dampness in the Upper-Jiao. Since it is a neutral herb, it can be used in either damp-cold or damp-heat syndrome. 

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. 

Fu Zi enters the Heart, Spleen and Kidney meridians. It is swift and violent in its action of spreading warmth, scattering cold, drying dampness and warming the meridians. Because of its strength, it is considered a herb that enters the 12 regular meridians. It is used as chief to treat Bi syndrome, especially when cold is predominant with symptoms of severe cramping pain. 

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