14 Endogenous Wind
 DRUGS FOR CALMING THE LIVER Drugs whose principal effects are calming the liver to check endogenous wind and relieve convulsion and calming the liver to suppress hyperactivity of the liver-Yang are called drugs for calming the liver. These drugs are chiefly indicated for dizziness and blurred vision due to hyperactivity of the liver-Yang, and spasms and convulsions due to up-stirring of endogenous wind resulting from disorders of the liver. Some drugs in this class also have the effects of clearing away heat from the liver and are therefore effective for blood-shot, swollen and painful eyes and headaches due to intense heat in the liver. Drugs for calming the Liver should be used in combination with drugs from other classes according to the causes of the disease. - In cases of up-stirring of wind due to intense Heat, drugs for clearing away Heat and purging fire should be added; for infantile convulsion due to phlegm and heat, drugs for clearing away heat and resolving phlegm should be added. - For up-stirring of wind due to blood deficiency, they should be used together with drugs for nourishing the blood; for up-stirring of Wind due to deficiency of Yin, drugs for tonifying Yin should be given as well. In addition, since hyperactivity of the liver-Yang or up-stirring of wind dur to Liver disorders is frequently accompanied with mental disorders, drugs for calming the liver are often used in combination with tranquillisers. These drugs are different in property (cold or warm) and therefore they should be used for different purposes. Drugs with cold property should not be used in cases of chronic infantile convulsion due to deficiency of the spleen and drugs with warm and hot properties should be cautiously prescribed in cases of hyperactivity of Yang due to Yin deficiency.
Section 1 ANTIRHEUMATICS Drugs of this type are capable of eliminating the pathogenic Wind-Dampness from the muscles, channels and collaterals, tendons and bones. Some of them have the effects of relaxing the muscles and tendons, clearing and activating the channels and collaterals, relieving pain and strengthening the tendons and bones by nourishing the Liver and Kidney. These drugs are effective for arthralgia due to Wind-Dampness, spasm of muscles, numbness and hypoesthesia, hemiplegia, aching loins and knees, flacidity of the lower limbs and other symptoms. Suitable drugs of this type should be selected according to the actual conditions such as the characteristics and locations of different types of arthralgia-syndrome, and should be used in combination with other kinds of drugs: if the pathogens are at the body superficies, leading to pain mainly in the upper part of the body, drugs of expelling pathogenic wind and inducing diaphoresis should be added; if the pathogens are already in the channels and collaterals, resulting in stagnation of qi and stasis of blood and antirhumatics should be given together with drugs for clearing the channels and collaterals and promoting blood circulation; if the arthralgia is mainly due to excessive cold-Dampness, drugs for warming the channels should be added; in cases with evident signs of Heat, Heat-clearing drugs should also be used; for those with dificiency of QI and blood due to chronic illness, drugs for replenishing qi and nourishing the blood should be used as well for complementation. Since the arthraligia-syndrome is ususally chronic, besides decoction, antirheumatics can be prepared into tincture, pill or powder for convenient administration.