© 2011 Lorraine Wilcox L.Ac. Principles of Treatment 1 Week 1

Week 1: Principles of Treatment Chinese medicine is based on image ( 象 xiang ) that is conveyed through language. So before we discuss how to apply principles of treatment in the clinic, we need to discuss what is conveyed in a treatment principle and how it is expressed in the language of Chinese medicine.

Principle of Treatment ( 治則 zhi ze ): A general rule guiding selection of methods of treatment. A major principle of treatment especially in the modern practice of Chinese medicine is determining treatment by the patterns identified , by which treatment addresses illness as reflected in clinical signs rather than addressing a single isolated cause. The principle notably includes: like treatment of unlike disease , unlike treatment of like disease and action according to time, place, and person and is actually reflected in most principles of treatment.

However, the most important procedural principle is treating disease involves seeking its root , i.e., its essential nature and cause. When the root of a disease is determined and hence the nature of the imbalance is understood, the question of treating the root , treating the branch , or simultaneous treatment of root and branch is decided by secondary principles that include in acute conditions treat the branch and in moderate conditions treat the root .

Conditions involving evils require a decision on whether to dispel the evil and support the right , such as attack followed by supplementation , supplementation followed by attack , or simultaneous supplementation and attack .

All diseases can be seen in terms of yin and yang and hence all treatment can be viewed in terms of restoration of the yin-yang balance, which involves either righting of yin and yang surfeits or righting of yin and yang deficits.

Furthermore, a distinction is made between straight treatment and paradoxical treatment . Most methods of treatment are straight treatment, e.g., heat is treated with cold , cold is treated with heat , vacuity is treated by supplementing , and repletion is treated by draining . Paradoxical treatment is not strictly contrary to straight treatment, since, for example, cold is treated with cold only when the signs are false.

Finally, the principles of treatment include a number of warnings such as avoid the mistake of using heat against heat , avoid the mistake of using cold against cold , and do not harm stomach qi . From PDOCM, p463-4

Method of treatment ( 治法 zhi fa ): Any specific mode of intervention in one or more bodily process derived from a principle of treatment, e.g., “supplementing the blood” and “clearing heat and resolving toxin.” From PDOCM, p394

Major Principles of Treatment 辯證論治。 Determining treatment by the patterns identified : basing treatment on the pattern, not the disease. 辯病論治。 Determining treatment by the diseases identified : basing treatment on the disease, not the pattern. 異病同治。 Like treatment of unlike disease (Different diseases, same treatment): different diseases have the same treatment if they are due to the same pattern. 同病異治。 Unlike treatment of like disease (Same disease, different treatment): The same disease has different treatments if the pattern diagnosis is different. 治病必求于本。 Treating disease involves seeking its root : This is the major guiding principle of medicine.

治本 treating the root 治標 treating the branch the essential nature of the disease the symptoms the cause clinically observable changes right qi evil qi primary condition secondary conditions

急則治標。 In acute conditions treat the branch : Treat secondary manifestations when these are acute. For example, focus on stopping bleeding or night sweats, relieving intense pain, reducing high fever, etc. Not to do so puts the patient in danger and risks more damage to right qi. 緩則治本。 In moderate (or chronic) conditions treat the root : Treating the root will remove the cause of the disease and result in a cure. This is always done unless a specific symptom will cause more harm or greatly troubles the patient. 本標同治。 Simultaneous treatment of root and branch : In most cases we can treat root and branch simultaneously to cure the disease and at the same time make the patient feel better more quickly. 因時因地因人制宜。 Action according to time, place, and person : Determine what is appropriate treatment based on the time (season, phase of the moon, day or night, etc.), place (weather, climate, altitude, diet, geography, etc.), and patient (constitution, sex, age, lifestyle, history). 上工治未病。 The superior doctor treats when there is no disease : Prevention is better than treating disease. 正治 Straight treatment : The most common method of treatment. Counteracting or opposing the condition of the disease. Treating cold with heat, etc. 反治 Paradoxical treatment : An uncommon method of treatment. Treating false signs with medicinals of the same nature. Treating heat with heat. But this is only an illusion, as these signs are false. The hot medicinals oppose the underlying true coldness which somehow has manifested some false heat symptoms.

