Aidus & E-Fong Herbal Solution
Herbal Medicine for Clearing Heat
                                   
                              Chapter 2

Herbal Medicine  for Clearing Heat

The herbal medicine, being cool or cold in property, whose principal action clear away the internal heat, are called
heat-clearing herbal medicine.
The major functions of these herbs  include clearing heat and purging fire (intense heat), to cool the blood, detoxicating,
resolving swelling and heat syndromes due to deficiency. They are chiefly indicated for the following interior
heat-syndromes: excessive heat in the Qi and the blood, interior heat of Zang and Fu (organs), fever due to Yin
deficiency, dysentery, and carbuncles.
On the basis of their properties and clinical applications, heat-clearing drug are divided into five types, i. e., heat and fire
clearing herbs, clearing heat  and drying dampness herbs, heat-clearing and blood-cooling herbs, heat-clearing and
detoxicating herbs, and herbal medicine for clearing the heat syndromes due to deficiency. This is only a rough
classification of the herbs some of which often possess more than two of these functions. It is suggested that the
beginners grasp the main action and give consideration to some other actions.
Heat-clearing herbs should be used properly with other drugs such as the drugs for resuscitation, drugs for removing
heat from the liver and calming the endopathic wind, herbs for nourishing Yin and promoting the production of the body
fluid and for removing blood stasis and alleviating pain, On the basis of different accompanying. When exterior
syndrome is accompanied, the exterior syndrome should be treated first, and then the interior, or they should be treated
simultaneously. When there is pathogenic heat in the Qi accompanied by heat in the blood, heat m both tern should be
cleared away. When the pathogenic factor is exuberant while the vital Qi is weak , the treatment of both reinforcement
and elimination is necessary:
Owing to their cool and cold  property , the herbs tends to impair the Yang and  spleen. In case of insufficiency of
Yang, and cold  syndrome of deficiency type in the spleen and stomach, the herbs should be given with caution. In cases
where a cold syndrome is disguished with pseudo-heat manifestation, no such herbs should be given.