The Aura Herb Glossary
Chinese herbal medicine draws on hundreds of individual plants, roots, barks, seeds and fruits, most of which carry several names: a common English name, a botanical name, and a pinyin name used in traditional practice. This glossary brings them together in one place.
Every herb listed here appears in at least one product in the Aura Nutrition range. Each entry explains what the herb is, how it is traditionally understood, and which of our formulas contain it, so you can trace any ingredient back to the products it appears in.
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A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P R S T W
A
American Ginseng
Xi Yang Shen
A relative of Asian ginseng native to North America, American ginseng is traditionally regarded as the cooler of the two, valued where energy support is needed without adding heat to the body. It has a milder, slightly sweeter character than Panax ginseng.
Found in: FocusT
Angelica Sinensis
Dang Gui, also known as Dong Quai
One of the most widely used herbs in the entire Chinese materia medica, and among the most important for women's wellness in traditional practice. Angelica Sinensis is classically described as nourishing and moving the Blood, and it appears in a very large number of classical formulas, often as the chief herb. Its distinctive sweet, warming aroma makes it easy to recognise. In the West it is frequently sold under the name Dong Quai.
Found in: Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang, Tao Hong Si Wu Tang, Shi Du Qing Pian, Wen Jing Tang, Yi Zi Tang, Jia Wei Xiao Yao San
Asparagus Tuber
Tian Men Dong
A moistening herb traditionally associated with the lungs and with nourishing Yin, particularly where dryness is part of the picture. Not related to culinary asparagus in use, though the plants are botanically connected.
Found in: Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Astragalus
Huang Qi
Astragalus is one of the great Qi tonics of Chinese herbal medicine, used for well over two thousand years. In traditional terms it is described as strengthening the body's defensive layer, the Wei Qi, and it is the chief herb in several of the best known formulas for resilience and stamina. The root is harvested from plants that are typically four or five years old, sliced into pale yellow strips with a faintly sweet taste.
Found in: Yu Ping Feng San, Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang, Shi Quan Da Bu Tang, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan
B
Balloon Flower Root
Jie Geng
Traditionally used to open the chest and carry the actions of other herbs upward in a formula. In classical formula design it is often described as a guiding herb, directing the effects of the whole combination toward the upper body.
Found in: Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan
Bitter Orange Flower Bud
Dai Dai Hua
The dried flower bud of the bitter orange tree, aromatic and light, traditionally associated with easing a congested feeling in the chest and with supporting comfortable digestion.
Found in: DetoxT
Black Cardamon
Yi Zhi Ren
A warming, aromatic seed traditionally associated with the kidneys and spleen. Distinct from the culinary black cardamom used in Indian cooking, though the names are similar.
Found in: Wen Jing Tang
C
Cape Jasmine Fruit
Zhi Zi
The bright orange-red fruit of the gardenia plant, traditionally used as a cooling herb where there is heat and restlessness. It has also been used historically as a natural dye, which gives some indication of how strongly pigmented it is.
Found in: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Cassia Seed
Jue Ming Zi
Small, glossy, angular seeds traditionally associated with the liver and with the eyes, and used where the bowels need gentle encouragement. The pinyin name translates roughly as "brighten the eyes seed", which reflects its most established traditional association. Commonly used in Chinese herbal teas, where it lends a mild roasted flavour.
Found in: DetoxT
China Root
Fu Ling, also known as Poria
A fungus that grows on the roots of pine trees rather than a root itself, despite the name. Poria is one of the most frequently used substances in Chinese herbal medicine, traditionally described as draining dampness and supporting the spleen. It is notably bland in taste, which in traditional theory is itself considered significant, as bland-tasting substances are associated with drainage.
Found in: Dang Gui Shao Yao San, Si Jun Zi Tang, Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
Chinese Yam
Shan Yao
A starchy tuber used as both food and herb across China, traditionally valued for supporting the spleen, lungs and kidneys at once, which is unusual and part of why it appears in so many tonifying formulas. It is gentle enough to be used in cooking, and appears in Chinese soups and congees as often as in herbal preparations. In herbal use it is sliced and dried into pale, chalky rounds.
