Corrective assistant

The assistant moderates or eliminates the toxicity or harsh properties of the chief or deputy ingredients. The ingredient that has this function can be considered a corrective assistant. 

The other two assistants are Huang Qin and Sheng Di Huang. As cold herbs, they are particularly used for treating internal heat. At the same time they also serve as corrective assistants to reduce the warming and drying nature of the other herbs in the formula. 

Zhu Ye and Lu Gen are able to clear heat and relieve thirst. Lu Gen can generate the fluids that have been injured by the heat. It also serves as corrective assistant to prevent heat continuously injuring the body fluids. 

Zhi Gan Cao is sweet and enters the Spleen meridian. In formulas that drain downwards, it is often used as corrective assistant and envoy to protect the Stomach from harsh herbs such as Da Huang and Lu Hui. It can also moderate the function of the herbs in the formulas and make the purgative action lasting and stable. 

Qiao has a fragrant smell and thus has an ascending and dispersing tendency in action. As this moving tendency may reduce the chance of a constrained-heat condition forming, it is also used in the formula as a corrective assistant. 

Sheng Di Huang and Dang Gui are used as corrective assistants to nourish the Yin and blood to treat the injury of Yin and blood caused by excess heat. 

Chai Hu is used as corrective assistant as well as envoy. It can disperse and spread the constraint of Liver-Qi, which is suppressed by the powerful draining herbs. On the other hand, it slightly disperses the heat, thus preventing the development of constrained heat which is often formed in the process of clearing heat. As envoy it harmonizes the herbs entering the liver and Gall Bladder meridians. 

Rou Gui, which is sweet and warm, is used as a corrective assistant to prevent the bitter and cold herbs injuring the Yang, which often occurs when the Qi and blood have been weak for a long time. It can also assist Dang Gui to reinforce the action of promoting blood circulation. 

Tong Cao is used as envoy in the formula. It is cold in nature and enters the Heart meridian. It guides the other herbs entering the Heart meridian and enables them to carry out their functions. It is also used as corrective assistant to prevent the hot herbs injuring the blood. Its action has a descending quality, which can control the side effect of Xi Xin that may ascend and stimulate the weakened Kidney-Yang too quickly. 

Since there are a number of astringent substances that may cause stagnation, Qian Cao Gen is used as corrective assistant. It can stop bleeding yet promote blood circulation. At the same time, it can also remove congealed blood. 

He Ye, like Mu Dan Pi, serves as both helping and corrective assistant. The partially charred He Ye, like other herbs, can stop bleeding. However, its light fragrant smell can also disperse the Qi and blood stagnation caused by the astringent herbs and the cold herbs. 

Wu Wei Zi is a corrective assistant. It stabilizes the Lung-Qi, thus protecting the Yin and fluid, which can be consumed by the hot herbs. 

Mu Gua is used as both helping assistant and corrective assistant because it can transform dampness directly as well as stabilize the Yin, which can be injured by the pungent and hot herbs or the herbs that move the Qi and drain the water. 

Bai Zhu and Fu Ling can strengthen the function of the Spleen, dry the dampness in the Middle-Jiao and enhance the ability of herbs that remove the accumulation. They also serve as corrective assistant as they can protect the Spleen and Stomach from bitter and cold herbs, such as Huang Lian and Huang Qin, as well as the harsh action of Da Huang. 

Sheng Jiang is also an assistant. It can help Ban Xia and Ju Hong to disperse and dissolve phlegm, soothe the Stomach-Qi and promote digestion. It is used as a corrective assistant because it can reduce the toxin from Ban Xia. 

Another corrective assistant is Wu Mei. On the one hand, it can stabilize the Lung-Qi that has been dispersed excessively due to obstruction of phlegm in the Lung on the other hand, it can reduce the dispersing action of the pungent and warm herbs in the formula and make the formula more balanced. 

Huang Qi is warm and sweet, and enters the Lung and Spleen meridians. It can powerfully tonify the Qi and strengthen the muscles. It can be used as corrective assistant in the formula to prevent and treat Qi deficiency. It can also be used as assistant for strengthening the Qi to invigorate the blood and promote blood circulation. 

