Damp-heat elimination

The purpose of treatment is not only to eliminate pathogenic factors, but also to strengthen the body s resistance, to maintain and improve the physical condition and constitution, to harmonize the Yin, Yang, Qi and blood, to re-establish the balance of the body, and to achieve a healthy mind and body. For example, to treat a bacterial infection, which often infers a damp-heat syndrome in TCM differentiation, the aim of treatment is not to kill the bacteria, but to eliminate damp-heat, promote the function of the Spleen and fortify the body s resistance, thereby restoring health. 

In herbal treatment, it is necessary to tonify the Kidney and Spleen-Qi in order to nourish the Yin of the Stomach and the Lung. At the same time, herbs that eliminate dampness or damp-heat should also be used. 

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. 

Treatment principle Drain fire from the Liver and Gall Bladder and eliminate damp-heat in the Lower-Jiao... 

Zhi Zi enters the San Jiao meridian and is often used to reduce the fire as it can leach the heat out of the body by increasing urination. Due to the same function, it is also very useful for eliminating damp-heat in the Lower-Jiao. Thus Zhi Zi is often chosen to reduce fire as well as eliminate dampness. 

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. 

Chief Promote Qi movement in the San Jiao separate and eliminate damp-heat... 

These four herbs can eliminate the dampness and they treat dampness or damp-heat that covers the Heart orifice. Shi Chang Pu and Yuan Zhi are warm in temperature Zhu Ru and Yu Jin are cold. They can be selected in the formula to treat dampness or damp-heat. 

These substances are cold and bland. They can eliminate damp-heat by promoting urination. They can be used in the formula to enhance the ability of separating dampness from heat in the body by increasing urination. 

These herbs have the function of clearing heat and eliminating dampness in the intestines. They are often used to treat diarrhea and abdominal pain due to damp-heat accumulation in the intestines after ingesting polluted food and drink. 

These two herbs are able to eliminate damp-heat, increase urination and relax the tendons and muscles. They can be used to treat Bi syndrome due to damp-heat in the Middle-Jiao when burning, heavy and painful sensations of muscles are present. 

In formulas that treat damp-heat, as the chief, deputy and assistant herbs are not harsh in action or extreme in temperature, an envoy is not usually necessary. Zhi Gan Cao, the most commonly used envoy, is not suitable for use in this case as sweetness may hold onto and generate dampness. However, Zhi Gan Cao is sometimes used to slow down the action of pungent herbs and leads to a steady and lasting result of eliminating dampness. 

This formula is able to clear heat, eliminate heat-toxin, cool the blood and stop diarrhea. It is used to treat heat-toxin and dampness accumulation in the intestines however, it obstructs Qi and injures the blood. The manifestations are abdominal pain, tenesmus, a burning sensation around the anus, diarrhea containing more blood than pus, and thirst. Patients often have a red tongue with a yellow coating, and a wiry and rapid pulse. In this syndrome, heat predominates and is manifested in the amount of blood in the stool and the burning sensation around the anus. In this formula ... 

This formula can regulate Qi and blood, clear heat-toxin and eliminate dampness in the intestines. It treats the damp-heat-toxin accumulation in the intestines. The Qi and blood are injured and obstructed. The manifestations are abdominal pain, tenesmus, difficult defecation, diarrhea containing mucus and blood in equal amounts, and a burning sensation around the anus. Patients have a red tongue with a yellow, sticky coating and a rapid pulse. In this syndrome, the heat and dampness are equal in strength and are manifested in the equal... 

When damp-heat in the Upper-Jiao is not eliminated in time, it can invade the Middle-Jiao, obstruct the Qi and disturb the functions of the Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Liver and Gall Bladder. It causes digestive disorders, skin diseases, tiredness, and swelling, pain and heaviness of the muscles and joints. The lingering dampness holds the heat, which can remain in the body for a very long period of time. When the function of the Spleen is injured by damp-heat, the excess condition of damp-heat can be complicated by Spleen deficiency. 

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. 

