✵The TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) herbalism is also known as pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or Chinese pharmaceutics, is the branch of health science dealing with the preparation, dispensing, and proper utilization of Chinese herbs. It is majorly composed of Introduction of Chinese Medicinals, Classification of Chinese Herbs, Formulas, and Patent medicines.
Classifications of Herbs:Purgatives Herbs.
Introduction: Purgatives Herbs: an agent or substance herbs that promotes defecation or even causes diarrhea, not only for relieving constipation, but also for driving stagnant matter, excessive heat and retained fluid out of the body.
Purgatives herbs have functions of relieving constipation by inducing purgation, food retention in stomach, clearing and purging excess heat, eliminating stagnation of blood, expelling retained fluid, etc, and are mainly used for excess syndromes, constipation, dispepsia of indigested food, retention and accumulation of blood stasis, interior accumulation of excess heat, cold accumulation, fluid retention stagnating in the interior, etc, also used for part of excess-heat syndrome, such as lasting hyperpyrexia, delirious speech and mania, fire-heat flaming upward, cephalgia (headache), conjunctival congestion(red eyes), aphtha, swelling-painful gum, upper bleeding due to fire-heat flaring up (hemorrhinia, hematemesis, hemoptysis), etc.
According to the difference of its functions, purgatives herbs are classified into several kinds: ①.offensive purgative herbs, ②.laxative herbs, and ③.drastic hydrogogue herbs.
Offensive purgative herbs are herbs usually bitter in taste and cold in property, have a potent purgative effect for moving the bowels and driving away excessive heat and stagnant matter. Offensive purgative herbs have strong potency and purgative functions, bitter in flavor and cold in property, are used for syndrome of stagnation of excess-heat, stercoroma (dry stool) and constipation, constipation of accumulated cold, etc. Representative herbs of this kind are Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (Dà Huánɡ), and other herbs including Aloe (Lú Huì), Folium Sennae (Fān Xiè Yè), etc.
Laxative herbs are herbs that lubricate the intestinal tract to facilitate defecation for relieving constipation in the aged with fluid deficiency, in case of febrile diseases with fluid impairment and in postpartum blood deficiency. Laxative herbs mostly are plant seeds or kernels, rich in oil and fat, or moistening, have functions moistening pathogenic dryness to loosen the bowel, relieving constipation by purgation, mainly used for general constipation, especially for aged and others with weak physical conditions. Representative herbs of this kind are Semen Pruni (Yù Lǐ Rén), and other herbs which have functions of moistening intestine and relaxing bowel, such as Semen Cassiae (Jué Mínɡ Zǐ), Semen Trichosanthis (Guā Lǒu Rén), Herba Cistanchis (Ròu Cōnɡ Rónɡ), Radix Polygoni Multiflori (Hé Shǒu Wū), Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (Nǚ Zhēn Zǐ), although these herbs are not classified into this kind.
✵Till January 1st, 2024, there are totally [4] kinds of common TCM herbs, [12] kinds of related plant species, are recorded in this category.
✵Till January 1st, 2024, there are totally [3] kinds of common TCM herbs, [8] kinds of related plant species, are recorded in this category. These offensive purgative herbs are briefly introduced separately:
Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (Rhubarb).
Brief Introduction: The herb Radix et Rhizoma Rhei is the dried root and rhizome of Rheum palmatum L, Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf, or Rheum officinale Baill (family Polygonaceae), used to induce catharsis, clear heat, purge fire, stanch bleeding, counteract toxins and remove blood stasis, for treating (1).constipation with gastrointestinal accumulation, (2).warm diseases with high fever, delirium, and constipation, (3).postpartum abdominal pain, amenorrhea due to blood stasis, (4).hemoptysis, hematemesis and epistaxis associated with excessive heat in the blood, and, externally, (5).for burns, boils, and sores. The herb is commonly known as Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, Rhubarb, Dà Huánɡ.
Folium Sennae (Senna Leaf).
