Aromatic Herbs That Transform Dampness

Aromatic Herbs That Transform Dampness:

  • The concept of dampness indicates a damp pathogenic influence which causes stagnation in the middle warmer (i.e. the Stomach and Spleen Channels).
  • General symptoms are - distension and fullness in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting or spitting up of sour fluids, absence of thirst, loss of appetite, diarrhea with some difficult in defecation, headache, body aches, etc.
  • The tongue will generally have a greasy coating (either white or yellow) and the pulse will often be soggy.
  • Aromatic herbs are used to revive the spleen with their fragrance and their strong effect in the transformation of dampness.
  • The majority of the herbs in this section are acrid, warm, aromatic, and dry - all properties which can potentially exhaust qi and injure the yin.

Section Herbal Summary:

  • Pei Lan, Huo Xiang - acrid and aromatic, transform dampness, good for damp-summerheat disorders, often used together.
    • Pei Lan - excess salivation, sticky sensation in mouth.
    • Huo Xiang - releasing exterior and stopping vomiting.
  • Cang Zhu, Hou Po - transform dampness and are often used together in treating abdominal distention, vomiting, diarrhea.
    • Cang Zhu - more effective for drying dampness and expelling wind-damp.
    • Hou Po - more for dispelling fullness and distention.
  • Sha Ren, Bai Dou Kou - used together in treating pain and distention of abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea.
    • Sha Ren - for middle and lower jiao issues, diarrhea.
    • Bai Dou Kou - for upper and middle jiao issues, vomiting.
    • Cao Dou Kou - similar to above 2 herbs, but stronger in the warming and drying functions - for ascendant damp-cold in the spleen and stomach.

Chinese Herbsort icon Functions and Usage
Bai Dou Kou (Round Cardamon Fruit)
  • Transforms dampness - low appetite, greasy tongue coat, stifling sensation in the chest.
  • Warms the middle warmer (stomach/spleen) and descends rebellious qi - vomiting due to cold from spleen/stomach qi deficiency or stomach cold.
  • Transforms stagnation - fullness in the chest.
Cang Zhu (Atractylodes)
  • Strongly dries dampness, strengthens spleen - low appetite, diarrhea, epigastric distention, fatigue, vomiting, greasy tongue coat.
  • Expels wind-damp-cold (bi-syndrome) in extremities.
  • Clears damp-heat from lower burner (combine with clear-heat herbs, however, as this has a warm nature (for example, Er Miao San) - vaginal discharge, swollen and sore joints.
  • Induces sweating, release the exterior.
  • Improves vision.
Cao Dou Kou (Katsumadai)
  • Dries dampness, warms middle burner - damp-cold the spleen and stomach with abdominal distention, vomiting, diarrhea.
Hou Po (Magnolia Bark)
  • Promotes movement of Qi, transforms dampness, resolves stagnation - dampness in spleen/stomach, food stagnation, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention (*important herb for this).
  • Warms and transforms phlegm and directs rebellious lung Qi downward - wheezing, phlegm with coughing, stifling sensation in the chest.
Huo Xiang (Patchouli)
  • Aromatically transforms turbid dampness - abdominal distention, nausea, vomiting.
  • Harmonizes middle burner, stops vomiting due to dampness.
  • Releases the exterior (wind-damp-cold, summer heat), stomach flu.
Pei Lan (Orchid)
  • Aromatically transforms middle burner dampness - stifling sensation in the chest, nausea.
  • As it has a neutral property and doesn't cause dryness it can be used for damp-heat conditions - halitosis, excess saliva.
  • Summer heat with nausea.
  • Often used with Huo Xiang.
Sha Ren (Cardamon)
  • Transforms dampness, stops vomiting - nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea.
  • Promotes movement of Qi, strengthens stomach.
  • Calms the fetus, morning sickness.
  • Prevents tonifying herbs from causing stagnation. (See also Bai Dou Kou, Yi Zhi Ren)