Found in: Liu Wei Di Huang Tang, Mai Wei Di Huang Wan, Qian Lie Shu Pian, Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan
Cinnamon Twig
Gui Zhi
The young twig of the cinnamon tree, distinct from the bark used as a kitchen spice. Traditionally described as warming and as moving through the channels toward the surface of the body, it is the chief herb in one of the oldest and most studied formulas in Chinese medicine.
Found in: Gui Zhi Tang, Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, Qian Lie Shu Pian
D
Dodder Seeds
Tu Si Zi
Tiny seeds from a parasitic climbing plant, traditionally associated with the kidneys and liver and with supporting reproductive health. One of the five seeds in the classical formula whose name literally means "five seed" preparation.
Found in: Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan
Dogwood Fruit
Shan Zhu Yu
A small, sour, deep red fruit traditionally used to consolidate and secure, particularly in relation to the kidneys. Its sourness is considered functionally important in traditional theory, where sour flavours are associated with gathering and holding rather than dispersing.
Found in: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, Qian Lie Shu Pian, Liu Wei Di Huang Tang
Dried Ginger
Gan Jiang
Ginger appears in Chinese herbal medicine in several forms, and they are not interchangeable. Dried ginger is considered more warming and more interior-acting than fresh ginger, which is used where a lighter, more outward effect is wanted.
Found in: FocusT
E
Eucommia Bark
Du Zhong
The bark of a tree found only in China, traditionally associated with the lower back and knees and with supporting the kidneys. When broken, the bark reveals fine white threads of natural latex that hold the pieces together, a distinctive feature used to identify genuine material.
Found in: Jie Yu An Shen Pian, Nuan Gong Yun Zi Wan, Yao Tong Pian
F
Fallopia Multiflora
He Shou Wu
A climbing plant whose prepared root is traditionally associated with the liver and kidneys and, in folk tradition, with maintaining hair colour. The pinyin name translates as "black-haired Mr He", after a legend about a man whose hair regained its colour after taking it.
Found in: Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan
Foxglove Root
Di Huang, also known as Rehmannia
One of the cornerstone herbs of Chinese medicine, and one that behaves quite differently depending on preparation. In its raw form it is considered cooling; steamed and dried repeatedly until dark and sticky, it becomes a rich, nourishing tonic. It is the chief herb in some of the most famous kidney formulas in the tradition. Despite the common English name, it is not related to the European foxglove and is more accurately called Rehmannia.
Found in: Liu Wei Di Huang Tang, Si Wu Tang, Tao Hong Si Wu Tang, Geng Nian An, Shi Quan Da Bu Tang, Mai Wei Di Huang Wan, Nuan Gong Yun Zi Wan, Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, Qian Lie Shu Pian
G
Genmaicha
A Japanese blend of green tea and roasted brown rice, giving a warm, nutty character. Because it is a true tea, it contains caffeine.
Found in: Fei Yan Diet Tea
Globe Amaranth
Qian Ri Hong
A round, papery flower that holds its deep magenta colour long after drying, which is where its Chinese name, meaning "thousand day red", comes from. Naturally caffeine-free and used in herbal teas as much for its colour as its character.
Found in: DigestiveT
Goji Berries
Gou Qi Zi
Perhaps the best known Chinese herb in the West, where it is usually sold as a food rather than a herb. In traditional practice goji berries are associated with the liver and kidneys and with the eyes, and they are considered gentle enough for regular use. They are sweet, slightly tart, and are eaten dried, brewed in tea, or cooked into soups and congees throughout China.
Found in: Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan
Green Chiretta
Chuan Xin Lian
An intensely bitter herb, traditionally used as a cooling and clearing remedy. Its bitterness is pronounced enough that it is almost always taken in tablet or capsule form rather than as a tea.
Found in: Shi Du Qing Pian
H
Hairy Root
Du Huo
Traditionally used for the lower body, particularly the lower back and legs, and often paired with a related herb that addresses the upper body. The pairing of the two is a classical example of how Chinese formulas are constructed to cover a whole region.
