Herb selection heat syndrome

Sang Ye and Ju Hua are bitter, sweet and cold, and enter the Lung and Liver meridians. They are often selected as chief herbs in the formula to treat a mild wind-heat syndrome when the wind-heat mainly affects the Lung. 

These two herbs are often selected as chief herbs in a formula to treat a common case of wind-heat syndrome. 

Second, for treating damp-phlegm syndrome, bitter and warm herbs that can dry dampness, or sweet and bland herbs that can leach out dampness, are selected for treating phlegm-heat syndrome, cold and moistening herbs that can dilute phlegm are selected. 

These herbs are the most commonly used herbs to treat phlegm-heat. They are selected as chief in formulas to treat phlegm-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. 

As soon as a treatment principle is established, the composition plan and treatment strategies can be arranged. For instance, to treat the syndrome of excess heat in the Lung and Stomach, one would first prescribe herbs that have sweet-cold, bitter-cold or salty-cold properties, and which have the functions of clearing heat and reducing fire in the Lung and Stomach. Second, herbs that are sweet and cold and that can nourish body fluids and protect the Yin, which has been severely consumed by the excess heat, should be selected. Herbs that can tonify the Qi should be selected if the Qi is weakened severely by the heat. Herbs that moderate the actions of the harsh herbs in the formula, and reduce their side effects, should also be added. 

When patients suffer from chronic liver or kidney disease, the selection of the herbs and their dosages should be determined carefully to avoid placing an unnecessary workload on these weakened organs. At the same time, herbs that protect these organs and promote their function should also be included. For instance, acute or chronic liver diseases are mainly differentiated into a syndrome consisting of Spleen-Qi deficiency, damp-heat and heat-toxin accumulation, and herbs that treat this syndrome can be used. Chronic kidney diseases are mainly differentiated as Kidney-Yang and Spleen-Yang deficiency, dampness accumulation and heat-toxin in the blood. Herbs that treat this syndrome should be used in appropriate doses to help restore kidney function. 

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. 

These two herbs are usually used for Bi syndrome caused by wind, dampness and heat. They are also selected for treating some skin disorders caused by damp-heat. 

These herbs are aromatic, light and cold, and enter the Upper-Jiao. Sang Ye and Bo He enter the Lung meridian and Lian Qiao enters the Heart meridian. Their aromatic smell can disperse the constrained Qi and heat in the Lung and their cold nature can reduce the heat and protect the Yin. They are often selected as chief in the formulas to treat the syndrome of warm-dryness. 

At the initial stage, the first priority is to select pungent-cold herbs or bitter-cold herbs that can effectively reduce heat-toxin, along with herbs that expel wind. They can prevent the development of the syndrome. 

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