NCCAOM HERBS EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
⩥ Boil these two very toxic herbs for 30-60 minutes longer. Answer:
chuan wu and cao wu
⩥ Da zao combines with what herb to harmonize? Answer: sheng jiang,
since da zao is very sticky, and sheng jiang is very spicy
⩥ What diuretic herb is good for jaundice, and also what point goes with
it? Answer: yin chen hao; DU 9
⩥ Must crush this herb or it does not work at all. Answer: suan zao ren
⩥ Describe the primary vs. secondary fx for bai zhu vs. cang zhu.
Answer: bai zhu strengthens the spleen, which then dries damp; cang
zhu dries damp, which then strengthens the spleen
⩥ What is the temperature of tian ma? How does this relate to its fx?
Answer: neutral; so it can be used for wind and tremors whether by heat
or cold
⩥ What is the dosage for tian ma in powder form? Answer: 0.9-1.5 g
,⩥ Yang tonics relate to regulating what fx? Answer: endocrine
⩥ The driest herb. Answer: cang zhu
⩥ activate blood herb that is used for stopping various types of pain.
Answer: yan hu suo
⩥ How many grams of dan shen for vasculitis? Answer: 60g
⩥ Temperature of sheng di vs. shu di. Answer: sheng di is cold, while
shu di is slightly warm
⩥ What two herbs used together are good to calm the fetus? (hint, one is
a qi tonic, and
one clears damp-heat) Answer: bai zhu and huang qin
⩥ Best activate blood herbs to use for masses (2 herb combination).
Answer: san leng and e zhu
⩥ What yang tonic is used for infertility? Answer: xian mao
⩥ What yang tonic regulates the 8 extra vessels? Answer: lu rong
,⩥ What is the only "very warm" herb, and what category is it in?
Answer: bu gu zhi; yang tonic
⩥ Three causes for LV wind. Answer: blood deficiency, LV yang rising,
high fever
⩥ Tian men dong vs. mai men dong. Answer: tian men dong: heavier
(goes to KD), very cold, must have heat signs; mai men dong:
lighter (goes to ST), slightly cold
⩥ Name the three very cold herbs. Answer: shi gao, mang xiao, tian men
dong
⩥ four indications of anchor and calm herbs. Answer: shen disturbance,
LV yang rising, leakage of LU qi, ST rebel qi
⩥ The only flower that goes down. Answer: xuan fu hua
⩥ Three fx of sang ji sheng and du zhong. Answer: strengthen LV and
KD, calms fetus, lowers BP
⩥ What part of gui ban is used for yin? Answer: ventral for yin
, ⩥ Do not cook for longer than 10 minutes, or will not decrease BP.
Answer: gou teng
⩥ What is the dosage of hong hua needed to harmonize the blood?
Answer: 0.9-1.5 (exam could say 1-1.5)
⩥ Cooking this herb for more than 10 minutes will decrease its purgative
effect. Answer: da huang
⩥ What cathartic herb is incompatible with gan cao? Answer: da ji
⩥ How must you prepare da huang to use it for blood stasis? Answer:
with wine
⩥ What 3 disperse w-h herbs benefit the throat? Answer: bo he, niu bang
zi, chan tui
⩥ What 5 disperse w-h herbs release rashes? Answer: bo he, nui bang zi,
chan tui, ge gen, sheng ma
⩥ What 6 disperse w-h herbs clear the eyes? Answer: bo he,chan tui,
sang ye, ju hua, man jing zi, mu zei
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
⩥ Boil these two very toxic herbs for 30-60 minutes longer. Answer:
chuan wu and cao wu
⩥ Da zao combines with what herb to harmonize? Answer: sheng jiang,
since da zao is very sticky, and sheng jiang is very spicy
⩥ What diuretic herb is good for jaundice, and also what point goes with
it? Answer: yin chen hao; DU 9
⩥ Must crush this herb or it does not work at all. Answer: suan zao ren
⩥ Describe the primary vs. secondary fx for bai zhu vs. cang zhu.
Answer: bai zhu strengthens the spleen, which then dries damp; cang
zhu dries damp, which then strengthens the spleen
⩥ What is the temperature of tian ma? How does this relate to its fx?
Answer: neutral; so it can be used for wind and tremors whether by heat
or cold
⩥ What is the dosage for tian ma in powder form? Answer: 0.9-1.5 g
,⩥ Yang tonics relate to regulating what fx? Answer: endocrine
⩥ The driest herb. Answer: cang zhu
⩥ activate blood herb that is used for stopping various types of pain.
Answer: yan hu suo
⩥ How many grams of dan shen for vasculitis? Answer: 60g
⩥ Temperature of sheng di vs. shu di. Answer: sheng di is cold, while
shu di is slightly warm
⩥ What two herbs used together are good to calm the fetus? (hint, one is
a qi tonic, and
one clears damp-heat) Answer: bai zhu and huang qin
⩥ Best activate blood herbs to use for masses (2 herb combination).
Answer: san leng and e zhu
⩥ What yang tonic is used for infertility? Answer: xian mao
⩥ What yang tonic regulates the 8 extra vessels? Answer: lu rong
,⩥ What is the only "very warm" herb, and what category is it in?
Answer: bu gu zhi; yang tonic
⩥ Three causes for LV wind. Answer: blood deficiency, LV yang rising,
high fever
⩥ Tian men dong vs. mai men dong. Answer: tian men dong: heavier
(goes to KD), very cold, must have heat signs; mai men dong:
lighter (goes to ST), slightly cold
⩥ Name the three very cold herbs. Answer: shi gao, mang xiao, tian men
dong
⩥ four indications of anchor and calm herbs. Answer: shen disturbance,
LV yang rising, leakage of LU qi, ST rebel qi
⩥ The only flower that goes down. Answer: xuan fu hua
⩥ Three fx of sang ji sheng and du zhong. Answer: strengthen LV and
KD, calms fetus, lowers BP
⩥ What part of gui ban is used for yin? Answer: ventral for yin
, ⩥ Do not cook for longer than 10 minutes, or will not decrease BP.
Answer: gou teng
⩥ What is the dosage of hong hua needed to harmonize the blood?
Answer: 0.9-1.5 (exam could say 1-1.5)
⩥ Cooking this herb for more than 10 minutes will decrease its purgative
effect. Answer: da huang
⩥ What cathartic herb is incompatible with gan cao? Answer: da ji
⩥ How must you prepare da huang to use it for blood stasis? Answer:
with wine
⩥ What 3 disperse w-h herbs benefit the throat? Answer: bo he, niu bang
zi, chan tui
⩥ What 5 disperse w-h herbs release rashes? Answer: bo he, nui bang zi,
chan tui, ge gen, sheng ma
⩥ What 6 disperse w-h herbs clear the eyes? Answer: bo he,chan tui,
sang ye, ju hua, man jing zi, mu zei