Medium level principles 實則瀉之。 Repletion is treated by draining : when evils exist on the exterior or interior and right qi isn’t too weak. Remove or transform the evil. 瀉 (xie) draining : 氵 shows that this word is related to water. Draining literally means to flow , to cause to flow, or to drain . This can be a generic term for eliminating evils or stagnation by any means. Draining can also be a specific method to descend fire, or to make damp qi leave through the urine. Besides this, draining can refer to the hand technique in acupuncture used to treat repletion. 虛則補之。 Vacuity is treated by supplementing : supplement qi, blood, yin, yang, fluids, organs, etc. when right qi is weak and evils are not strong. 補法 (bu fa) supplementation : The method of increasing or strengthening any aspect of the body. The original meaning of the Chinese ideogram is to patch, repair or fill a gap, and this meaning is reflected in Chinese medicine. Like a patch, supplementation is applied to the aspect of the body that is weakened. Yin, yang, qi, and blood may all be supplemented; the organs that most commonly receive supplementation are the spleen and kidney. 祛邪 Dispel the evil : Any method of treating used to eliminate evils. 扶正 Support the right : Strengthening the body’s right qi so it can fight against the evils. Supporting the right and dispelling the evil can be used together, but one must determine which one to emphasize. 攻 (gong) Attack : Offensive therapy to forcefully make something leave the body. This includes sweating, vomiting, and inducing a bowel movement. The patient must be strong enough to withstand attack. 先攻後補。 Attack followed by supplementation : Destroy the evil first, then supplement when the evil is gone. This is for a strong evil, but right qi can withstand the attack. 先補後攻。 Supplementation followed by attack : Right qi is too weak to withstand an attack, so the patient must be strengthened before the evil can be attacked. 攻補兼施。 Simultaneous supplementation and attack : This can be used when both the evil and right are strong, or if evil is strong but the patient cannot withstand attacking treatment. 熱則寒之。 Heat is treated with cold : Use cool or cold medicinals to treat heat conditions. 寒則熱之。 Cold is treated with heat : Use warm or hot medicinals to treat cold conditions. 熱無犯熱。 Do not use heat against heat : Do not use hot medicinals when they are not needed, especially in the summer. 寒無犯寒。 Do not use cold against cold : Do not use cold medicinals when they are not needed, especially in the winter. 無實實虛虛。 Do not replenish repletion or evacuate vacuity . 無犯胃氣。 Do not harm stomach qi : Be careful of bitter and cold medicinals or inducing vomiting. If the qi of the middle jiao is healthy, the patient can recover. If you damage it, the patient cannot replenish post-heaven qi. 奪血者無汗。 If there is bleeding, do not sweat : 奪汗者無血。 If there is sweating, do not bleed :

Specific Treatment Principles (Methods of Treatment)

It is important to understand this language. Verbs often imply something specific. For example 祛風 (qu feng) dispel wind : eliminate externally contracted wind. 息風 (xi feng) extinguish wind : eliminate liver wind. If you didn’t know this, you might misunderstand what was being discussed. *** 解表 (jie biao) resolve the exterior : eliminate evils from the defensive exterior by inducing sweating. 解 (jie3) resolve : To terminate (disease patterns), eliminate (evils, especially those affecting the exterior), or free (parts of the body from evils). The meaning in everyday Chinese is to separate, untie, liberate, relieve, and dispel. In Chinese medicine, it is commonly found in the following phrases: resolve the exterior (liberate it from an evil); resolve the flesh (liberate them from an evil); resolve toxins (dispel); resolve depression (relieve, dispel); and resolve thirst (relieve). 汗法 (han fa) sweating : has the intent of resolving the exterior. 疏表 (shu biao) course the exterior : to free the exterior of evils without making the patient sweat. This is a more mild action. 疏 (shu1) course : to enhance flow (of qi, especially depressed liver qi); eliminate (evils such as wind in the exterior); to free (the exterior or channels from evils such as wind). Coursing the liver is the method used to restore hepatic free coursing, applied to binding depression of liver qi. The Chinese character means to dredge or comb, and open or well-spaced. 疏風泄熱 (shu feng xie re) course wind and discharge heat : used to treat exterior wind- heat with interior heat. 滋陰解表 (zi yin jie biao) enrich yin and resolve the exterior : to treat exterior patterns in patients with yin vacuity. 助陽解表 (zhu yang jie biao) reinforce yang and resolve the exterior : to treat exterior patterns in patients with yang vacuity. 益氣解表 (yi qi jie biao) boost qi and resolve the exterior : to treat exterior patterns in patients with qi vacuity. 表裏雙解 (biao li shuang jie) resolve both the exterior and interior : Treats simultaneous exterior and interior patterns, for example interior heat and external attack. *** 清法 (qing fa) clearing : ridding the body of heat. Heat can be cleared from various organs, construction aspect, qi aspect, or blood aspect. Often combined with exterior resolution in exterior heat patterns. 清熱 (qing re) clear heat : same as clearing. 清氣分熱 (qing qi fen re) clear qi-aspect heat : treats heat in the qi aspect. 清營涼血 (qing ying liang xue) clear construction, cool blood : same as cool the blood. 涼血 (liang xue) cool the blood : treats heat in the blood-aspect. 涼 (liang) is used specifically for heat in the blood. 清熱解暑 (qing re jie shu) clear heat, resolve summerheat : treats externally contracted summerheat.