Brief Introduction: The herb Folium Sennae is the dried leaflet of Cassia Angustifolia Vahl., or Cassia acutifolia Delile (family Leguminosae), used as a purgative for the treatment of constipation, especially habitual constipation. The herb is commonly known as Folium Sennae, Senna Leaf, Fān Xiè Yè.
Aloe (Aloes).
Brief Introduction: The herb Aloe is the dried leaf juice of Aloe vera L., Aloe vera L. var. chinensis (Haw.) Berger., or Aloe ferox Mill or related species(family Liliaceae), used (1).as a purgative for constipation, (2).to clear the liver for treating liver fire with dizziness, headache and irritability, and (3).to kill intestinal parasitic worms. The herb is commonly known as Aloe, Lú Huì.
✵Till January 1st, 2024, there are totally [1] kinds of common TCM herbs, [4] kinds of related plant species, are recorded in this category. These laxative herbs are briefly introduced separately:
Semen Pruni (Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed).
Brief Introduction: The herb Semen Pruni is the dried ripe seed of Prunus humilis Bge., Prunus japonica Thunb., Prunus pedunculata Maxim (family Rosaceae), used as an aperient for the treatment of constipation, and a diuretic for relieving edema. The herb is commonly known as Semen Pruni, Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed(and many other names, Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed, Longstalk Peach Seed, Seed of Bunge Cherry, Seed of Dwarf Flowering Cherry, Seed of Chinese Bushcherry, Seed of Down), Yù Lǐ Rén.
✵The TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) herbalism is also known as pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or Chinese pharmaceutics, is the branch of health science dealing with the preparation, dispensing, and proper utilization of Chinese herbs. It is majorly composed of Introduction of Chinese Medicinals, Classification of Chinese Herbs, Formulas, and Patent medicines.
Introduction: Purgatives Herbs: an agent or substance herbs that promotes defecation or even causes diarrhea, not only for relieving constipation, but also for driving stagnant matter, excessive heat and retained fluid out of the body.
Brief Introduction: The herb Radix et Rhizoma Rhei is the dried root and rhizome of Rheum palmatum L, Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf, or Rheum officinale Baill (family Polygonaceae), used to induce catharsis, clear heat, purge fire, stanch bleeding, counteract toxins and remove blood stasis, for treating (1).constipation with gastrointestinal accumulation, (2).warm diseases with high fever, delirium, and constipation, (3).postpartum abdominal pain, amenorrhea due to blood stasis, (4).hemoptysis, hematemesis and epistaxis associated with excessive heat in the blood, and, externally, (5).for burns, boils, and sores. The herb is commonly known as Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, Rhubarb, Dà Huánɡ.
Brief Introduction: The herb Folium Sennae is the dried leaflet of Cassia Angustifolia Vahl., or Cassia acutifolia Delile (family Leguminosae), used as a purgative for the treatment of constipation, especially habitual constipation. The herb is commonly known as Folium Sennae, Senna Leaf, Fān Xiè Yè.
Brief Introduction: The herb Aloe is the dried leaf juice of Aloe vera L., Aloe vera L. var. chinensis (Haw.) Berger., or Aloe ferox Mill or related species(family Liliaceae), used (1).as a purgative for constipation, (2).to clear the liver for treating liver fire with dizziness, headache and irritability, and (3).to kill intestinal parasitic worms. The herb is commonly known as Aloe, Lú Huì.
Brief Introduction: The herb Semen Pruni is the dried ripe seed of Prunus humilis Bge., Prunus japonica Thunb., Prunus pedunculata Maxim (family Rosaceae), used as an aperient for the treatment of constipation, and a diuretic for relieving edema. The herb is commonly known as Semen Pruni, Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed(and many other names, Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed, Longstalk Peach Seed, Seed of Bunge Cherry, Seed of Dwarf Flowering Cherry, Seed of Chinese Bushcherry, Seed of Down), Yù Lǐ Rén.
