Release the exterior (jie biao)

Herbs that release the exterior dispel pathogens from the external and superficial layers of the body, treating symptoms such as fever, chills, stiff muscles, headaches, nasal congestion, rashes and unusual sweating.

They are generally acrid and dispersing with diaphoretic properties and are divided into warming herbs that expel wind-cold, such as gui zhi (cassia bark, Cinnamomum cassia) and ma huang (ephedra, Ephedra sinica), and cooling herbs that expel wind-heat such as bo he (peppermint, Mentha haplocalyx), ju hua (chrysanthemum, Chrysantemum morifolium) and chai hu (bupleurum, Bupleurum chinense).

Their strong dispersing qualities mean they should only be taken until the pathogen is released, to prevent excessive loss of fluids through sweating.