Major ingredients of premature graying herbs

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The Yin tonic herbs:

 

Hei Zhi Ma, aka Semen Sesami Indici, aka black sesame seed: sesami

indicin, sesamolin, sesamol, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic

acid, arachic acid, glycerol, vitamin E, calcium.

 

Nu Zhen Zi, aka Fructus Lignustri Lucidi, aka privet fruit, aka

female chastity seed: oleanolic acid, mannitol, glucose, palmitic

acid, linoleic acid, ursolic acid. This one, like sesame seeds

targets the Liver and Kidneys.

 

Han Lian Cao, aka Herba Ecliptae Prostratae: saponins, including

ecliptine, and alpha-terthienylmethanol, thiophene derivates,

wedelolactone. This one also targets the Liver and Kidney. This one

is particularly indicated for cooling Hot Blood and stopping bleeding

due to Hot Blood.

 

The Blood tonic herbs:

 

Shu Di Huang, aka Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Conquitae, aka " cooked "

rehmannia, aka Chinese foxglove: beta-sitosterol, mannitol,

stigmasterol, campesterol, rehmannin, catalpol, arginine, glucose.

Cooked rehmannia has a special affinity for the Heart, Kidneys, and

Liver. This is one of the herbs used for wasting and thirsting

disorder (some cases of diabetes though not all cases of diabetes are

wasting and thirsting disorder, and not all cases of wasting and

thirsting disorder are diabetes). This one also is mentioned for

steaming bone disorder.

 

He Shou Wu, aka Radix Polygoni Multiflori, aka fleeceflower root:

chrysophanic acid, emodin, rhein, chrysophanic acid anthrone,

lecithin. This one has an affinity for the Liver and Kidneys.

 

Sang Shen, aka Fructus Mori Albae, aka mulberry fruit-spike:

carotene, thiamene, riboflavin, vitamin C, tannin, linoleic acid,

stearic acid. This is another herb which is used in wasting and

thirsting disorder due to Yin Deficiency. (This herb has Yin tonic

properties in addition to its main Blood tonic properties.) Sang

Shen enters the Heart, Liver, and Kidneys.

 

Notes for those new to TCM and to herbalism: The Chinese Materia

Medica (book listing healing substances) gives the meridians and

Organs entered by a particular herb. Another way of saying this is

that the herb has a particular affinity for these meridians and

Organs. This information allows herbal treatment to be very fine-

tuned.

 

When you see the word " zi " in the name of a Chinese herb, this

means " seed " . Some translation problems arise because what the

Chinese call a seed sometimes is called a fruit in the West. So when

you see " zi " in the Chinese name of an herb, it's going to be the

seed or the fruit. (Some of the list members who read and write

Chinese correct me if I'm wrong on this.)

 

Western pharmaceutical names are always preceded by the part of the

plant (or other healing substance) which is used. " Semen " means

seed. As in Semen Sesami Indici - black sesame seed. " Fructus " means

fruit. As in Fructus Mori Albae, mulberry fruit-spike. " Radix "

means root - as in Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Conquitae.

The " Conquitae " part of this pharmaceutical names means " prepared " or

cooked. Unprepared rehmannia has different properties than prepared

rehmannia. Just like dried ginger has different properties from raw

ginger.

 

It's important to specify the part of the plant used because

different parts of the same plant can have different properties. For

example, the properties of the root (radix) of ephedra are the

opposite of the part of the ephedra plant that grows above ground

(herba). Don't want to get these two mixed up!

 

Victoria