Chinese herbal prescriptions emphasize the use of "medication introductions". What is the role of medication introductions? According to historical literature records, medication introductions have the following effects: concentrating the medicinal ingredients at the affected area, enhancing therapeutic effects, detoxifying, protecting the stomach, and adjusting taste. The following are several commonly used medication introductions:
Salt
Salty and cold, it enters the kidney, stomach, and large intestine meridians, and has the effect of clearing water and detoxification. When treating the Six Flavor Rehmannia Pill and the Lycium and Chrysanthemum Rehmannia Pill for kidney yin deficiency, it is recommended to use a mild saltwater solution for administration, as its saltiness can enter the kidneys.
Ginger
Pungent and mildly warm, it enters the lung and spleen meridians, and has the effects of inducing sweating, relieving surface-level symptoms, warming the middle, and stopping cough. When treating wind-cold common colds and vomiting due to gastric coldness, ginger is commonly used as a medication introduction with 3-5 slices to enhance the therapeutic effect.
Scallion
Pungent and warm, it enters the lung and stomach meridians, and has the effects of dispelling cold, promoting yang energy circulation, detoxifying, and dispersing masses. When treating wind-cold common colds and urinary blockage due to coldness, scallion is commonly used as a medication introduction with 5-7 roots.
Chinese Lovage Root
Sweet, mild, and slightly cold, it enters the heart and small intestine meridians, and can clear the heart and relieve restlessness, promote diuresis, and relieve urinary difficulties. When treating excessive heart fire and short, red urine, a small handful of Chinese Lovage Root is recommended as a medication introduction.
Polished Rice
Sweet and neutral, it enters the stomach meridian, and has the effects of benefiting qi and invigorating the stomach. When using large doses of bitter and cold medicines to treat heat-related illnesses, a small amount of polished rice is taken as a medication introduction to protect the stomach from the cold and bitter properties. For example, in the case of Qinghuo Jiere decoction for relieving summer heat and fever.
Chinese Date
Sweet and warm, it belongs to the spleen and stomach meridians, and can nourish qi, invigorate the middle, nourish blood, calm the mind, and harmonize the properties of other medicines. When using strong medicines (such as Gan Sui, Flos Genkwa, Euphorbia, and Tatarian Aster) it is common to use 10-15 Chinese dates to moderate their properties and prevent toxicity.
Honey
Sweet and neutral, it enters the lung, spleen, and large intestine meridians, and has the effects of nourishing, moisturizing, and detoxifying. When treating lung deficiency with dry heat and intestinal dryness and constipation, 1-2 tablespoons of honey are commonly used as a medication introduction.
Vinegar
Sour and neutral, it has the effects of dispersing stasis, relieving pain, astringing and consolidating. When treating women's excessive vaginal discharge, hemorrhage due to blood heat, and abdominal pain caused by roundworms, 1 tablespoon of vinegar is commonly used as a medication introduction.
Brown Sugar
Sweet and warm, it can invigorate the middle, dispel stasis. When treating postpartum lochia blockage and cold pain in the lower abdomen, 20-30 grams of brown sugar are commonly used as a medication introduction.
