Herbal medicines for treating colds are categorized into wind-cold dispersing and wind-heat dispersing medicines. Herbs for dispersing wind-cold mainly include ephedra, cinnamon sticks, perilla, Elsholtzia, thorns, and fengfeng; and those for dispersing wind-heat mainly include peppermint, burdock, mulberry leaves, honeysuckle, and forsythia.
Ephedra and cinnamon stick are strong drugs for dispersing wind-heat; perilla not only has the effect of dispersing wind-heat and cold (removing cold from the surface of the muscles), but also has the effect of moving qi and relaxing the middle; Elsholtzia has the effect of dispersing wind-heat and cold and also has the effect of promoting water retention and reducing edema; Thornybush and windproof are commonly used to dispersing wind-heat and cold, but because of their calm nature, they are also commonly used for wind-heat colds.
Mint has the efficacy of dispersing wind-heat, clearing the head and eyes, and facilitating the pharynx, and is often used for wind-heat colds with sore throat; burdock has the efficacy of dispersing wind-heat, promoting the lungs to penetrate the rashes, and facilitating the pharynx; mulberry leaf has the efficacy of dispersing wind-heat, clearing the lungs, and moistening the dryness, and is especially suitable for warm dryness; honeysuckle and forsythia are both commonly used to dispersing wind-heat colds.
The effect of a single Chinese medicine is limited, and patients with colds are advised to consult a hospital in time, and to use Chinese medicines under the guidance of a professional physician to avoid delaying their condition.