• Moisten the lungs, clear heat, and stop coughing - cough from dry lungs or lung heat, sore throat.
• Clear heat and calm the spirit - low fever, insomnia, restlessness, irritability in the aftermath of a febrile disease, palpitations from qi and/or yin deficiency.

• Nourishes the blood and regulates menstrual problems due to blood deficiency (pale, lusterless complexion and nails) - menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, uterine bleeding - very common herb for gynecological disorders (Si Wu Tang).
• Calms liver yang, alleviates pain from constrained liver qi or disharmony between the liver and the spleen due to liver yang rising - cramping and spasms (limbs and abdomen), abdominal pain from dysentery, headache and dizziness.
• Preserves yin, adjusts ying and wei levels - vaginal discharge and spermatorrhea, exterior wind-cold from deficiency with continuous sweating, spontaneous sweating, night sweats.

• Incompatible with Li Lu
• Avoid in cases of yang deficiency and cold in the middle jiao - diarrhea, cold sensation in the stomach.

• Clears heat, transforms phlegm, stops many types of cough (chronic, yin-deficient, difficult to expectorate phlegm, blood streaked sputum); best for cough with stifling sensation in the chest and upper abdomen (constrained qi).
• Clears heat, dissipates nodules due to heat - sores, swellings, scrofula, lung or breast abscess.

• Incompatible with Wu Tou.

• Tonifies the blood, regulates menses - pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, palpitations, irregular menses, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.
• Invigorates/harmonizes the blood, disperses cold - important herb to stop pain due to blood stasis - abdominal pain, trauma, carbuncles due to blood stasis, chronic bi.
• Moistens dry intestines due to blood deficiency.
• Reduces swellings, expels pus, generates flesh - sores.

• Tonifies the spleen and augments qi - spleen deficiency w/shortness of breath, fatigue, loose stools (si jun zi tong).
• Qi and/or blood deficiency w/irregular pluse or palpitations (Zhi Gan Cao Tang).
• Moistens the lungs and stops cough - heat/cold in the lungs (Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang).
• Clears heat and toxic fire (raw) - carbuncles, sores, sore throat due to fire toxin (internally or topically).
• Alleviates pain and stops spasms - abdomen or legs (Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang).
• Often used to harmonize and/or moderate characteristics of other herbs.
• Antidote for toxic substances (internally and topically).

• Avoid with excess dampness, nausea, vomiting.
• Incompatible with Gan Sui, Da Ji, Yuan Hua, Hai Zao (although used in some formulas with Hai Zao).
• If taken for long periods of time, may cause hypertension and/or edema.

• Opens up and disseminates lung qi, expels phlegm - cough (wind-heat/cold), benefits the throat (sore, loss of voice).
• Promotes discharge of pus.
• Guides other herbs to the upper body.

• Moistens the lungs, stops cough - dry cough, coughing blood.
• Augments stomach yin, generates fluids - dry tongue and mouth.
• Clears heat and eliminates irritability due to yin deficiency or a warm-febrile disease in the ying level - particularly when symptoms are worse at night.
• Moistens the intestines - constipation.

• Clears Heat, Cools Blood. High fever, thirst, scarlet tongue, hemorrhage due to heat in the Blood.
• Nourishes Yin, Generates Fluids. Yin Deficiency with heat signs with injury to body fluids. Dry mouth, low-grade fever, constipation, throat pain from yin deficiency.
• Cools Ascending Heart Fire (HT, LV). Mouth and tongue sores, irritability, insomnia, malar flush.
• Wasting thirst disorder.

Spleen Deficiency, Yang Deficiency, Damp Phlegm, Digestion Difficulties.

• This is the root of Sheng Di Huang (steamed and dried, or soaked in red wine and dried).
• Tonify blood for blood deficiency with dizziness, pallid complexion, palpitations, insomnia, irregular menses, uterine bleeding, post partum bleeding.
• Nourish yin - kidney yin deficiency with nightsweats, xiao ke, steaming bone disorder, nocturnal emissions.

• Clears Heat, Cools Blood. Bleeding, fever, dry mouth, purplish tongue.
• Nourishes Yin. Particularly for the sequel of warm febrile disease with constipation, irritability.
• Drains Fire, Relieves Toxicity. Swollen, red eyes, sore throat.
• Softens Harness (salty), Dissipates phlegm fire nodules. Swollen, sore throat, neck lumps.

Incompatible with Li Lu.