TRADITION CHINESE MEDICINE

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

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

[Continued from earlier article dated 2nd July 2009]

The Five Flavours of Chinese herbs
The flavour of some of the herbs are often described below are different from their true tastes, nonetheless they are grouped together according to the various effectiveness. The various groups of herbs are explained below according to flavour grouping: - [1] Sweet [2] Sour [3] Bitter [4] Salty and [5] Pungent. There are two more groups and they that are Tasteless and Astringent.

[1] Sweet flavour herbs
The sweet flavour herbs have the effect of nourishing, tonifying replenishing and enriching the3 different parts of the human body or its organs. It has the impact on normalising the function of the spleen and the stomach as well as harmonising the properties of different herbs in combination, relieving spasm pain. Herbs of this group are effective usually in treatment of dry cough, lack of spleen – stomach co-ordination, constipation caused by dry intestine, various pains and the syndrome of the deficiency type, etc. Some of the sweet flavour herbs have detoxication effects.

[2] Sour flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the effects of inducing astringency and arresting discharge. Sour flavour herbs are used for treating:
[a] chronic diarrhea [f] emission
[b] sweating due to debility [g] spermatorrhea
[c] chronic cough [h] enuresis (involuntary urination)
[d] chronic leukorrhagia [I] frequent micturition (having the urge to urinate).
[e] metrorrhagia (non-menstruation) or metro-stasis (stoppage of menses)

[3] Bitter flavour herbs
Bitter flavour herbs have the effects of purging out pathogenic fire, clearing heat, sinking of the adverse Qi to treat cough and vomitting, cough and vomiting, cough with dyspnea (laboured breathing) eliminating dampness, relaxing the bowels, constipation due to heat excess, damp-heat syndrome as well as damp-cold syndrome etc.

[4] Salty flavour herbs
Herbs of this group have the effects of relieving constipation, softening and resolving hard mass. It is usually used for treating dry stool, scrofula (disease with glandular swelling), goitre, abdominal mass, etc.

[5] Pungent flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the effect of promoting the circulation of the vital energy and the blood as well as dispersing exo-pathogens (external micro-organisms that can cause diseases) from the body. Pungent flavour herbs such as garlic are usually used to treat blood stasis, stagnation of vital energy (Qi flow) and other superficial and mild illness caused by exo-pathogens, etc.

[6] Tasteless flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the effects of excreting dampness and inducing diuresis (sweating). It is commonly used for treating edema (water retention) and dysuria (difficulty in urination), etc.

[7] Astringent flavour herbs
This group of herbs has the harsh, biting quality. Astringent flavour herbs have the similar actions as those of the Sour flavour herbs.

Generally, herbs of the same flavour will have similar actions and herbs of different tastes will have quite a different actions. Nonetheless, some herbs have the same property, but have different flavour and vice-versa and as such, their effects are not all the same.

The property and the flavour of a herb should be considered as an integrated whole and not be treated separately

W Y Ho
16th July 2009


[To be continued next week – Action of Lifting, lowering. Floating and Sinking ]


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Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

FOREST RESERVES - Deforestation

Recently, The Star Metro had reported about the deforestation exercises that took place at the Sungai Jelok Forest Reserves (reported on 29th June 2009) and at Rantau Panjang Forest Reserves near Bukit Terak (reported on 2nd July 2009). The Sungai Jelok Forest Reserves is in the Hulu Langat District while the Rantau Panjang Forest Reserves Hulu Selangor District in the State of Selangor, Malaysia.






The two reports in the Star Metro had prompted the Association of Backpackers Malaysia to revisit the jungle trails of Bukit Terak (Rantau Pajnang Forest Reserves) on 5th July 2009. Twelve members of the Association of Backers Malaysia (ABM) travelled by 3 cars from Petaling Jaya through the Rawang Interchange to a spot about 1Km before the Rawang to Batang Berjuntai – Batang Arang Junction. Bukit Terak is on the right side of Rawang-Batang Berjuntai [now known as Bestari Jaya] Road. From that spot the group of 12 ABM members walked up to the top of Bukit Terap and thereafter crossed over to Batu Arang Town on the left side Rawang-Batang Berjuntai Road. Below is what the 12 members of ABM saw during their excursion up Bukit Terak.

