Chinese Herbology I Historical Background of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Introduction to Nomenclature of Herbs

A Little Bit of Theory Yin Yang, Five Elements, Zang-Fu, and Channel Theory

Yin and Yang Fundamental theory and conceptual framework of Oriental Medicine. Every object or phenomenon in the universe consists of two aspects that are in opposition and simultaneously interdependent. 

Yin and Yang The concept of yin and yang is also applicable to the human body; for example, the upper part of the body and the back are assigned to yang, while the lower part of the body are believed to have the yin character. Yin and yang characterization also extends to the various body functions, and – more importantly – to disease symptoms (e.g., cold and heat sensations are assumed to be yin and yang symptoms, respectively). Thus, yin and yang of the body are seen as phenomena whose lack (or overabundance) comes with characteristic symptom combinations: Yin vacuity (also termed "vacuity-heat"): heat sensations, possible night sweats, insomnia, dry pharynx, dry mouth, dark urine, a red tongue with scant fur, and a "fine" and rapid pulse. Yang vacuity ("vacuity-cold"): aversion to cold, cold limbs, bright white complexion, long voidings of clear urine, diarrhea, pale and enlarged tongue, and a slightly weak, slow and fine pulse. TCM also identifies drugs believed to treat these specific symptom combinations, i.e., to reinforce yin and yang.

Yin and Yang Phenomenon Yin Yang Celestial bodies moon sun Gender female male Location inside outside Temperature cold hot Direction downward upward Degree of humidity damp/moist dry

Five Elements Five Tastes Bitter Sweet Pungent Salty Sour

Five Elements Five Phases (五行, pinyin: wǔ xíng), sometimes also translated as the "Five Elements" theory, presumes that all phenomena of the universe and nature can be broken down into five elemental qualities – represented by wood (木,pinyin: mù), fire (火pinyin: huǒ), earth (土, pinyin: tǔ), metal (金, pinyin: jīn), and water (水, pinyin: shuǐ). Strict rules are identified to apply to the relationships between the Five Phases in terms of sequence, of acting on each other, of counteraction, etc. All these aspects of Five Phases theory constitute the basis of the zàng-fǔ concept, and thus have great influence regarding the TCM model of the body. Five Phase theory is also applied in diagnosis and therapy

between eyes, lower part bridge of nose between eyes, middle part Phenomenon Wood Fire Earth Metal Water Direction east south center west north Color green/blue red yellow white black Climate wind heat damp dryness cold Taste sour bitter sweet acrid salty Zang Organ Liver Heart Spleen Lung Kidney Fu Organ Gallbladder Small Intestine Stomach Large Intestine Bladder Sense organ eye tongue mouth nose ears Facial part above bridge of nose between eyes, lower part bridge of nose between eyes, middle part cheeks (below cheekbone) Eye part iris inner/outer corner of the eye upper and lower lid sclera pupil

Zang-Fu (Internal Organs) Element Five Zang (Yin Organs) Six Fu (Yang Organs) Fire Heart Small Intestine and Triple Burner (San Jiao) Earth Spleen Stomach Metal Lung Large Intestine Water Kidney Bladder Wood Liver Gallbladder The five Yin organs store Essence and Qi and do not excrete; they can be full but cannot be filled. The six Yang organs transform and digest but do not store; they can be filled, yet are not full. Su Wen, Chapter 11

Vital Substances Vital substances, including Qi and Blood, are the treasures of the human body They are the material basis for the functional activities of the organs and channels They are the physiological products of the functional activities of the organs and channels Jing, Qi, Shen

Channel Theory Connect exterior and interior of the body, linking tissues and organs Pathways in which Qi and Blood circulate

Model of the body TCM "holds that the body's vital energy (chi or qi) circulates through channels, called meridians, that have branches connected to bodily organs and functions." Its view of the human body is only marginally concerned with anatomical structures, but focuses primarily on the body's functions (such as digestion, breathing, temperature maintenance, etc.) These functions are aggregated and then associated with a primary functional entity – for instance, nourishment of the tissues and maintenance of their moisture are seen as connected functions, and the entity postulated to be responsible for these functions is xuě (blood)

Model of the body Zang-Fu: The zàng-fǔ (simplified Chinese: 脏 腑; traditional Chinese: 臟腑) constitute the center piece of TCM's systematization of bodily functions. Bearing the names of organs, they are, however, only secondarily tied to (rudimentary) anatomical assumptions (the fǔ a little more, the zàng much less). As they are primarily defined by their functions, they are not equivalent to the anatomical organs–to highlight this fact, their names are usually capitalized. The term zàng (臟) refers to the five entities considered to be yin in nature–Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, Kidney–, while fǔ (腑) refers to the six yang organs–Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Urinary Bladder, Stomach and Sānjiaō.

Model of the body Jing-Luo: The meridians (经络, pinyin: jīng-luò) are believed to be channels running from the zàng-fǔ in the interior (里, pinyin: lǐ) of the body to the limbs and joints ("the surface" [表, pinyin: biaǒ]), transporting qi and xuĕ.[62][63] TCM identifies 12 "regular" and 8 "extraordinary" meridians;[36] the Chinese terms being 十二经脉 (pinyin: shí-èr jīngmài, lit. "the Twelve Vessels") and 奇经八脉 (pinyin: qí jīng bā mài) respectively. There's also a number of less customary channels branching from the "regular" meridians.