Since dampness is a Yin pathogenic factor and heat is a Yang pathogenic factor, when heat is held by dampness, it cannot leave easily from the body. Herbs in formulas to eliminate damp-heat should have a steady and constant action. Large dosage should be avoided. 

Bai Dou Kou is pungent and warm, and enters the Spleen, Stomach and Lung meridians. It is able to dry and disperse dampness, and promote the Qi movement in the Middle-Jiao. Zhu Ling is sweet and neutral and Ze Xie is sweet, bland and cold. They can eliminate the damp-heat by promoting urination. The combination of warm and cold, pungent and bland can activate the water metabolism in the Lower-Jiao. 

Deputy Eliminate damp-heat by promoting urination dry dampness and drain damp-heat regulate the Qi stimulate and revive the function of the Spleen, open the orifice and meridians... 

Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao and Bian Dou Hua are also used as chief. As they have a light, aromatic smell, they can gently disperse the obstructed Qi, penetrate dampness and eliminate it. At the same time, they clear the summer-heat. They make a good combination with the pungent and warm Xiang Ru. 

This formula can promote free flow of Qi and eliminate damp-heat. It is used to treat dampness which is mingled with mild heat that obstructs the Qi in the Middle-Jiao. This occurs at the initial stage of damp-febrile disease or in humid summer conditions. The manifestations are headache with a heavy sensation, heaviness of the body, a wan complexion, fullness in the chest and epigastria, no appetite, afternoon fever, an absence of thirst, a white, sticky, thick tongue coating and a wiry, thready pulse, which is soft in the deep position. 

This formula demonstrates how to separate and eliminate damp-heat when dampness and heat are mixed together, accumulate in the Middle-Jiao, spread over the entire body and block the Qi movement. 

The remaining herbs are assistants. Zhi Zi drains damp-heat from San Jiao Yi Yi Ren transforms damp-heat from the Middle-Jiao. Together with Chi Xiao Dou, Yi Yi Ren eliminates the damp-heat in the meridians, muscles and joints. Ban Xia and Can Sha can open the obstruction of the Qi and eliminate dampness. 

Herbs are selected with the function of regulating the San Jiao, particularly eliminating damp-heat from the meridians, muscles and joints. 

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

Deputy Regulate the Lung-Qi eliminate phlegm, dampness, heat or cold from the Lung... 

As well as the above-mentioned functions, this herb has other functions that can be used as a reference in selecting herbs in a formula. It is an aromatic herb, and is able to penetrate damp-heat, clear damp-heat and promote bile secretion. It can be used as deputy in a formula when there is damp-heat in the Upper- and Middle-Jiao, the symptoms of which are fullness in the chest and epigastric region, jaundice and reduced appetite, such as in malaria and hepatitis. In addition, Yu Jin can spread the Liver-Qi, clear the Liver-heat and eliminate irritability. It can be selected to treat headache and a tight sensation in the chest caused by Qi and blood stagnation and damp-heat obstruction. 

Xiao Ji and Bai Mao Gen are sweet and cold. Both can cool blood and stop bleeding. They can also promote urination and eliminate damp-heat from the Lower-Jiao. They are especially effective in treating blood in the urine caused by damp-heat, which injures the blood vessels and disturbs the local blood circulation in the Lower-Jiao. 

For acute biliary tract infection, add Herba Artemisiae Capillaris (Yin Chen), Tuber Curcumae (Yu Jin), Herba Andrographidis (Chuan Xin Lian), and Caulis In Taeniis Bambusae (Zhu Ru) to clear heat, eliminate dampness, and stop vomiting. 

Within this formula, Phellodendron is bitter and cold. Its coldness clears heat and its bitterness dries dampness. It also tends to enter the lower burner. Atractylodis is bitter and warm. It is also able to dry dampness. The combination of these two medicinals clears heat and dries dampness. Once heat is dispelled and dampness is eliminated, all the conditions associated with this pattern are automatically healed. 

Meanwhile, in the process of clearing heat from the Liver and eliminating dampness, it is also important to strengthen the Yin and promote blood circulation, spread the Liver-Qi and protect the Stomach, as all of them can be disturbed by intense heat and by those very cold herbs. 

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