清熱解毒 (qing re jie du) clear heat, resolve toxins : treats intense heat that has engendered toxins, such as sores and abscesses. 清臟腑熱 (qing zang fu re) clear heat from the organs : clearing heat from the heart, lungs, stomach, etc. 清虛熱 (qing xu re) clear vacuity heat : eliminates heat generated by yin vacuity, but does not supplement yin. 瀉 (xie) draining is similar to clearing, but describes elimination of heat, fire, or damp- heat through urine or stool; or fire that manifests in upper body heat signs. 瀉火 (xie4 huo3) drain fire : elimination of fire (the form of heat that is active and rising in nature) and damp-heat by cooling it and bringing it downward. It often implies making it leave the body through the urine or stool. *** 下法 (xia fa) precipitation : often translated as purgation . However, this term literally means descending method . 下雨 (xia yu) means raining in Chinese, literally descending rain , so the term precipitation carries this image. It mostly means inducing a bowel movement to take an evil out of the body, but can include urination. 釜底抽薪 (fu di chou xin) rake firewood from beneath the cauldron : use precipitation to eliminate repletion heat. 寒下 (han xia) cold precipitation : used to treat 熱結 (re jie) heat bind (constipation due to heat.) 溫下 (wen xia) warm precipitation : used to treat 寒結 (han jie) cold bind (constipation due to cold). 潤下 (run xia) moist precipitation : moistening the intestines. 增水行舟 (zeng shui xing zhou) increase water to float the ship : moistening the intestines. 增液潤下 (zeng ye run xia) humor-increasing moist precipitation : same as moist precipitation. 逐水 (zhu shui) expelling water : eliminates accumulation of fluids when there is fecal and urinary stoppage. This is a harsh or attacking method so right qi must be strong to withstand this treatment. *** 和法 (he fa) harmonization : to coordinate (one organ with another or with the body as a whole). 和解少陽 (he jie shao yang) harmonize and resolve the lesser yang patterns : resolve the exterior and harmonize the interior in shao yang patterns. 和解半表半裏 (he jie ban biao ban li) harmonize and resolve half-exterior half-interior patterns : same as the previous entry. Note that half-exterior half-interior is not literally accurate. Shao yang patterns are really between the exterior and the interior. 調和肝脾 (tiao he gan pi) harmonize the liver and spleen : treats a liver-spleen disharmony. 調和肝胃 (tiao he gan wei) harmonize the liver and stomach : treats a liver-stomach disharmony.

