Release exterior (Cold) herbs

13 herbs in the Shen Study library belong to the Release exterior (Cold) category.

Release exterior (Cold) herbs are mostly warm or hot and acrid, and most enter the Lung channel.

Herb	Nature	Flavour	Channels	Main action
Má Huáng Ephedra	Warm	Acrid, Slightly bitter	Lung, Bladder	Induces sweating, releases exterior Wind-Cold
Guì Zhī Cinnamon twig	Warm	Acrid, Sweet	Heart, Lung, Bladder	Releases exterior, warms channels
Zǐ Sū Yè Perilla leaf	Warm	Acrid	Lung, Spleen	Releases exterior, disperses Wind-Cold
Jīng Jiè Schizonepeta	Warm	Acrid	Lung, Liver	Releases exterior, disperses Wind
Fáng Fēng Siler root	Warm	Acrid, Sweet	Bladder, Liver, Spleen	Releases exterior, expels Wind-Cold
Xì Xīn Wild ginger	Warm	Acrid	Heart, Lung, Kidney	Disperses Cold, relieves pain strongly
Bái Zhǐ Angelica root	Warm	Acrid	Stomach, Large Intestine, Lung	Expels Wind, relieves pain (especially forehead/sinus)
Cōng Bái Spring onion bulb	Warm	Acrid	Lung, Stomach	Releases exterior, induces sweating
Shēng Jiāng Fresh ginger	Warm	Acrid	Lung, Spleen, Stomach	Releases exterior, disperses Wind-Cold (mild)
Xīn Yí Huā Magnolia flower bud	Warm	Acrid	Lung, Stomach	Disperses Wind-Cold, opens nasal orifices
Cāng Ěr Zǐ Cocklebur fruit	Warm	Acrid, Bitter	Lung	Disperses Wind-Cold-Damp, opens nasal orifices
Gǎo Běn Chinese lovage root	Warm	Acrid	Bladder	Expels Wind-Cold, releases exterior
Xiāng Rú Mosla herb	Warm	Acrid	Lung, Stomach	Induces sweating, releases exterior — summer

Other herb categories

• Release exterior (Heat)
• Clear heat
• Drain downward
• Warm interior
• Regulate qi
• Invigorate blood
• Resolve phlegm
• Tonify qi
• Tonify blood
• Tonify yin
• Tonify yang
• Calm shen
• Stabilise & bind
• Expel wind-damp
• Aromatic, transform damp
• Drain damp
• Stop bleeding
• Relieve food stagnation
• Expel parasites
• Anchor Yang / extinguish Wind
• Open orifices
• Topical use