Herbs That Cool And Transform Phlegm Heat

Herbs That Cool and Transform Phlegm-Heat:

  • Used for phlegm-heat and dry-phlegm patterns - coughs, scrofula, goiters (stagnant phlegm-fire in the channel), convulsions.

Section Herbal Summary:

  • Qian Hu and Bai Qian - redirect lung qi downward and transform phlegm.
    • Qian Hu - disperses wind-heat.
    • Bai Qian - re-establishes normal downward flow of lung qi.
  • Chuan Bei Mu and Zhe Bai Mu - transform phlegm and stop coughing.
    • Chuan Bei Mu - milder, good for children, more for moistening lungs and the transformation of phlegm, good for chronic cough from yin deficiency.
    • Zhe Bei Mu - more for acute, wind-heat coughs and scrofula.
  • Gua Luo family.
    • Gua Luo - less for lubricating the intestines, phlegm, nodules.
    • Gua Luo Pi (Peel) - more effective in opening the middle burner and facilitating the flow of qi.
  • Zhu Li - extremely cold and slippery - excellent for clearing heat and moistening excessive dryness, and calming the spirit. Also useful for spasms, similar to Ban Xia and often used together.
  • Tian Zhu Huang - slightly cold, gentle in nature, good for children.
  • Hai Ge Ke, Fu Hai Shi - clear heat and transform phlegm, cough with thick and difficult expetoration.
    • Fu Hai Shi - more for wind-heat induced cough.
    • Hai Ge Ke - for chronic cough and wheezing from deficiency patterns.

Chinese Herbsort icon Functions and Usage
Chuan Bei Mu (Fritillaria Bulb)
  • Clears heat, transforms phlegm, stops many types of cough (chronic, yin-deficient, difficult to expectorate phlegm, blood streaked sputum); best for cough with stifling sensation in the chest and upper abdomen (constrained qi).
  • Clears heat, dissipates nodules due to heat - sores, swellings, scrofula, lung or breast abscess.
Dan Nan Xing (Jack in the Pulpit Rhizome and Bile)
  • Transforms phlegm heat, extinguishes wind, stops convulsions - muscle spasms/cramps, infantile convulsions, seizure disorders, facial paralysis, stroke (CVA) from wind and phlegm obstruction.
  • Zhi (or Tian) Nan Xing is prepared with fresh ginger and Dan Nan Xing is prepared with cow bile.
Fu Hai Shi (Pumice)
  • Clears heat from the lungs and expels phlegm heat - thick sputum (difficult to expectorate), coughing up blood.
  • Softens hardness and dissipates phlegm nodules - scrofula.
  • Promotes urination - hot and stony painful urinary dysfunction.
Gua Lou (Trichosanthes Fruit)
  • Clears heat and transforms phlegm-heat - for heat-induced coughs with sputum that is thick and difficult to expectorate.
  • Expands the chest and dissipates nodules - constriction, pain, lung abscesses, breast abscesses.
  • The peel, Gua Lou Pi, clears and transforms phlegm heat - dissipates nodules, regulates qi - dry cough, throat, cough, difficult to expectorate sputum.
Gua Lou Ren (Trichosanthes Fruit Seeds)
  • (See Gua Lou) - clears and transforms phlegm-heat, expands the chest.
  • Moistens the intestines - constipation due to dryness along with other heat signs.
  • Expels pus and promotes healing of sores (mastitis) - an adjunctive herb.
Hai Ge Ke (Clam Shell)
  • Clears heat, directs lung qi downwards, transforms phlegm - lung-heat cough with thick sputum (difficult to expectorate), chest or rib pain.
  • Softens hardness, dissipates nodules - phlegm fire goiter and scrofula.
  • Promotes urination, expels dampness - turbid painful urinary dysfunction and vaginal discharge.
  • Epigastric pain, acid reflux - calcined powdered form).
Hai Zao (Sargassum, Seaweed)
  • Clears heat, reduces phlegm nodules - goiter, scrofula.
  • Promotes urination (adjunctive herb) - reduces edema, particularly in the leg and floating type.
Huang Yao Zi (Dioscorea Bulbifera Tuber)
  • Dissipates nodules and reduces massage - goiter, cancer.
  • Cools the blood and stops bleeding - vomiting blood, coughing up blood, uterine bleeding.
  • Reduces toxicity of toxic swellings (topically).
Kun Bu (Kelp)
  • Reduces phlegm, softens hardness - nodules in the neck, fullness in the chest due to phlegm.
  • Promotes urination, reduces swelling - lower extremity edema (adjunctive herb).
Pang Da Hai (Boat Sterculia Seed)
  • Clears and disseminates lung qi - sore throat, hoarseness, phlegm-heat cough, constrained lung qi.
  • Clears intestines and unblocks the bowels - constipation due to heat.
  • Encourages expression of rashes (adjunctive herb).
Qian Hu (Hogfennel Root)
  • Re-directs rebellious lung qi downward, expels phlegm - coughing, wheezing with thick sputum due to heat in the lungs.
  • Releases wind-heat from the exterior w/cough and copious phlegm.
Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthes Root)
  • Clears and drains lung heat, transforms phlegm, moistens lung dryness.
  • Drains heat, generates fluid (fluids injured) - thirst, irritability, wasting and thirsting disorder, cough, thick sputum.
  • Relieves toxicity, expels pus - toxic hot carbuncles, breast abscess.
Tian Zhu Huang (Siliceous Secretions of Bamboo)
  • Clears and transforms phlegm-heat - difficult to expectorate sputum.
  • Clears heat and arrests convulsions - spasms, convulsions due to phlegm-heat, especially in children.
Zhe Bei Mu (Fritillaria Bulb)
  • Clears and transforms phlegm-heat - acute lung heat with productive cough.
  • Clears heat, dissipates nodules (better than Chuan Bei Mu - for phlegm-fire congealing and causing neck swellings, lung and breast abscesses and swellings.
Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings)
  • Clears and transforms phlegm-heat - thick sputum, stifling sensation in the chest, coughing up blood.
  • Clears heat from the stomach, stops vomiting (good choice for different types including morning sickness), aversion to heat, bad breath, yellow greasy tongue.
  • Cools the blood and stops bleeding - to stop nosebleed and vomiting of blood.