TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
[Continued from earlier article posted on 16/7/2009]
Actions of Lifting, Lowering, Floating and Sinking.
In the previous week, we have discussed about the Properties and Flavours of Chinese herbs.
This article is discussing the actions of Chinese herbs tend to act on the human body.
The terms Lifting, Lowering, Floating and Sinking refer to the upward, downward, inward and outward directions in which the herbs tend to act on the human body:
Lifting indicates that the herbs will cause an upward movement of Qi in the body and Lowering is the opposite of that. Floating means causing the Qi to move outward towards the surface of the skin from the inside of the human body while Sinking means going inward into the body or purging away.
Herbs that belong to the Lifting and the Floating class have the upwards and outwards actions, hence these herbs are used for elevating Yang to relieve exterior syndromes by way of causing resuscitation, diaphoresis [to induce perspiration] dispelling superficial wind and cold, inducing vomiting, etc.
Herbs that belong to the Lowering and Sinking class have downward and inward action and therefore, these herbs are used for inducing purgation, promotion of micturition [ stimulate urination], clearing excessive body heat, removing dampness, causing an adverse flow of Qi to stop vomiting, checking the exuberance of Yang, relieving cough and asthma, removing stagnated food, tranquillising the mind, etc.
Generally, for diseases that are located in the upper part or exterior of the human body, it is appropriate to use herbs that belong to the Lifting and Floating class. For diseases that are located in the interior or lower part of the human body, such as dry stool and constipation, it is appropriate to use herbs of Lowing and Sinking class.
For diseases of which the manifestations tend upward, such as headache and vertigo due to hyperactivity of Liver-Yang, herbs belonging to Lowering and Sinking class should be used to calm the Liver and suppress the hyperactivity of the Liver-Yang.
For diseases of which manifestations tend downward, lifting herbs are suitable for curing such diseases as treatment for chronic diarrhea.
Most herbs that are pungent, or sweet in flavour and warm or hot in property have lifting and floating actions, while most herbs that have bitter, sour or salty flavour and cold or cool in property have lowering and sinking actions.
Generally, most of the herbs that are light in weight have lifting and floating actions while those that are heavy in weight have lowering and sinking actions. However, some herbs that are light in weight have lowering and sinking actions and conversely, some herbs, which are heavy in weight, have lifting and floating actions.
Composition of herbs in a prescription and the processing of the herbs can influence or alter the property of the herb, e.g., when wine is added to the decoction of herbs that have lowering and sinking properties, such properties can change to that of lifting and floating actions. Likewise the lifting and floating properties of herbs can be changed to that of lowering and sinking when salt solution is added to the preparation of` decoction.
If herbs that have lifting and floating actions are decocted with a greater amount of lowering and sinking action herbs, they may also have lowering and sinking actions. Similarly, if herbs that have lowering and sinking actions are decocted with a greater amount of lifting and floating action herbs, they may also have some lifting and floating action characteristics.
Some herbs may exert specific therapeutic action on pathological changes in certain viscera and certain or several channels, but having little effects on the other channels. For example, among the heat-clearing herbs, some herbs will either clear heat in the Lung Channel or in the Liver Channel or in the Heart Channel, etc. This herb’s selective therapeutic effects on certain channels and certain organs of the human body are referred to as Channel Tropism.
The human body is an organic whole in which the channels and collaterals are linked up with the interior and exterior and the all parts of the body. Pathological change in the exterior may affect the viscera in the same way as diseases in the viscera may find expressions in the exterior of the body, e.g., bacteria in the blood may weaken the liver and cause fever that is felt in the exterior of the body. Base on the theory of the channels and collaterals, the signs and symptoms of diseases in different parts of the body can be understood systematically, e.g., swollen gum in the oral, cavity is the symptom of the flare-up of stomach-fire, and pain in the hypochondriac region is the symptom of stagnation of Liver-Qi. Gypsum is used to treat pain and reduce swelling of the gum because it contains mainly hydrated calcium sulphate [CaSO4.2H2O]. It is pungent & sweet and cold in property. It acts on the Lung and the Stomach Channel. Gypsum has the effect of clearing away heat and purging fire, relieving thirst and restlessness. It promotes regeneration of the tissue and heals wound.
Different herbs can act on the same channel, but have different effects owing to the differences in property, flavour and actions, e.g. Dried Ginger [Gan Jiang], Lily Bulb [Baii Her], Lipidium seed [Huang Jin] and Scutellaria Root [Ding Le Zi] all act on the Lung Channel, but Dried Ginger can warn up cold Lung, Lily Bulb can cure Lung deficiency, Lipidium seed is used to soothe excess syndrome of the Lung and Scutellaria Root is used to clear heat in the Lung. Thus the Channel Tropism theory must be understood in association with the theories of the Properties and Flavours and the Action of Lifting, Floating, Lowering and Sinking.
Toxicity in Chinese herbs
Five thousand years ago, the Father of Chinese Medicine, Sheng Nong had identified Chinese herbs into: -
[1] Non-toxic herb:
[a] Food herbs – the food that the Chinese takes daily until to-day
[b] Curative herbs – those herbs that are used until present days
[2] Toxic herbs are classified into:
[a] Slightly toxic
[b] Extremely toxic
[c] Deadly toxic.
The slightly toxic herbs have no harmful effect on the human body.
Most of the herbs used in the administration of medicines are non-toxic herbs. Some extremely toxic herbs have remarkable effects and in certain extreme cases, are required to cure certain chronic, critical or obstinate illnesses. For the purpose of safety, such toxic herbs are usually prescribed in small and proper dosage to ensure that it will not have harmful effect on the human body. The dosage so prescribed will not cause side effects. The administration of such herbs is also determined by the patient’s age, severity, constitution and location of the disease. The dosage of such herbs is dispensed with extreme care to prevent and avoid overdose. Extremely toxic herbs must be DISCONTINUED immediately after the patient shows signs of getting better. Toxicity of the herbs can be eliminated or reduced by processing, preparation and dispensing. All the herbs available in the Chinese Medicine Shops [Drug Stores] are prepared or processed herbs.
TCM PRINCIPLE: “Treat the critical or obstinate illnesses with toxic herbs, of which the prerequisite is safety”.
Deadly toxic HERBS CANNOT BE DISPENSED for oral consumption.
[To be continued next week – Application of herbs - Compatibility and Contraindictions]
W Y Ho
26th August 2009
Meastro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234