調和腸胃 (tiao he chang wei) harmonize the stomach and intestines : treats conditions with both diarrhea and vomiting by harmonizing ascending and descending. *** 祛濕 (qu shi) dispel dampness : any method used to eliminate dampness. It includes transforming dampness (for upper jiao dampness or a general term), drying dampness (middle jiao ), and disinhibiting dampness (lower jiao ). 祛 (qu1) dispel : destroy or drive out (evils from the body). 燥濕和胃 (zao shi he wei) dry dampness, harmonize the stomach : for damp-turbidity in the spleen and stomach. 燥 (zao4) dry : eliminate (damp by using dry, bitter agents) 清熱祛濕 (qing re qu shi) clear heat, dispel dampness : to treat damp-heat. 清利濕熱 (qing li shi re) clear heat, disinhibit dampness : treats dampness in the lower jiao by promoting urination. 利 (li4) disinhibit : to promote fluency, movement or activity. To promote favorable movement. Forms of treatment that address inhibited flow of qi, blood, or fluids, or inhibited physical movement are described as disinhibiting. Substances that are commonly disinhibited include urine, dampness, qi and water, and regions that commonly require disinhibition are the throat, large intestine, and the joints. Disinhibit is similar to 'move' and 'free,' the difference being in usage. Moving is primarily used in regard to the hampered flow of qi or water. Freeing (or unblocking) usually describes the promotion of the free flow of qi, the menses, stool, breast milk, or the waterways. 利 Li4 is often rendered by other writers as benefit or promote. 利水滲濕 (li shui shen shi) disinhibit water, percolate dampness : promote urination to make dampness leave the body, implying the use of sweet bland medicinals such as fu ling . 滲濕 (shen shi) percolate dampness : makes dampness seep downward with sweet bland medicinals. 溫化水濕 (wen hua shui shi) warm and transform water-damp : used to treat water swelling (edema) due to insufficient yang. 化 (hua4) transform : to eliminate or change gently or gradually (phlegm, damp, or rheum) by promoting their reabsorption by the body or rendering them more easily expectorated. Transformation can refer to either a constructive or a destructive change. 祛風勝濕 (qu feng sheng shi) dispel wind, overcome dampness : treats wind-damp bi patterns. 健脾利水 (jian pi li shui) fortify the spleen, disinhibit water : treats water swelling due to weak spleen qi or yang. 健脾利濕 (jian pi li shi) fortify the spleen, disinhibit dampness : same as the previous entry. 除 (chu2) eliminate : destroy (evils, especially phlegm or damp) ***

潤燥 (run zao) moisten dryness : eliminates dryness, especially by using moist enriching medicinals. 清宣潤燥 (qing xuan run zao) moisten dryness by light diffusion : treats dryness affecting the lungs 宣 (xuan) diffuse : to promote the smooth flow of qi, especially that of the lung. ‘Diffusing the lungs’ means promoting the normal diffusion of lung qi. 滋陰潤燥 (zi yin run zao) enrich yin, moisten dryness : treats dryness in the lungs, intestines, or stomach. *** 溫法 (wen fa) warming : treats cold conditions 溫中散寒 (wen zhong san han) warm the center, dissipate cold : treats cold in constitutional yang vacuity, spleen-stomach vacuity cold, or external cold entering the interior. 散 (san4) dissipate : eliminate (cold) or whittle away (stasis nodules and binds) 回陽救逆 (hui yang jiu ni) return yang, stem counterflow : for collapse of yang with vacuity desertion. 溫經散寒 (wen jing san han) warm the channels, dissipate cold : treats wind-cold-damp bi patterns. *** 理氣 (li qi) rectify qi : correction of any problem of qi, but especially used for qi stagnation or qi counterflow. 理 (li3) rectify : To correct, set right. Most often this term is applied to blood stasis or qi stagnation or counterflow, where it denotes moving qi, quickening the blood, resolving depressed qi, downbearing counterflow, or dispelling stasis. In its most general meaning, rectifying qi or blood can include supplementing qi and blood, cooling the blood, and stanching blood loss. Rectify can also be used in regard to the spleen, in which case it means the rectifying of spleen qi. Center rectification is a method that includes warming the center and dispelling cold in the treatment of splenogastric vacuity cold patterns. 調 (tiao2) regulate : to restore normal functioning. Regulate is primarily used to describe treatment of irregular menstruation or counterflow qi. These two therapeutic methods are called regulating the menses and regulating qi respectively. Regulating the menses is wider in scope than disinhibiting the menses, and qi regulation is similar to qi rectification, except the former is limited to the regulation of the quality and direction of flow. 調氣 (tiao qi) regulate qi : dissipate qi stagnation. 利氣 (li qi) disinhibit qi : dissipate qi stagnation. 通氣 (tong qi) free qi : dissipate qi stagnation. 行氣 (xing qi) move qi : dissipate qi stagnation. 疏郁理氣 (shu yu li qi) course depression, rectify qi : addresses qi stagnation due to emotional depression (liver qi depression). 和胃理氣 (he wei li qi) harmonize the stomach, rectify qi : treats counterflow stomach qi and other disharmonies.

