INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Herba Menthae Haplocalycis |
| Common English: | Mentha Field Mint Peppermint Asian Fieldmint Cornmint Wild Pennyroyal Wild Mint |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Acrid Aromatic |
Cool |
Lung Liver |
1.5-30g (3-6g) Tincture: 2-3 ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Disperses Wind-Heat, cools and clears the head and eyes and benefits the throat |
Wind-Heat with fever, cough, headache, red eyes and a sore throat |
Vents rashes |
Early-stage rashes e.g. measles |
Relieves Stagnation of Liver Qi |
Liver Qi Stagnation with pressure in the chest or flanks, emotional instability and gynecological problems |
Expels turbid filth |
Exposure to unclean Qi in the Summertime leading to gastric distress with abdominal pain, vomiting. diarrhea and a thick, yellow, greasy tongue coat |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
|
INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Flos Schizonepetae |
Flos Schizonepetae |
Flos Chrysanthemi |
Wind-Heat. |
Wind-Heat. (stronger effect) |
Headache due to Wind-Heat. Headache and pain, redness, and swelling of the eyes due to Liver Fire. |
Spica Prunellae
|
Fr. Arctii
|
|
Painful, swollen throat. |
Inflammation of the eyes. Scrofula. |
Sores, dry throat, cough with yellow sputum, incomplete expression of measles or pruritic rash due to Wind-Heat. |
Ramulus Uncariae cum Uncis |
Hb. Patriniae |
|
Prevents convulsions in febrile children. |
Prevents convulsions in febrile children. (stronger effect) |
Rashes with severe itching. Childhood convulsions. |
Rx. Paeoniae Alba |
Rx. Stellariae
|
|
Liver Qi Stagnation with chest and flank distention or pain. |
Cools and drains pathogenic from the Liver. Stomach and Liver Yin Deficiency Heat. Steaming bones. |
Summerheat with distention, pain, vomiting and diarrhea. |
Hb. Patriniae |
Fr. Arctii
|
Rx. Platycodi or Rx. Platycodi |
| Childhood convulsions and/or a pruritic rash. |
Early stage measles. |
Wind-Heat. |
Fr. Forsythiae |
Periostracum Cicadae |
|
Summerheat. |
Summerheat with distention, pain, vomiting and diarrhea. |
Itching due to Wind rashes. |
Periostracum Cicadae |
||
Powerfully expels Wind-Heat and vents rashes. Stops itch. |
Early-stage febrile disorders. |
Wind-Cold. |
Fr. Arctii |
Fr. Forsythiae |
Flos Chrysanthemi |
Sore throat from Wind-Heat. |
Sore throat with loss of voice. |
Red eyes from Wind-Heat. |
Hb. Schizonepetae |
Periostracum Cicadae |
|
Promotes the eruption of measles. |
Rash, eczema and general itching. |
Liver Yang Rising causing hyper-tension with red eyes, blurred vision and headache. |
Hb. Agastaches |
|
|
Vomiting and diarrhea due to Summerheat and Dampness. |
|
|
- Often used for surface Heat ailments in the upper body.
- Usually used for sore throats, headaches, red eyes, superficial visual obstruction, loss of voice, mouth and teeth problems and skin ailments in the upper body.
- Some sources say it relieves itching and settles the Stomach.
- In small doses, it harmonizes Qi and treats pain from Liver Qi Stagnation, Gallbladder Fire and Liver Wind Stirring Internally.
- Bo He is similar to Borneolum Bing Pian. They both excel at penetrating the orifices. Their actions reach the organs, sinews and bones and externally to the pores, interstices, skin and hair and are able to treat aching bones and sinews in febrile disease.
- Mentha Leaves Bo He Ye are best for dispersing Wind and venting rashes.
- Mentha Stalks Bo He Geng are best for descending Qi and easing the Middle.
- Dry-fried Mentha Chao Bo He has its diaphoretic nature moderated and is best used when there is already sweating. Charred Mentha Bo He Tan enters the blood to disperse Blood Level Heat.
- Mentha Juice Bo He Zhi clears Heat, cools Blood and relieves pain. It can be used externally as nose drops for epistaxis and ear drops for pain in the ear.
- Menthol Bo He Chun is pungent and cool and goes to the Lung and the Liver channels. It is used for sore throat, diarrhea, and colds. When applied as a topical ointment, menthol stimulates hot and cold receptors on the skin without making the body cold.