TCM Herbs by Channel Influences

TCM Herbal Database - Materia Medica - Channels Influenced

Within Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbs are divided into many categorizations which help to ensure they are used effectively. Below you will find herbs categorized by the meridians, or channels, that the herbs will influence. When preparing formulas for a given condition you may use herbs that either effect a particular meridian or organ directly or herbs that will help lead the properties of other herbs into a particular channel.

For example, you may want an herbal formula that cools lung heat for a cough. You can use herbs that are directly cooling on the lungs or a combination of herbs that are cooling and have a strong influence on leading that property of the herbs to the lungs.

You may also use herbs to protect a certain channel or organ system from side effects of stronger herbs that you are using to treat a particular condition.

Listed below are the channels influenced along with the number of herbs within each meridian that are contained in our tcm herbal database.

367 TCM Herbs Listed By The Channels They Influence

Below is a table of the Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs categorized by the channels they influence. You may click on a channel to view the names and functions of each individual herb as well as to learn more about the channel influences. You may also view the herbs categorized by properties and functions.

Channel Influenced	Num of Herbs
Gall Bladder	22
Heart	84
Kidney	100
Large Intestine	69
Liver	193
Lung	144
Pericardium	7
Small Intestine	21
Spleen	113
Stomach	134
Triple Heater	5
Urinary Bladder	43

Some Herbs To Peruse...

Ku Shen Sophora Root

Clears heat, dries dampness - dysentery, leukorrhea, jaundice, sores.
Expels wind, kills parasites, stops itching - for damp toxin skin lesions or infestations with chronic itching, seepage, and bleeding; genital itching and vaginal discharge.
Clears heat, promotes urination - for damp-heat in the small intestine, lin syndrome, hot edema.

Functional Grouping

Herbs That Clear Heat and Dry Dampness

Properties

Channels Influenced

Ku Shen

Ye Jiao Teng Polygonum Vine, Fleeceflower Vine

Calms the spirit, nourishes the heart and blood - insomnia, irritability, dream disturbed sleep from yin and/or blood deficiency.
Nourishes the blood and unblocks the channels - generalized weakness, soreness, pain, numbness due to blood deficiency.
Alleviates itching - external wash for itching and skin rashes.

Functional Grouping

Herbs That Nourish The Heart and Calm The Spirit

Properties

Channels Influenced

Ye Jiao Teng

Huang Qin Baical Skullcap Root, Scutellaria

Clears heat, drains fire, especially from the upper warmer - heat patterns with fever, irritability, thirst, cough, thick, yellow sputum, hot sores and swellings.
Clears heat, dries dampness - damp-heat in the stomach or intestines, diarrhea, dysentery; damp warm-febrile disease with fever, stifling sensation in the chest, thirst with no desire to drink; damp-heat in the lower jiao - lin syndrome; damp-heat jaundice.
Clears heat, stops bleeding - vomiting and/or coughing of blood, nosebleed, blood in the stool.
Clears heat, calms the fetus - restless fetus due to heat.
Sedates liver yang rising - headache, irritability, red eyes, bitter taste, flushed face.

Functional Grouping

Herbs That Clear Heat and Dry Dampness

Properties

Channels Influenced

Huang Qin

Huang Lian Coptis Rhizome

Drains fire, relieves toxicity - high fever, irritability, disorientation, delirium, painful, red eyes, red tongue, sore throat, boils, carbuncles, abscesses.
Clears heat, drains dampness - for damp-heat in the stomach or intestine, diarrhea or dysenteric disorder, vomiting and/or acid regurgitation due to stomach heat.
Clears heart fire - irritability, insomnia.
Clears heat and stops bleeding - nosebleed, blood in the urine, stool, vomiting due to hot blood.
Topically for red, painful eyes and ulcerations of the tongue and mouth.