降逆止嘔 (jiang ni zhi ou) downbear counterflow, check vomiting : specifically addresses counterflow stomach qi but not other disharmonies. 降氣平喘 (jiang qi ping chuan) downbear qi, calm panting : addresses counterflow lung qi for wheezing or panting. 破氣 (po qi) break qi : rectifying qi with drastic medicinals such as qing pi or zhi shi for binds and stagnation. *** 消導化積 (xiao dao hua ji) disperse, abduct, and transform accumulations : these address food stagnation, and hard masses, such as goiter, scrofula, concretions, conglomerations, accumulations, and gatherings. 消 (xiao) disperse : break up or cause to disappear (glomus lumps, phlegm, and food accumulations, and swellings) 消食 (xiao shi) disperse food : break up food stagnation. 消食導滯 (xiao shi dao zhi) disperse food, abduct stagnation : disperse stagnant food and enable it to be carried through the digestive tract. 消癭瘰癧痰核 (xiao ying luo li tan he) disperse goiter, scrofula, and phlegm nodes : breaking up these various types of phlegm nodes. 消癥瘕積聚 (xiao zheng jia ji ju) disperse concretions, conglomerations, accumulations, and gatherings : dispersing abdominal masses. 軟堅 (ruan jian) soften hardness : used for phlegm nodes and abdominal masses. *** 驅蟲 (qu chong) expel worms : eliminates worms in the intestines. 殺蟲 (sha chong) kill worms : *** 理血 (li xue) rectify blood : correction of any pathology of blood, but especially refers to treating blood stasis or bleeding. 祛瘀 (qu yu) dispel stasis : any method of treating stasis. 活血 (huo xue) quicken the blood : to increase activity, to enliven the blood. Moving the blood is often referred to as quickening the blood. The network vessels can also be quickened. This later usage of the word implies an unblocking of the vessels and promotion of the flow of qi and blood within them. This is a mild action. 化瘀 (hua yu) transform stasis : This is a stronger action. Transforms stasis back into healthy blood. 破血 (po xue) break blood : This is a powerful action. This breaks apart hard lumps. These medicinals are often used to treat cancer and may cause side-effects. 逐瘀 (zhu yu) expel stasis : used when there is blood stasis in the uterus. Make it leave the body. 止血 (zhi xue) stanch bleeding : to stop bleeding. 通經 (tong jing) free the channels or free menstruation *** 祛痰 (qu tan) dispel phlegm : any method of treating phlegm. 化痰 (hua tan) transform phlegm : generic, but implies recycling the phlegm back into body fluids. More often used for the upper jiao . 消痰 (xiao tan) disperse phlegm : break up phlegm. This is a more forceful method.

滌痰 (di tan) flush phlegm : eliminates stubborn phlegm. This is a harsh or forceful method. 逐痰 (zhu tan) expel phlegm : eliminating phlegm forcefully. 豁痰 (huo tan) sweep phlegm : eliminating phlegm forcefully to open the orifices. 攻痰 (gong tan) attack phlegm : used when treating epilepsy, mania, withdrawal, or childhood fright wind. *** 安神 (an shen) quiet the spirit : treats a disquieted spirit. 安 (an1) quiet : to reduce movement or activity. Disquietude of the spirit is treated by quieting. Fetal disquietude manifests as excessive fetal movement or tendency to miscarry and is treated by quieting the fetus. Sometimes gastric harmonization or hepatogastric harmonization is referred to as quieting the center. 養心安神 (yang xin an shen) nourish the heart, quiet the spirit : when caused by heart blood or heart yin vacuity. 重鎮安神 (zhong zhen an shen) quiet the spirit with heavy settlers : a more forceful method using heavy minerals and shells. 鎮 (zhen4) settle : to calm. In herbology, to quiet (the spirit) with heavy settling agents. *** 祛風 (qu feng) dispel wind : eliminate exteriorly contracted wind. 疏散外風 (shu san wai feng) course and dissipate external wind : to resolve the exterior. 舒 (shu1) soothe : To relax. Soothing the sinews is a general term that means to relax the sinews when they are tensed and heal them when they are damaged. Soothing the liver is synonymous with coursing the liver. The Chinese equivalents of soothe and course are pronounced the same and overlap in meaning. 平息内風 (ping xi nei feng) calm and extinguish internal wind : any method to eliminate internal wind. 平 (ping2) calm : to reduce (liver yang, dyspnea). Liver calming is a method of treating ascending liver yang that is appropriate regardless of the cause. The Chinese character means peace, tranquility, and evenness, and expresses both the ability of certain points to settle liver yang and the patient's resultant calm and tranquility. 平肝息風 (ping gan xi feng) calm the liver, extinguish wind : treats liver wind caused by ascendant liver yang. 滋陰息風 (zi yin xi feng) enrich yin, extinguish wind : treats liver wind caused by yin vacuity. 祛風解痙 (qu feng jie jing) dispel wind, resolve tetany : treats tetany due to liver wind, including lockjaw, facial paralysis, or convulsions. 柔肝 (rou2 gan) emolliate (or soften) the liver : The method of treating yin vacuity (or insufficient liver blood), characterized by loss of visual acuity, dry eyes, night blindness, periodic mental dizziness, tinnitus, and pale nails, or poor sleep, excessive dreaming, dry mouth with lack of fluid, and a fine weak pulse. Since the liver is the unyielding viscus and relies on the blood for nourishment, liver yin vacuity is often treated with points that nourish the blood. 伐肝 (fa gan) quell the liver : control excessively exuberant liver qi invading the spleen. 抑肝 (yi gan) repress the liver : same as quell the liver .