Found in: Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang
Hawthorn Fruit
Shan Zha
A tart red fruit traditionally used to support the digestion of rich and fatty foods, and one of the most food-like herbs in the pharmacopoeia. In China it is eaten as a sweet, candied on skewers as a winter street food. In herbal use it is sliced and dried, and it appears in both digestive and circulatory formulas.
Found in: DetoxT, DigestiveT
Hookweed Root
Qin Jiao
Traditionally used where there is stiffness and discomfort in the joints and limbs, and classically described as relaxing the sinews.
Found in: Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang
I
Immature Bitter Orange
Zhi Shi
The unripe fruit of the bitter orange, harvested small and dried whole or halved. Traditionally considered stronger and more downward-moving than the mature peel, and used where there is a sense of fullness or stagnation.
Found in: Si Ni San
J
Japanese Teasel
Xu Duan
The pinyin name translates as "restore what is broken", which reflects its long traditional association with the bones and sinews and with recovery from physical strain.
Found in: Yao Tong Pian
Jasmine
Mo Li Hua
The dried flower of the jasmine plant, prized for its fragrance and traditionally associated with easing a constrained mood. Harvested in the early morning when the buds are still closed, then dried or used to scent green tea.
Found in: HappyT
Job's Tears
Yi Yi Ren
A grain-like seed, pale and hard, traditionally used to drain dampness and support the spleen. It is used as a food across East Asia, cooked in soups and porridges much like barley, which it resembles. In herbal formulas it appears wherever a sense of heaviness or fluid retention is part of the traditional picture.
Found in: Guan Jie Yan Wan, Shen Ling Bai Zhu San, Qian Lie Shu Pian
L
Lily-Turf Root
Mai Men Dong
Small, translucent, slightly sweet tubers traditionally used where there is dryness, particularly of the lungs and throat. It is one of the three herbs in a classical formula for generating fluids, and appears widely in preparations aimed at nourishing Yin.
Found in: Mai Men Dong Tang, Sheng Mai San, Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Linden Leaf
The leaf of the lime or linden tree, used in European herbal tradition as much as in Chinese, and long associated with calm and with gentle relaxation. Light and mildly floral in character.
Found in: HappyT
Liquorice Root
Gan Cao
The most frequently used herb in the whole of Chinese medicine, appearing in a very large proportion of classical formulas. Its role is usually harmonising: it moderates the harsher herbs in a combination and helps the parts work together, which is why it is sometimes called the guide or the peacemaker. It is markedly sweet, far sweeter than sugar by weight, and that sweetness is considered functionally significant in traditional theory.
Found in: Fang Feng Tong Sheng San, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San, Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang, Si Ni San, Jie Yu An Shen Pian, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan, Qian Lie Shu Pian, FocusT
Longan Fruit
Long Yan Rou
A sweet, dark, dried fruit related to the lychee, traditionally used to nourish the Blood and calm the spirit. Its name translates as "dragon eye flesh", after the appearance of the fresh fruit.
Found in: Gui Pi Tang
Lotus Leaf
He Ye
The large round leaf of the lotus plant, traditionally associated with clearing summer heat and with a light, rising action. Used in Chinese cooking to wrap rice parcels as well as in herbal preparations.
Found in: DetoxT
Lotus Seed
Lian Zi
The pale seed of the lotus, traditionally used to consolidate and to calm, and associated with both the spleen and the heart. Widely eaten as a food across China, appearing in desserts, soups and mooncake fillings.
Found in: Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan
M
Magnolia Bark
Hou Po
Thick, aromatic bark traditionally used where there is a sense of fullness or oppression in the chest and abdomen. Its classical pairing with Pinellia forms the basis of one of the best known formulas for a constricted feeling in the throat.
Found in: Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang
Magnolia Flower
Xin Yi Hua
The furry, unopened flower bud of the magnolia tree, traditionally the principal herb for the nose and nasal passages. It is the defining ingredient in the classical formula for nasal congestion.
Found in: Bi Yan Pian
Magnolia-Vine Fruit
Wu Wei Zi, also known as Schisandra
The pinyin name means "five flavour fruit", because it is said to contain all five traditional tastes at once: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. That completeness is part of why it is traditionally regarded as acting on multiple organ systems simultaneously. It is a small, wrinkled red berry, and in the West it is usually sold as Schisandra.
