Stabilise & bind herbs

15 herbs in the Shen Study library belong to the Stabilise & bind category.

Stabilise & bind herbs are mostly astringent and sweet, and most enter the Kidney channel.

Herb	Nature	Flavour	Channels	Main action
Wǔ Wèi Zǐ Schisandra	Warm	Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Acrid, Salty	Lung, Heart, Kidney	Constrains Lung qi, stops cough and wheezing
Shān Zhū Yú Asiatic cornelian cherry	Warm	Sour, Astringent	Liver, Kidney	Tonifies Liver and Kidney, secures Jing and essence
Jīn Yīng Zǐ Cherokee rose fruit	Neutral	Sour, Astringent, Sweet	Kidney, Bladder, Large Intestine	Astringes Kidney, secures Jing
Qiàn Shí Gordon euryale seed	Neutral	Sweet, Astringent	Spleen, Kidney	Tonifies Spleen, astringes Damp, stops diarrhoea
Lián Zǐ Lotus seed	Neutral	Sweet, Astringent	Spleen, Kidney, Heart	Tonifies Spleen, stops diarrhoea
Fú Xiǎo Mài Blighted wheat grain	Cool	Sweet	Heart	Astringes Heart, stops sweating from deficiency
Wū Méi Mume plum fruit	Neutral	Sour, Astringent	Liver, Spleen, Lung, Large Intestine	Astringes Lung, stops cough
Ròu Dòu Kòu Nutmeg	Warm	Acrid	Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine	Binds intestines, stops diarrhoea
Hē Zǐ Chebule fruit	Neutral	Bitter, Sour, Astringent	Lung, Large Intestine	Binds intestines, stops diarrhoea
Chì Shí Zhī Red halloysite	Warm	Sweet, Sour, Astringent	Large Intestine, Stomach	Binds intestines, stops diarrhoea
Chūn Pí Tree of heaven bark	Cold	Bitter, Astringent	Large Intestine, Stomach, Liver	Clears Heat, dries Damp
Fù Pén Zǐ Chinese raspberry	Warm	Sweet, Sour	Liver, Kidney, Bladder	Benefits Kidney, secures essence, reduces urination
Sāng Piāo Xiāo Mantis egg case	Neutral	Sweet, Salty	Liver, Kidney	Secures essence, reduces urination
Hǎi Piāo Xiāo Cuttlefish bone	Warm	Salty, Astringent	Spleen, Kidney	Astringes, stops bleeding
Lián Xū Lotus stamen	Neutral	Sweet, Astringent	Heart, Kidney	Secures Kidney, astringes essence

Other herb categories

• Release exterior (Cold)
• 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
• Expel wind-damp
• Aromatic, transform damp
• Drain damp
• Stop bleeding
• Relieve food stagnation
• Expel parasites
• Anchor Yang / extinguish Wind
• Open orifices
• Topical use