Concept of disease In general, disease is perceived as a disharmony (or imbalance) in the functions or interactions of yin, yang, qi, xuĕ, zàng-fǔ, meridians etc. and/or of the interaction between the human body and the environment. Therapy is based on which "pattern of disharmony" can be identified. Thus, "pattern discrimination" is the most important step in TCM diagnosis. It is also known to be the most difficult aspect of practicing TCM.

A Little Bit of History Three Legendary Rulers

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors Mythological rulers of ancient China preceding the Xia Dynasty (circa 2852 – 2205 BCE) The Three Sovereigns (Fu Xi, Nü Wa, and Shen Nong) introduced important aspects of Chinese culture, including agriculture, fishing, herbal medicine, writing, the drinking of tea The Five Emperors were morally perfect sage-kings The most important was Huang Di (The Yellow Emperor), the ancestor of Chinese culture and the Chinese people (Sān huáng wǔ dì) (Fu Xi heaven, Nü Wa earth, and Shen Nong human)

Fu Xi Fu Xi taught his subjects to cook, to fish with nets, and to hunt with weapons made of iron. He instituted marriage and offered the first open air sacrifices to heaven. Traditionally, Fu Xi is considered the originator of the Yi Jing. He is said to have discovered the trigrams (ba gua) in markings on the back of a mythical dragon-horse (sometimes said to be a turtle) that emerged from the river Luo.

Shen Nong Shen Nong, the “Divine Husbandman”, is considered the father of Chinese agriculture. He taught his people how to cultivate grain as food, so as to avoid killing animals. Venerated as the father of Chinese medicine, Shen Nong is said to have tasted hundreds of herbs to test their medicinal value, and is attributed with the authorship of Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, the earliest extant Chinese pharmacopoeia.

Huang Di Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, was a legendary Chinese ruler whose reign lasted 100 years (2697–2597 BCE). His long reign was said to be a golden age, and he was a benevolent and wise ruler, introducing systems of government, law, music, and art to China. He is credited with inventing numerous useful items, including the wheel, armor and weapons, ships, writing, the compass, and coined money. HuangDi is attributed with the authorship of the Huang Di Nei Jing, the fundamental text of traditional Chinese medicine theory.

Development of the Materia Medica 2400 Years in Four Slides

Huang Di Nei Jing Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic) Foundation text of traditional Chinese medicine Attributed to Huang Di but true authorship is unknown Compiled in the late Warring States period (475-221 BCE) Provides medical theory and information about the tastes and properties, but only mentions 12 herbal prescriptions (28 substances)

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia Medica) Oldest authoritative text of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) extant today Numerous authors (with attribution to Shen Nong) Eastern (Later) Han dynasty (25-220 CE) Detailed description of 365 medicinal substances from plants, animals, and minerals Thermal property, taste, toxicity, dosage, medicinal actions

Ben Cao Gang Mu Ben Cao Gang Mu (Grand Materia Medica) Author, Li Shi-Zhen, spent over 27 years compiling this text 1578 CE (Ming Dynasty) One of the most important texts of CHM and the best known materia medica Detailed descriptions and illustrations of 1,892 medicinals and 11,000 formulas

Pharmacopeia of the People’s Republic of China Compiled by the Pharmacopoeia Commission of the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China Official compendium of drugs, including Traditional Chinese and Western medicines. Gives information on the standards of purity, description, test, dosage, precaution, storage, and the strength for each drug. 2005 edition includes 580 single herbal substances Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China 2010 (English ed.)

Pharmaceutical and Chinese Terminology Nomenclature of Herbs Pharmaceutical and Chinese Terminology

Textbook Names of Identification Chinese Characters: 菊花 Pinyin Name: jú huā Pharmaceutical Name: Chrysanthemi Flos Standard Species: Chrysanthemum morifolium ramat English: Chrysanthemum flower

Some Botanical Terms… Bulbus: Bulb Cornu: Horn Cortex: Bark Flos: Flower Folium: Leaf Fructus: Fruit Herba: Aerial or above ground parts of the plant Pericarpium: Peel or rind Radix: Root Ramulus: Small branch or twig Rhizoma: Rhizome or a creeping horizontal stem Semen: Seed

…and Some Pinyin Terms Plant Part Botanical Term Pinyin Term Small branch, twig Ramulus Zhi Flower Flos Hua Leaf Folium Ye Root Radix or Rhizoma Gen Skin or bark Cortex Pi Seed Semen Ren or Zi Herb (above ground) Herba Cao Fruit or melon Fructus Guo or Gua Stalk or vine Caulis Teng

ZHI (Small branch, twig) Sang Zhi Gui Zhi

HUA (Flower) Hong Hua Jin Yin Hua

YE (Leaf) Ai Ye Zi Su Ye

GEN (Root) Ge Gen Ban Lan Gen

PI (Skin or Bark) Chen Pi Sang Bai Pi

ZI or REN (Seed) Xing Ren Bai Jie Zi

GUO (Fruit) Luo Han Guo Cao Guo

TENG Ren Dong Teng Ji Xue Teng Substitution

Colors Color Pinyin Red Hong Yellow Huang Blue-green Qing Gold Jin Silver Yin White Bai Black Hei Green Lu Purple Zi

What Color Am I?