Found in: Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan, Sheng Mai San, Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan
Motherwort
Yi Mu Cao
A herb with a long association with women's health in both Chinese and European traditions, which is reflected in its names: the pinyin translates as "benefit mother herb". Traditionally described as moving the Blood.
Found in: Ba Zhen Yi Mu Tang
Mulberry Leaf
Sang Ye
The leaf of the white mulberry, the same tree whose leaves feed silkworms. In traditional practice it is a light, cooling herb associated with the lungs and with the eyes, usually harvested after the first frost.
Found in: Guan Jie Yan Wan
N
Notoginseng
San Qi
A relative of ginseng, though used quite differently. Where ginseng is a tonic, Notoginseng is traditionally used to move and to stop bleeding at the same time, an unusual dual action that gave it a reputation as a field remedy for injuries.
Found in: Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian
O
Oolong
A partially oxidised true tea, sitting between green and black tea in character. Because it comes from the tea plant, it contains caffeine.
Found in: Fei Yan Diet Tea
Orange Peel
Chen Pi
Dried tangerine peel, and one of the few herbs in the tradition that is considered to improve with age, with older peel valued more highly than fresh. It is traditionally used to regulate Qi and support digestion, and its aromatic character makes it one of the most recognisable ingredients in Chinese herbal cooking as well as medicine.
Found in: Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan, DigestiveT
Oxknee Root
Niu Xi
Named for the swollen joints along its stem, which resemble an ox's knee. Traditionally used to direct the action of a formula downward toward the lower back and legs.
Found in: Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan
P
Palmleaf Raspberry Leaf
Fu Pen Zi
Traditionally associated with the kidneys and with consolidating and securing. The pinyin name translates as "overturned bowl", a reference to the shape of the fruit.
Panax Ginseng
Ren Shen
The most famous herb in Chinese medicine, and the archetypal Qi tonic. Traditionally reserved for cases of genuine depletion rather than everyday use, and historically valuable enough that wild roots were treated as treasures. The pinyin name means "man root", after the branched shape mature roots often take. It appears in a great many classical formulas, usually as the chief tonifying herb.
Found in: Si Jun Zi Tang, Sheng Mai San, Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang, Li Zhong Wan, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan, Gui Pi Tang
Patchouli
Huo Xiang
Best known in the West as a fragrance, patchouli has a long history in Chinese medicine as an aromatic herb for the digestion, traditionally used where dampness and summer heat combine to cause a heavy, queasy feeling. It is the chief herb in one of the standard formulas for that picture.
Found in: Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San
Peach Kernel
Tao Ren
The seed found inside the peach stone, traditionally used to move the Blood and to moisten the intestines. One of the classic Blood-moving herbs, usually paired with safflower in formulas of that type.
Found in: Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan, Tong Bian Ling Pian, Qian Lie Shu Pian
Peony Root Bark
Mu Dan Pi
The root bark of the tree peony, traditionally used as a cooling herb that also moves the Blood, a combination that makes it useful in formulas addressing both heat and stagnation.
Found in: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, Qian Lie Shu Pian, Liu Wei Di Huang Tang
Peppermint
Bo He
Used in Chinese herbal medicine as a light, cooling and outward-moving herb, traditionally associated with the head, throat and eyes, and with easing a constrained mood. It is added late in decoctions because its aromatic properties are lost with prolonged cooking, a detail that reflects how the tradition thinks about volatile herbs.
Found in: FocusT
Pinellia
Ban Xia
A tuber traditionally used to transform phlegm and to settle a rebellious downward-moving Qi. It must be processed before use, and the different processing methods produce materials with different traditional characters.
Found in: Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang, Mai Men Dong Tang
Polygonum Vine
Ye Jiao Teng
The stem of the same plant that produces He Shou Wu, used quite differently from the root. The pinyin name translates as "night-crossing vine", after the way the plant's leaves fold together at night, and it is traditionally associated with settling the spirit for sleep.
Found in: Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, Gui Pi Tang
R
Red Peony
Chi Shao
Distinct from White Peony despite coming from closely related plants. Red Peony is traditionally used to cool and move the Blood, where White Peony nourishes and softens. The two are not interchangeable in a formula.
