By Eric Brand

Below is a list of herbs that are said to enter the eight extraordinary vessels:

Bai shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba): Governs yang wei (yang linking vessel) [aversion to] cold and heat [effusion] and dai mai (girdling vessel) abdominal pain

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Lu hui (Aloe): Governs disease in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel), counterflow qi and abdominal urgency

Ba ji tian (Morindae Officinalis Radix): Enters the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)

Bing lang (Arecae Semen): Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) counterflow qi and abdominal urgency

Wu zhu yu (Evodiae Fructus).: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) counterflow qi and abdominal urgency

Dang gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix): Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) disease with counterflow qi and abdominal urgency; dai mai (girdling vessel) disease with abdominal fullness; broad lumbus as if sitting in water

Huang bai (Phellodendri Cortex): Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) counterflow qi

Bai zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma): Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) disease, counterflow qi and abdominal urgency, umbilical and abdominal disease

Xiang fu (Cyperi Rhizoma).: Enters the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)

Chuan xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma): Moves in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)

Huang qin (Scutellariae Radix): Moves in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)

Bie jia (Trionycis Carapax): Moves in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)

Mu xiang (Aucklandiae Radix).: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) disease, counterflow qi and abdominal urgency

Gou qi zi (Lycii Fructus): Supplements essence-blood of the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) and du mai (governing vessel)

Huang qi (Astragali Radix): Governs yang wei (yang linking vessel) disease with [aversion to] cold and heat [effusion], and du mai (governing vessel) disease with counterflow qi and abdominal urgency

Cang er zi (Xanthii Fructus): Moves in the du mai (governing vessel)

Xi xin (Asari Herba).: Governs du mai (governing vessel) disease, stiffness of the spine and reversal

Fu zi (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata).: Governs du mai (governing vessel) disease, stiffness of the spine and reversal

Goat (or sheep) spine: Frees the du mai (governing vessel)

Bai guo (Ginkgo Semen): Frees the du mai (governing vessel)

Lu jiao shuang (Cervi Cornu Degelatinatum)+: Frees qi abiding in the du mai (governing vessel)

Lu rong (Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum): Frees the essence chamber of the du mai (governing vessel)

Lu jiao jiao (Cervi Cornus Gelatinum)+: Warms the blood of the du mai (governing vessel)

Gui ban (Testudinis Plastrum): Frees the ren mai (controlling vessel)

Gao ben (Ligustici Rhizoma): Governs du mai (governing vessel) stiffness of the spine and reversal

Gui zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus): Moves in the yang wei (yang linking vessel)

Fang ji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix): Enters the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel)

Rou gui (Cinnamomi Cortex).: Frees the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel) and du mai (governing vessel)

Chuan shan jia (Manis Squama): Enters the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel) and yin qiao mai (yin springing vessel)

Hu gu (tiger bone) : Enters the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel) and yin qiao mai (yin springing vessel)

Xu duan (Dipsaci Radix): Governs dai mai (girdling vessel) disease

Ai ye (Artemisiae Argyi Folium): Governs dai mai (girdling vessel) disease with abdominal fullness, and broad lumbus as if sitting in water

Long gu (Mastodi Ossis Fossilia): Treats dai mai (girdling vessel) disease

Wang bu liu xing (Vaccariae Semen): Frees the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) and ren mai (controlling vessel)

Ze lan (Lycopi Herba): Regulates disease damaging the eight [extraordinary] vessels

Sheng ma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma): Relaxes retraction and tension in the dai mai (girdling vessel)

Gan cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix): Harmonizes counterflow of the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel), and relaxes tension in the dai mai (girdling vessel)

Dan shen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix): Boosts the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) and ren mai (controlling vessel)