Article 21: An Overview of Liver-Soothing Herbs and Herbs for Soothing the Liver and Extinguishing Wind (Gastrodia elata, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Pheretima aspergillum, Scolopendra subspinipes)

Drugs whose main function is to calm the liver and extinguish wind or to calm the liver and subdue yang are called liver-calming drugs. Liver-calming drugs have the effects of extinguishing wind and stopping spasms and calming yang, respectively. They are mainly suitable for convulsions and spasms caused by internal liver wind or dizziness and vertigo caused by hyperactivity of liver yang.

This is equivalent to conditions in modern medicine such as hypertension, cerebrovascular accidents and their sequelae, neurosis, Meniere's syndrome, epilepsy, tetanus, and febrile seizures caused by acute infectious diseases such as epidemic encephalitis B or epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis.

According to modern research, liver-soothing drugs mainly have the following pharmacological effects: ① Liver-soothing drugs all have obvious sedative and anticonvulsant effects, which can reduce the spontaneous activity of animals, enhance the central inhibitory effects of pentobarbital, thiopental sodium, and chloral hydrate, and have a certain antagonistic effect on various convulsants.

②Most liver-soothing drugs have different degrees of antihypertensive effects. Although the antihypertensive mechanisms of each drug are different, they all have good efficacy for hypertension that presents as yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity or internal wind.

Most liver-soothing medicines tend to be cooling, but some tend to be warming and drying, so they need to be used differently. Those with spleen deficiency and slow-onset palpitations should not use cooling liver-soothing medicines, while those with yin deficiency and blood deficiency should use warming and drying liver-soothing medicines with caution.

I. Liver-calming and wind-extinguishing medicine

The main functions of liver-calming and wind-extinguishing drugs are to calm liver wind and stop spasms; they are also known as wind-extinguishing and spasm-stopping drugs. They are suitable for internal liver wind, manifested as numbness of limbs, tremors, convulsions, facial paralysis, hemiplegia, etc. Liver-calming and wind-extinguishing drugs have sedative, anticonvulsant, and antihypertensive effects; some also have analgesic, antithrombotic, and antitumor effects.

Gastrodia elata

This product is the rhizome of Gastrodia elata, an orchid.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, pungent, neutral.

[Functions] ① Calms the liver and subdues yang, used to treat dizziness and headache caused by hyperactivity of liver yang; ② Extinguishes wind and stops spasms, used to treat convulsions and spasms caused by internal stirring of liver wind; ③ Unblocks meridians and collaterals, used to treat rheumatic pain, numbness of limbs, and paralysis of hands and feet.

[Pharmacological effects] Sedative, analgesic, anticonvulsant, hypotensive, improves myocardial blood circulation, regulates cerebrovascular function, anti-inflammatory, immune-enhancing, anti-aging, anti-hypoxia, improves learning and memory ability, antiviral.

[Modern Applications] Neurasthenia, dizziness, intractable headache, neuralgia, facial nerve spasm, epilepsy, tetanus, hyperlipidemia.

[Usage] Decocted and taken orally, 3-10 grams.

Uncaria rhynchophylla

This product consists of the hooked stems and branches of plants in the Rubiaceae family, such as Uncaria rhynchophylla, Uncaria macrophylla, Uncaria pubescens, Uncaria sinensis, or Uncaria sessilea.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, slightly bitter, slightly cold.

[Functions] ① Clears heat and calms the liver, used to treat headaches caused by liver fire and dizziness caused by liver yang; ② Relieves wind and stops spasms, used to treat convulsions caused by liver wind.

[Pharmacological Actions] Lowers blood pressure, inhibits the heart, has antiarrhythmic effects, inhibits platelet aggregation, has antithrombotic effects, has sedative and anticonvulsant effects, has calcium antagonistic effects, relieves asthma, and inhibits intestinal tract.

[Modern Applications] Hypertension, pertussis, bronchial asthma, wheezing bronchitis, migraine, depression, infantile night crying.

[Usage]Decoct and take orally, 10-15 grams, do not decoct for too long.

[Caution]Use with caution if you have a weak spleen and stomach.

earth dragon

This product is the dried whole body of *Pheretima asiatica*, *Pheretima commonis*, *Pheretima wieldii*, or *Pheretima pumilus*, all belonging to the family Lumbriaceae.

[Properties and Flavors] Salty, cold.

[Functions] ① Clears heat and calms wind, used to treat febrile diseases with high fever and convulsions, epilepsy, and dizziness and headache caused by hyperactivity of liver yang; ② Unblocks the meridians, used to treat rheumatic pain and hemiplegia caused by stroke; ③ Clears the lungs and relieves asthma, used to treat cough and asthma caused by lung heat; ④ Clears heat and promotes diuresis, used to treat heat accumulation in the bladder, difficulty urinating or urinary retention; ⑤ Clears heat and detoxifies, applied externally to treat mumps, burns, and lower limb ulcers.

[Pharmacological Actions] Lowers blood pressure, inhibits platelet aggregation, reduces blood viscosity, anticoagulates, antithrombotic, antipyretic, sedative, anticonvulsant, antiasthmatic, antitumor, antiarrhythmic, stimulates intestinal and uterine smooth muscle, spermicide, antiulcer, and jaundice-reducing.

[Modern Applications] Hypertension, thrombotic diseases, epilepsy, schizophrenia, sequelae of encephalitis B, cerebrovascular accident, cervical headache and dizziness, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, pertussis, peptic ulcer, mumps, filariasis, burns, erysipelas, oral thrush, suppurative otitis media, herpes zoster, drug eruption.

[Usage] For decoction, take 5-10 grams; for pills or powder, take 1-2 grams; for fresh product, dissolve in water and take 10-20 grams. For external use, apply as needed.

[Caution] Not for use by pregnant women. Use with caution if you have a weak spleen and stomach or no excess heat.

centipede

This product consists of the whole body of two species of centipede, namely, *Scolopendra subspinipes* and *Scolopendra multispinipes*.

[Properties and Flavors] Pungent, warm. Toxic.

[Functions] ① Relieves wind and stops spasms, used to treat fever with wind, acute and chronic convulsions, stroke, epilepsy, and tetanus; ② Unblocks meridians and relieves pain, used to treat rheumatic pain and intractable headaches; ③ Detoxifies and disperses nodules, used to treat scrofula ulcers and snake bites, and externally to treat sores and carbuncles.

[Pharmacological effects] Anticonvulsant, platelet aggregation induction, antifungal, antituberculosis, antitumor, immune enhancement, analgesia, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, anti-aging.

[Modern Applications] Facial nerve palsy, facial neuritis, epilepsy, sequelae of cerebral thrombosis, nephritis, tuberculosis, pertussis, viral hepatitis, impotence, gastrointestinal tumors, acute mastitis, chronic osteomyelitis, skin infections and ulcers, burns, deep abscesses, herpes zoster, corns, and suppurative otitis media.

[Usage]Decoction, 1-3 grams; pills or powders, 0.5-1 gram.

[Caution] This medication is contraindicated for those with blood deficiency and wind-related symptoms, as well as pregnant women. Dosage should not be excessive.