Dated 6th July 2009

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE - Properties & Flavours

[Continued from earlier article dated 24th June 2009]

Properties and Flavours of Chinese herbs
Every Chinese herb has its property and flavour, hence Chinese herbs are also referred to “Four properties and five flavours”. “Property” in this context, refers to cold, hot, warm or cool nature of the herb while “Flavour” refers to pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, tasteless and astringent.

Most cold or cool-natured herbs have the effects of clearing heat, purging the ‘fire’ from the body, removing toxic substances, and nourishing the Yin. Herbs that are warm or hot in nature have the effects of dispersing cold, warming up the interior of the body, supporting the Yang.

Besides the cold or cool-natured and the warm or hot-natured herbs, there is another class of herbs that are neutral to the aforesaid natures. Herbs of neutral in nature can be used to treat either hot or cold syndromes.

In term of flavour, sweet and tasteless coexist while the sour and astringent herbs have the same effects in the treatment applications. Pungent, sweet, sour, bitter and salty tastes herbs are the cardinal flavours that are habitually known as the five flavours. Some of the herbs are classified according to the herbs’ actions other than tastes.

Herbs of different flavours and different compositions give different pharmacological and therapeutic actions, while herbs of the same taste usually have similarities in effect and composition..

[To be continued next week – Application of herbs according to flavours]


W. Y. Ho
1st July 2009


Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234

ENVIRONMENT - CLIMATE CHANGE

The US Global Change Research Programme, a grouping of a dozen US government agencies and the White House, has recently released its report, titled “Global Change Impacts in the United States”. Mr. Jerry Melillo of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts said that “Climate change is happening now, it is not something that will happen decades or centuries in the future”. Mr. Jerry Melillo is one of the lead authors of the report. According to the report, the climate change is caused mainly by human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gases. The report outlines in plain, non-scientific terms hoe global warming has led to an increase of extreme weather like the powerful heat-wave that swept Europe in 2003. Global warming has impact on everything from water supplies to farming, to energy, to health. On Friday, 26th June 2009, The House of Representatives in the United States has narrowly passed the legislation that establishes the United States’ first limits on pollution that is linked to global warming. Democratic Representative, Ed Murkey described the legislation as “the most important energy and environmental legislation in the history of our country”.

On Thursday, 18th of June 2009, the Star reported that the haze that covered the Kuala Lumpur skyline on 17th June 2009. According to that report, the Air Pollutant Index showed that some 26 areas in Malaysia, the air quality reading were between 51 to 100 while in Tanjung Malim area was declared as unhealthy with the reading between 101 and 200 as recorded.


On 27th June 2009, Malaysia Environment NGO (MENGO) in association with the Purple Ants had organised a Treasure Hunt to create awareness of the environmental impact on human life among the people. The Treasurer Hunt took some 500 participants, the majority of whom were below the age of 30 years age, from Petaling Jaya to Jalan Ampang to Jalan Sultan Ismail to Jalan Imbi to Jalan Hang Tuah to Jalan Sambantan areas in Kuala Lumpur. The rules of the Treasure Hunt prohibited the use of cars, buses or any petrol or diesel driven vehicles as a means of transport. It was all fun and challenges that had put the thought of winning in the second place.

The Team, “The Green Hunter”[picture above]is the only team, which has 3 of its 4 members who are above 60 years of age. Among them, the oldest is 70 years old..



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Maestro D’Taijiquan conducts Taijiquan and Qigong in Petaling Jaya. Please contact Master W. Y. Ho at 012-3319234