*** 開竅法 (kai qiao fa) open the orifices : treats loss of consciousness or altered consciousness. 清熱開竅 (qing re kai qiao) clear heat, open the orifices : treats high fever with delirium or loss of consciousness. 逐寒開竅 (zhu han kai qiao) expel cold, open the orifices : treats coma due to cold-damp phlegm turbidity, for example in windstroke. 化痰開竅 (hua tan kai qiao) transform phlegm, open the orifices : used when hot or cold phlegm mists the heart orifices. 豁痰開竅 (huo tan kai qiao) sweep phlegm, open the orifices : same as the previous entry. *** 補法 (bu fa) supplementation : The method of increasing or strengthening any aspect of the body. 補氣 (bu qi) supplement qi : treats qi vacuity. 益氣 (yi qi) boost qi : same as previous entry. 益 (yi4) boost : to supplement (qi, spleen, and occasionally yin) 健脾 (jian4 pi2) fortify the spleen : to strengthen the spleen, to make it healthy. 補血 (bu xue) supplement blood : treats blood vacuity. 氣血雙補 (qi xue shuang bu) supplement both qi and blood : treats both qi and blood vacuity. 補陰 (bu yin) supplement yin : treats yin vacuity. 養 (yang3) nourish : to supplement (the heart, stomach, kidneys, and liver, in particular their yin or blood aspect) 養陰 (yang yin) nourish yin : same as supplement yin. 育陰 (yu yin) fostering yin : same as supplement yin. 滋陰 (zi yin) enrich yin : to nourish and moisten yin (especially kidney or liver yin) 強 (qiang2) strengthen : to supplement (yin, especially kidney yin) 增液 (zeng ye) increase humors : to supplement fluids. 生津 (sheng jin) engender liquids : to supplement fluids lost through disease 填精 (tian jing): replenish essence 復脈 (fu mai) restore the pulse : when it has almost expired 補陽 (bu yang) supplement yang : treats yang vacuity. 助陽 (zhu yang) assisting yang : same as previous entry. 壯陽 (zhuang yang) invigorate yang : to supplement yang, especially kidney yang when there is impotence 升陽 (sheng yang) upbear yang 固陽 (hui yang) return yang : to supplement yang when yang is deserting ***

固澀 (gu se) secure and astringe : stopping discharge of sweat, blood, semen, etc., especially in critical desertion patterns. 斂汗固表 (lian han gu biao) constrain sweat, secure the exterior : treats exterior vacuity with copious sweating. 澀腸固脫 (se chang gu tuo) astringe the intestines, stem desertion : treats serious diarrhea or fecal incontinence that are leading to desertion. 澀精止遺 (se jing zhi yi) astringe essence, check seminal emission or enuresis : treats loss of semen or urine due to kidney vacuity. 縮尿 (suo niao) reduce urine : treats loss of urine due to kidney vacuity. 固崩止帶 (gu beng zhi dai) stem flooding, check vaginal discharge : treats loss of uterine blood or vaginal discharge due to vacuity. 斂肺止咳 (lian fei zhi ke) constrain the lungs, suppress cough : treats enduring cough due to lung vacuity. *** 湧吐 (yong tu) ejection : induced expulsion of matter from the digestive tract, throat, or lungs through the mouth. *** 明目 (ming2 mu4) brighten the eyes : enhance visual acuity or otherwise benefit the eyes. *** (Most of this is from Introduction to English Terminology of Chinese Medicine , Nigel Wiseman, Feng Ye) ***