Dang Gui is often used as a helping assistant to tonify the blood and promote blood circulation. It treats a syndrome where blood stagnation and blood deficiency coexist. It also serves as a corrective assistant. It nourishes the blood that has been consumed by pungent and warm herbs that promote Qi and blood in the formula. 

These herbs are used to promote blood circulation and disperse congealed blood. A small amount of Mu Dan Pi, Dan Shen or San Qi can be used as corrective assistants in formulas that stop bleeding. They promote blood circulation and also disperse and dissolve the congealed blood, a side effect caused by herbs that have cold, sour, astringent and descending properties. 

Dang Gui serves as corrective assistant to tonify the blood and stimulate the blood circulation to prevent blood stagnation caused by the cold herbs. 

Sheng Di Huang, another corrective assistant, is used to nourish the Yin that is injured by heat or by the herbs that drain the dampness and promote urination. 

Huang Qin is used as a corrective assistant in the formula to reduce heat and prevent bleeding caused by the hot Fu Zi. 

Lian Qiao can particularly disperse the constrained Qi of the Heart Chai Hu is able to disperse the constrained Qi of the Liver and Gall Bladder Jie Geng can disperse the Lung-Qi and remove phlegm Mai Ya can ascend the Stomach-Qi and protect the function of the Spleen. They are often selected as corrective assistants in the formula to open obstructions and promote Qi movement. 

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. 

Mai Ya, Shen Qu and Zhi Gan Cao all enter the Spleen meridian. Mai Ya and Shen Qu are able to aid digestion and sweet Zhi Gan Cao can tonify the Spleen. In a formula for treating Liver-Yang ascending and Liver-wind disturbance, they are used to protect the Stomach from heavy mineral substances and cold herbs. They are also used as corrective assistants to moderate the conflict between the minerals in the formula and the Stomach-Qi. This is because, when the heavy minerals descend the Liver-Yang and sedate the Heart-shen, they can descend the rebellious Qi of the Stomach as well. On the other hand, when the action of minerals is too strong and too quick, it may suppress the Stomach-Qi. 

Yin Chen Hao is used as corrective assistant. As it ascends the Qi of the Gall Bladder, it can free the constraint of Liver-Qi, which exists... 

Mai Ya also serves as corrective assistant. It ascends and spreads the Stomach-Qi, which is suppressed by the heavy minerals and cold herbs that anchor the Liver-Yang. 

Mu Gua relaxes the muscles by transforming dampness and invigorating the collaterals it treats cramps and stiffness, which are caused by dampness. Bai Shao Yao is able to nourish the Yin and blood and therefore relax the muscles and tendons it treats cramp or spasm. In the condition when cramp is caused by dampness obstruction as well as Yin deficiency, Mu Gua and Bai Shao Yao should be used together. In addition, they can be applied as corrective assistants in the formula to prevent the pungent and hot herbs consuming the Yin. 

Huang Qin, Shi Gao and Sheng Di Huang serve as both helping assistants and corrective assistants. They can clear heat in the body, as well as reduce the side effects of the pungent and warm herbs. 

Bai Shao Yao is the most commonly used herb to soften the Liver. It is sour, bitter and slightly cold. It is able to nourish the Yin and blood of the liver, and its cold and bitter nature can reduce heat, which is caused by deficiency of blood and stagnation of the Liver-Qi. It is often used in a formula to treat Liver-Qi stagnation, which is caused by Yin and blood deficiency. Besides the common symptoms of Qi stagnation, a thready and wiry pulse is the indication for using this herb in the formula. Moreover, Bai Shao Yao is also often used as corrective assistant. In the treatment, since the herbs that stimulate Qi may injure the blood and cause further stagnation of the Qi, it is necessary to nourish the blood in order to spread the Liver-Qi. 

Chen Pi is dried tangerine peel. It is pungent, bitter and warm, and enters particularly the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It regulates the Qi in the Mid-dle-Jiao and promotes digestion. It is often selected as corrective assistant in formulas to reduce the cloying nature of the sweet tonifying herbs. It can directly treat distension in the Stomach and reduced appetite caused by Qi stagnation in the upper abdomen. 

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