Any medicinal herb that has the ability to warm up the interior and dispel cold to act on internal conditions is known as the interior warming Chinese medicinal herbs.

The category of medicinal herbs are warm and heat in nature, and can expel interior cold and invigorate yang-qi. They are indicated for syndrome due to invasion of cold into the interior which affects yang-qi; or cold conditions in the interior due to yang weakness manifested as cold and pain in the chest and epigastric abdomen, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and dysentery, chillness with cold limbs, and clear and profuse urine, etc.. Some of them can recuperate the depleted yang and rescue the patient from collapse, and are indicated for syndrome of yang exhaustion. In addition, some can warm the lung to resolve retention of phlegm, warm the liver to treat colic, lower the adverse-rising qi to relieve hiccup, and can be used for cough due to lung-cold, colic and vomiting due to stomach-cold, cold and pain in the epigastric abdomen.

They must be used in proper combination according to different syndromes. For yang deficiency with interior cold, they should be combined with yang tonifying medicinal herbs; for syndrome of yang exhaustion and collapse of qi, combined with Renshen (Radix Ginseng) to tonify qi and treat collapse of qi; for cold accumulation and qi stag-nation, combined with qi circulating medicinal herbs; for water retention due to yang deficiency, combined with the medicinal herbs for inducing diuresis and eliminating the dampness.

They are pungent, hot and dry in property and can help fire injure yin if they are used improperly, therefore they are contraindicated for heat syndrome and yin-deficiency syndrome, and used with caution in yin deficient and bleeding patients and pregnant women.

Fuzi  Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata

The source is from the root of Aconitum carmichaeli Debx., family Ranunculaceae. The medicinal material is mainly produced in the areas of Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan, etc., collected from the last ten-day period of June to the first ten-day period of August, and they are soaked and processed into salty, black, white, bland and soaked aconiti.

Medicinal Properties  Pungent and sweet in flavor, hot in nature, toxic and attributive to the heart, kidney and spleen meridians.

Actions  Recuperate the depleted yang for resuscitation, supplement fire and strengthen yang, expel cold to relieve pain.

Application

It is used for yang exhausion syndrome. It is an essential medicine for the treatment of yang-exhaustion syndrome manifested as clammy perspiration, faint breath, cold clammy limbs, indistinct and faint pulse, it is usually used in combination with Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae ), such as Sini Tang (Decoction); for exhaustion of qi due to yang-deficiency, it can be combined with Renshen (Radix Ginseng) to supplement qi to prevent prolapse of qi such as Shen Fu Tang (Decoction).

It is used to treat all syndromes of yang deficiency type. For insufficiency of kidney-yang with impotence, co1d and painful waist and knees, and frequent micturition, it is usually combined with Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi ), Shanzhuyu ( Fructus Corni ), and Shudihuang (Rhizoma Rehmanniae Praeparatae ), etc., such as Yougui Wan (Pill); for insufficiency of spleen-yang and kidney-yang and interior domination of cold and dampness with coldness and pain in epigastric abdomen, loss of appetite and diarrhea, it is combined with Dangshen (Radix Codonopsis ) , Baizhu ( Rhizoma Atractylodis Mazrocephalae), and Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis ), etc. for yang deficiency resulting in edema, and dysuria, usually used together with Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), Fuling (Poria) and Shengjiang ( Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens); for exogenous affection due to yang-deficiency, combined with Mahuang (Herba Ephedrae); for spontaneous perspiration due to yang-deficiency, combined with Huangqi (Radix Astragali).

It is used to treat all pain syndromes of cold type. For arthralgia of wind-cold-dampness type, pain of general joints due to domination of cold and dampness, it is combined with Guizhi ( Ramulus Cinnamomi ), Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae ) and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae); for abdominal pain due to cold accumulation and qi stagnation, combined with Dingxiang ( Flos CaryophyUi ), Gaoliangjiang ( Rhizoma Alpiniae Officinarum ) , etc..

Usage and Dosage  3 - 15 g is used in decoction for oral use and decocted at first for about a half to one hour until its narcotico-pungent taste is lost when its decoction is tasted by mouth.

Notes  Contraindicated in a case with yin-deficiency leading to hyperactivity of yang and pregnant women because of its pungent, hot, dry and violent properties. It is incompatible with Banxia ( Rhizoma Pinelliae ), Gualou ( Fructus Trichosanthis ), Beimu (Bulbus Fritillariae), Bailian (Radix Ampetopsis ) and Baiji ( Rhizoma Btetillae). It must be soaked for oral use, decocted for a long time, and over dosage and long administration must be avoided.

Rougui  Cortex Cinnamomi

The source is from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia Presl, family Lauraceae. The medicinal material is mainly produced in the areas of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan, etc., barked in autumn and then the bark is dried in the shade, cut into pieces or powdered and the crude form is used.

Medicinal Properties  Pungent and sweet in flavor, hot in nature and attributive to the spleen, kidney and heart meridians.

Actions  Supplement fire and strengthen yang, expel cold and alleviate pain, warm channels to promote the circulation of the blood.

Application

It is used for insufficiency syndromes of kidney-yang. For insufficiency of kidney-yang with impotence, chilliness, soreness and coldness of loins and knees, frequent micturition, seminal emission, and enuresis, etc., it is usually used in combination with Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata ), Shudihuang ( Rhizoma Rehmanniae Praeparatae