Editor's note: The effects of cha herbal formulas are numerous and well-known. This three-part article discusses 24 of the most well-known effects of cha herbal formulas, including ingredients, dosage, preparation and functions.

Each part discusses eight effects from cha formulas. For a description of the first 16 effects, please see part one and part two of this article.

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Effects of Cha Herbal Formulas

17. Subdue Wind (Qufeng Jie Biao) Effect

A. Wu Hu Tang (Five Tiger Soup)

Dosage: Makes one dose, decocted.

Function: Exterior pathogenic wind attack without sweating and labored breathing.

18. Strengthen Teeth (Jian Chi) Effect

Green tea contains fluoride. Gunpowder variety of tea is exceptionally high in fluoride.

19. Stop Epigastric Pain (Zhi Xin Tong) Effect

A. Ying Tong Wan Fan

Preparation: Grind into powder. Mix with vinegar and rabbit blood and form into pills the size of a chicken head.

Dosage: One pill per dose dissolved in warm vinegar.

Function: Treats acute pain caused by heart qi and blood stagnation.

20. Treat Skin Fungus (Liao Cang Zhi Lou) Effect

A. Jing Yan Fang

1. Wash affected area with concentrated gan cao decoction.
2. Use green tea powder mixed with vinegar to make a poultice.
3. Apply poultice to affected area.

Function: Damp wind heat of genitalia with itching, discharge, and so on.

21. Fight Hunger (Liao Ji) Effect

A. Cha Salad

Preparation: Steam tea leaf to remove bitterness. Add oil, salt, sheng jiang, vinegar and toss.

22. Increase Qi (Yi Qi Li) Effect

Cha in general treats mental fatigue.

23. Longevity (Yan Nian Yi Shou) Effect

An old story from the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960 - A.D. 1279) tells about a 120-year-old elder being asked what herbs he took on a regular basis. He replied, "I have no knowledge about herbs, but I drink tea daily (40-50 cups per day)." Lu Yu, referred to as the "Sage of Teas," regarded the Lu Shan Yun Wu variety of green tea as longevity tea.

24. Other Uses (Qi Ta) Effect

1. Mosquito repellant - tea burned to produce smoke.
2. Mouth sores - decoct roots of tea plant.
3. Promotes menses - chewed with sugar.
4. Three Yin Malaria - a disease in TCM causing shao yang fever and chills occurring at night during the fall and winter seasons.

A. Yi Fang Ji Lun Fang

Preparation: Steep in a large amount of boiled water. Drink before bed (before chills attack).

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Click here for previous articles by Brenton Harvey, LAc, CH.

Click here for more information about Hong Ji.

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