Mint used medicinally comes from the dried aerial parts. This article organizes basic information about mint from the perspectives of visual identification, medicinal parts, traditional understanding, and common formulas, helping readers distinguish medicinal mint from everyday herbs and build a systematic understanding framework.
Burdock fruit (Niu Bang Zi) is the mature fruit of the burdock plant, commonly used to disperse wind-heat, benefit the throat, and promote eruption. This article provides essential information for overseas readers on how to identify it, its medicinal part, its role in Chinese medicine, how it differs from burdock root, representative formulas, and precautions for use.
Mulberry leaf comes from the dried leaves of the mulberry tree. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is frequently used to disperse wind-heat and clear the lungs while moistening dryness. This article provides a comprehensive overview of mulberry leaf, covering its appearance, harvesting and processing, TCM perspective, and common formulas.
Chrysanthemum is a commonly used medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine, derived from the dried capitulum of Chrysanthemum morifolium. This article introduces the visual identification, medicinal parts, and comparison of different commercial specifications of chrysanthemum, and based on traditional understandings such as dispersing wind-heat and clearing the liver to brighten the eyes, presents classic formulas like Sang Ju Yin and Qi Ju Di Huang Wan, as well as important precautions for its use.
Bupleurum is a commonly used medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine, with the root being the medicinal part. This article introduces the physical characteristics of bupleurum, its medicinal parts, the differences between northern and southern bupleurum, and common formulas such as Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Xiao Yao San. It also explains important directions to note during use, helping readers build a basic understanding for identification and safety.
Sheng Ma is a traditional herb whose rhizome is used medicinally. It appears as irregular elongated chunks with a black-brown surface and a highly fibrous cross-section. This article introduces its identification, medicinal parts, understanding in Chinese medicine, differences from Chai Hu, and common formulas to help readers build a basic understanding of Sheng Ma.
Prepared Fleeceflower Root is the processed tuberous root of the knotweed plant Polygonum multiflorum. Traditionally used to tonify the liver and kidney and nourish essence and blood, this article provides basic scientific reference on its identification, medicinal parts, differences from raw Fleeceflower Root, role in common formulas, and usage precautions.
Radix Adenophorae, the dried root of Adenophora tetraphylla or Adenophora stricta, is traditionally used to nourish yin, clear the lungs, benefit the stomach, generate fluids, resolve phlegm, and supplement qi. This article introduces its identification, medicinal parts, differences from Radix Glehniae, and traditional formulas such as Shashen Maidong Decoction to build a systematic understanding of this herb.
Schisandra is named for its complete five flavors and is a commonly used astringent herb. This article provides a systematic introduction to schisandra, covering appearance identification, medicinal parts, TCM understanding, modern research, differences from southern schisandra, common formulas, and usage precautions, helping you understand this traditional medicinal herb more safely.
Nu Zhen Zi (glossy privet fruit) is the dried ripe fruit of Ligustrum lucidum, traditionally used in Chinese medicine to nourish the liver and kidneys, brighten the eyes, and darken hair. This article offers overseas readers a clear reference covering identification, medicinal parts, common formulas, and precautions.
Eclipta, also known as false daisy, is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. This article introduces its visual identification, medicinal parts, TCM understanding, common formulas, and precautions to help readers quickly learn about eclipta.
Mai Dong is a commonly used Yin-nourishing herb, with its spindle-shaped root tuber used medicinally. This article systematically introduces the basic knowledge of Mai Dong from aspects such as appearance identification, medicinal parts, traditional understanding, modern research, comparison with similar herbs, classic formulas, and usage precautions, helping readers establish objective understanding.
Asparagus root (Tian Dong) is a widely used yin-nourishing and dryness-moistening herb, commonly applied for dry cough due to lung dryness and dry throat with thirst. This article covers the visual identification of Tian Dong, its tuberous root as the medicinal part, traditional Chinese medicine understanding, modern research, comparisons with similar herbs, and classic formulas—ideal for readers seeking a deeper understanding of this herb.
Bai He is a commonly used herb in Chinese medicine for nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, and calming the spirit. This article introduces Bai He’s identifying features, medicinal part, differences from Chuan Bei Mu and edible lily varieties, and sorts out common formulas like Bai He Di Huang Tang, while noting precautions for use, for the reference of overseas readers.
Yu Zhu is a commonly used Chinese herb in traditional formulas, with its rhizome serving as the medicinal part. This article systematically introduces Yu Zhu’s basic knowledge from visual identification and medicinal parts to TCM understanding, modern research, differentiation from similar herbs, and frequently used formulas, while also noting that individuals with phlegm-dampness or spleen deficiency with loose stools should use it with caution.
