Any medicinal herb that has the actions of calming the liver and suppressing the hyperactive yang or calming the liver-wind, and is indicated for syndrome of liver-yang rising or liver-wind stirring is called Chinese medicinal herbs for calming the liver to stop endogenous wind.
They are mainly attributive to the liver meridian and mostly include animal and mineral medicines such as shell and insect types. They are mainly used for dizziness due to liver-yang rising, and convulsion and epilepsy due to liver-wind stirring inside.
When they are used, one should differently combine them with other medicinal herbs according to the different causes and symptoms. For syndrome of liver-wind stirring inside, which is usually caused by excessive fire-heat and hyperactive liver-yang accompanied by liver-heat, medicinal herbs for clearing away heat, reducing fire and purging liver-heat must be combined. For yin-deficiency with insufficiency of the blood and failure of the liver to nourish resulting in liver-wind stirring inside and liver-yang rising, those for nourishing the kidney and yin or replenishing the blood should be combined. Domination of liver-fire is usually accompanied by restlessness, therefore they should be combined with tranquilizers.
They should be applied distinctively since most of them are a bit on cold or cool side while some of them are a bit on warm and dry side. For chronic convulsion due to spleen-deficiency, cold or cool medicinal herbs are not suitable, but for yin-deficiency with insufficiency of the blood, the warm-dry medicinal herbs should be used with caution.
Shijueming Concha Haliotidis
The source is from the shell of Haliotis diversicolor Reeve, H. gigantea discus Reeve, H. ovina chemnitz and others, family Haliotidae. The medicinal materials are distributed over the areas along the sea, caught in summer and autumn and the shells (meat is removed) are cleaned, and then dried in the sun after the impurity is got rid of. The crude or calcined one is used after it is broken.
Medicinal Properties Salty in flavor, cold in nature, and attributive to the liver meridian.
Actions Calm the liver, suppress the hyperactive yang and clear away liver-fire to improve eyesight.
Application
1. For deficiency of liver-yin and kidney-yin and hyperactivity of liver-yang manifested as dizziness and headache, it is every time combined with Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae ) , Baishaoyao ( Radix Paconiae Alba ), and Muli ( Concha Ostreae), etc.; for hyperactivity of liver-yang with heat, combined with Xiakucao (Spica Prunellae ) , Gouteng ( Ramulus Uncariae cure Uncis ) and Juhua (Flos Chrysanthemi).
2. It is an essential medicine for clearing away liver-fire to improve eyesight and used for redness, swelling and pain of the eyes, nebula, and blurring of vision no matter whether they are due to sthenic or asthenic syndromes. For up-flaring of liver-fire manifested as red- ness, swelling and pain of the eyes, it may be combined with Juemingzi ( Semen Cassiae), Juhua ( Flos Chrysanthemi), etc.; for eye disease and nebula due to wind and heat, it may be combined with Mimenghua (Flos Buddlejae), Gujingcao (Flos Eriocauli), etc.; for deficiency of the liver and insufficiency of the blood with dizziness, combined with Tusizi ( Semen Cuscutae ), Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata), etc., such as Shijueming Wan (Pill).
Usage and Dosage15- 30 g is used in decoction for oral use, which is decocted at first. The crude is used to calm the liver and clear away liver-fire and calcined one is used externally for eye disease.
Muli Concha Ostreae
The source is from the shell of Ostrea gigas Thunberg, O. talienwhanensis Crosse or O. rivularis Gould, family Ostreidae. The medicinal material is produced in the areas along the sea of China, collected in winter and spring and dried in the sun after the shell (meat is removed) is cleaned. The crude or calcined one is used after it is broken.
Medicinal Properties Salty in flavor, slightly cold in nature and attributive to the liver and kidney meridians.
Actions Calm the liver, suppress the hyperactive yang, soften hardness and disperse the stagnated mass, and astringe, invigorate the kidney to preserve essence.
Application
1. For hyperactivity of liver-yang manifested as dizziness and tinnitus, it is usually used together with Longgu (Os Draconis), Guiban (Plastrum Testudinis), and Baishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba), etc., such as Zhengan Xifeng Tang (Decoction); for febrile disease injuring the yin and causing endogenous liver wind manifested as convulsion of limbs, usually combined with Guiban (Plastrum Testudinis), Biejia (Carapax Trionycis), and Dihuang (Radix Rehmanniae), etc., such as Da Dingfeng Zhu (Bolus).
2. For stagnation of phlegm and fire manifested as scrofula, subcutaneous nodule and abdominal mass, it is usually used together with Zhebeimu (Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii) and Xuanshen ( Radix Scrophulariae ), such as Xiaoluo Wan (Bolus). Recently, it is used clinically to treat mass of the hypochondrium, it is usually combined with Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae), Zelan (Herba Lycopi) and Biejia ( Carapax Trionycis ), etc..
3. It is used for all slippery and depletive syndromes. For spontaneous perspiration and night sweat, it may be combined with Huangqi ( Radix Astragali ) and Mahuanggen (Radix Ephedrae) ; for kidney-deficiency syndrome manifested as emission and spermatorrhea, usually combined with Shayuanzi ( Semen Astragali Complanati) and Qianshi ( Semen Euryales), such as Jinsuo Gujing Wan (Pill); for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis and abnormal vaginal discharge, combined with Duanlonggn (Os Draconis Usta ) , Haipiaoxiao (Os Sepiellae seu Sepiae ) and Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae).
Besides, it has the action of controlling acid, so it can be used for gastroxynsis and gastric ulcer.
Usage and Dosage 15 - 30 g is used in decoction for oral use, which is decocted earlier. The calcined one is used for astringing, invigorating the kidney to preserve essence and controlling acid and the crude one is used for other symptoms.