Found in: Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Red Sage
Dan Shen
One of the most studied herbs in Chinese medicine, traditionally associated with the heart and with moving the Blood. Its deep red root is said in traditional theory to reflect that association, following the old principle that a herb's appearance hints at its use. It appears in formulas for circulation and for settling an agitated spirit.
Found in: Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian, Te Xiao An Mian Pian
Rhubarb Root
Da Huang
A powerful downward-draining herb, traditionally used where the bowels are obstructed and heat needs clearing. Its name translates as "big yellow", after the colour of the cut root. Chinese medicinal rhubarb is a different species from the culinary garden rhubarb.
Found in: Tong Bian Ling Pian
Roselle
Also known as hibiscus
The dried calyx of the roselle plant, tart and vividly red, used in herbal teas across Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. Naturally caffeine-free.
Found in: DigestiveT
S
Siler Root
Fang Feng
The pinyin name translates as "guard against wind", which describes its traditional role exactly: dispersing external wind without weakening the body. It is used in small amounts alongside tonifying herbs, a balance considered a hallmark of skilful formula design.
Found in: Yu Ping Feng San, Fang Feng Tong Sheng San
Silktree Bark
He Huan Pi
One of the most poetic names in the materia medica: the pinyin translates as "collective happiness bark". It comes from the mimosa tree, whose leaves fold together at night, and it is traditionally used to ease a constrained mood and settle the spirit.
Found in: Te Xiao An Mian Pian
Skullcap Root
Huang Qin
A bitter, cooling herb traditionally used to clear heat, particularly from the upper body. Not to be confused with the American or European skullcaps, which are different plants used differently.
Found in: Fang Feng Tong Sheng San, Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Szechuan Lovage
Chuan Xiong
An aromatic root traditionally used to move both Qi and Blood, and particularly associated with the head. It is one of the four herbs in the foundational Blood-nourishing formula of Chinese medicine.
Found in: Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang, Si Wu Tang, Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
T
Thin-Leaf Milkwort
Yuan Zhi
Traditionally used to connect the heart and kidneys and to settle the spirit, and long associated in the tradition with memory and mental clarity. The pinyin name translates as "far-reaching ambition".
Found in: Gui Pi Tang
Thorowax Root
Chai Hu
One of the defining herbs of Chinese medicine, and the chief herb in a whole family of formulas concerned with the smooth flow of Qi. It is traditionally described as releasing constraint and as working at the mid-level of the body, neither at the surface nor deep within. Almost every classical formula for emotional tension and stagnation contains it.
Found in: Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Yi Zi Tang, Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Xiao Yao San, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan, Si Ni San
W
Water Plantain Rhizome
Ze Xie
A draining herb traditionally used to remove excess fluid through the urinary system, and a standard component of the classical kidney formulas where it balances the richer tonifying ingredients.
Found in: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, Liu Wei Di Huang Tang, Qian Lie Shu Pian
White Atractylodes
Bai Zhu
One of the principal spleen tonics in Chinese medicine, traditionally used to strengthen digestion and dry dampness. It appears in a great many formulas aimed at building energy from the ground up, on the traditional logic that the spleen is where Qi is generated in the first place.
Found in: Li Zhong Wan, Shen Ling Bai Zhu San, Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang, Yu Ping Feng San, Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Si Jun Zi Tang
White Peony
Bai Shao
Traditionally used to nourish the Blood and soften the liver, and particularly associated with easing cramping and tension in the muscles. Its classical pairing with liquorice forms one of the simplest and most enduring formulas in the tradition, just two herbs.
Found in: Dang Gui Shao Yao San, Gui Zhi Tang, Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang, Si Wu Tang, Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Xiao Yao San
Where to Go Next
Every herb listed here appears in one or more products in our range. To explore the formulas themselves, browse the full Natural Herb Supplements collection or our functional herbal teas.
If you are new to Chinese herbal medicine, our beginner's glossary of TCM terms explains the concepts behind these traditional descriptions, and our guide to DaoDi herbs covers how and where we source them.