THE NINETEEN ANTAGONISMS (Xiang Wu)

In Traditional Herbal Medicine, a student spends a good deal of time studyign traditional recipes of herbs. One topic that a student studies is that of the "Nineteen Antagonisms" and the "Eighteen Compatibilities". In this first post, I will discuss the Nineteen Antagonisms and then discuss the Eighteen Incompatibilities in next weeks post.

There is a list of 19 herbal combinations that are seen as "antagonistic", herb combinations that are never seen together in traditional recipes because the herbs have actions that are antagonistic or opposite of each other and should not be combined. The results of combining such herbs can cause certain unwanted side effects, in the same way that combining different pharmaceutical drugs is not done because of drug-to-drug interactions. The "Nineteen Antagonisms" are:

Sulfur (Liu Huang) is antagonistic with Sal Glauberis (Po Xiao)
Hydragyrum (Shui Yin) is antagonistic with Arsenicum (Pi Shuang)
Radix Euphorbia (Da Ji) is antagonistic with Lithargyrum (Mi Tuo Seng)
Semen Croton Tiglii (Ba Dou) is antagonistic with Semen Pharbitidis (Qian Niu Zi)
Nitrum (Ya Xiao) is antagonistic with Rhizome Sparganii (San Leng)
Flos Caryophylli (Ding Xiang) is antagonistic with Tuber Circuma (Yu Jin)
Flos Caryophylli (Ding Xiang) is antagonistic with Radix Circuma (Jiang Hunag)
Radix Aconiti (Wu Tou) is antagonistic with Cornu Rhinoceri (Xi Jiao)
Radix Ginseng (Ren Shen) is antagonistic with Excrementum Trogopteri Seu Pteromi (Wu Ling Zhi)
Cortex Cinnamomum (Rou Gui) is antaginostic with Halloysitum Rubrum (Chi Shi Zhi)

Always be weary and apprehensive if you see a recipe that combines any of the above herbal combinations.

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PlumDragon Herbs: Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm Liniments

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