Directing Medicines
Common to all systems is the idea that certain medicines direct the function of a formula to a specific part or organ of the Body. The following is a brief list of herbs which direct to a certain part of the Body.|
Life Channel (Du Mai): Head: Brain: Senses (general): Eyes: Neck: Throat: Breast: Heart: Lungs: Liver & Gall Bladder: Stomach: Spleen: Kidney: Bladder: Bowels: Uterus: Joints: Whole Body: Yang: Yin: Blood: Essence: Spirit, Mind: Phlegm Humor: Bile Humor: Melancholy Humor: Wind: |
Clove; Deer horn Warm: Betony, Cowslip, Eyebright, Rosemary, Vervain Cool: Poppy seed, Rose, Willow leaf, Violet, Water Lilies, Pearl, Red Coral Calamus, Peony, Nutmeg, Mace, Walnut, Rosemary, Frankincense Calamus Eyebright, Goji Figwort, Self Heal Figwort, Sage, Licorice Dandelion, Immature Mandarin peel Qing Pi Warm: Aloeswood, Angelica, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Mace, Valerian, Squill Cool: Basil seed, Borage, Rose, Violet; Red Coral, Pearl Warm: Elecampane, Licorice, Orris, Raisins, Ephedra Cool: Tabasheer, Lungwort, Plantain, Horehound Saffron/ Calendula/ Safflower; Agrimony, Turmeric Cool: Chicory, Dandelion, Endive, Fumitory, Gentian, Nightshade, Liverwort Warm: Elecampane, Ginger, Galangal, Spikenard, Cumin, Mastic Cool: Mint, Pomegranate peel, Quince, Sorrel, Gypsum, Calcite Aniseed, Agrimony, Bay leaf, Centaury, Chicory, Fumitory, Hops, Thyme, Tamarisk, Wormwood, Ash tree bark, Fern root, Caper bark, Maidenhair, Lapis Lazuli Lesser (Green) Cardamon, Asparagus root, Marshmallow root, Nettle root & seed, Celery root & seed, Parsley root & seed, Gromwell seed, Rocket seed, Rehmannia Agrimony, Couch grass, Knotgrass, Nettle, Yarrow Warm: Costus, Cumin, Caraway, Fennel, Valerian Cool: Agrimony, Camomile, Buckthorn Plantain, Burnet, Rhubarb Calamint, Feverfew, Motherwort, Mugwort, Oregano, Tansy, Peony, Amber Cowslip, Rosemary, Rue, St. John’s wort, Colchicum Licorice, Aconitum Fu Zi Velvet Deer Horn; Cinnamon, Aconitum Fu Zi, Sulphur Turtle Shell; Cold Seeds, Pearl, Rehmannia Madder, Myrrh, Saffron, Wine Placenta, Pearl, Cinnamon Pearl, Red Coral, Amber, Saffron Turbith, Agaric, Ginger Yellow Myrobalan, Rhubarb, Barberry Dodder, Agaric, Polypody, Senna, Black Myrobalan, Black Hellebore Antelope horn; Chebulic Myrobalan |
In addition, Mesue (Opera, 1598) gave the following list of medicines to guide the action of Purgative medicines to the various Organs and Parts. These are guiding medicines appropriated to the parts in general and so may be used as guiding medicines for uses other than purging.
Head
Nutmeg, Peony, Stoechas, Acorus, Aloeswood, Indian Salt, Rock Salt, Balsam, Balsam wood, Balsam fruit, Anacardium, Frankincense, Myrrh, Germander, Ground Pine, Schoenathus, Squill, Spikenard, Castoreum, Gentian, Thyme, Hyssop, Pepper, Marjoram, Sagapen
Lungs
Orris, Thyme, Hyssop, Maidenhair, Squill, Ammi, Cardamon, Cabbage juice, Cock broth, Nasturtium, Almond, Hazelnut, Fox lungs, Seseli, Opopanax, Myrrh, Sagapen, Radish, Calamus aromaticus, Asphodelus, Laurus, Calamint, Savin, Violet, Birthwort, Tragacanth, Gum Arabic, Frankincense, Honey, Sugar, Mulberry, Fenugreek, Horehound, Lilium
Liver
Spikenard, Asarum, Anise, Fennel seed, Fennel juice, Chicory, Endive, Bitter Almond, Indian leaf, Carrot, Agrimony, Wormwood, Lacca, Cinnamon, Asparagus, Decoction of Chickpea, Germander, Plantain, Orris, Laurus, Schoenanthus, Camomile, Fumitory, Whey, Parsley, Polium, Squill
Spleen
Carrot, Calamint, Spikenard, Tamarix, Caper, Cyclamen, Willow bark, Rock salt, Indian salt, Orris, Acorus, Horehound, Madder, Wormwood, Agrimony, Anise, Fennel, Asparagus, Squill, Asarum, Scordium, Agnus Castus, Germander, Bitter Almond, Birthwort
Joints
Ginger, Wild Rue, Opopanax, Thapsia, Cardamon, Leek water, Cabbage juice, Acorus, Three Peppers, Scordium, Germander, Ground Pine, Thyme, Amomum, Polium
See also:
Temperature of Medicines
Hot or Cold? The Temperature of Medicines
Tastes of Medicines
Doctrine of Signatures
Humoral Medicine