Bamboo Shavings Classic Formulas — Natural Herb Library

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Clears Phlegm-Heat from the Lung and Gallbladder while opening constrained Qi - used for cough with thick yellow sputum, chest oppression, bitter taste in the mouth, and phlegm-heat disturbing the upper burner, especially when Wen Dan Tang-style Gallbladder-Stomach disharmony is present.
Clears Stomach Heat and redirects rebellious Qi downward - a classic herb for nausea, vomiting, retching, and hiccup when Heat rather than cold or deficiency is driving the Stomach upward, especially in Ju Pi Zhu Ru Tang-type patterns.
Eliminates irritability and settles restlessness - used when phlegm-heat harasses the Heart and Gallbladder, producing insomnia, disturbing dreams, palpitations, anxiety, or post-febrile vexation with an inability to settle.
Gently cools without harshly draining - favored in patients who need antiemetic and phlegm-clearing support but are weakened after febrile disease, postpartum, or constitutionally sensitive to colder bitter herbs.

Ju Pi Zhu Ru Tang (橘皮竹茹汤) - from Jin Gui Yao Lue, pairing Zhu Ru with Chen Pi, Sheng Jiang, Ren Shen, Gan Cao, and Da Zao for hiccup, retching, and vomiting from Stomach deficiency with residual Heat and rebellious Qi.
Wen Dan Tang (温胆汤) - the classic formula for Gallbladder-Stomach disharmony with phlegm-heat, nausea, insomnia, palpitations, and mental restlessness; Zhu Ru serves as the cooling, phlegm-clearing deputy herb.
Hao Qin Qing Dan Tang (蒿芩清胆汤) - warm-disease formula in which Zhu Ru clears Gallbladder heat, transforms phlegm, and helps relieve bitter taste, chest oppression, nausea, and Shaoyang damp-heat agitation.

Jin Gui Yao Lue anchors Zhu Ru in Ju Pi Zhu Ru Tang for stubborn hiccup, vomiting, and rebellious Stomach Qi with deficiency complicated by residual Heat.
Later materia medica texts repeatedly describe Zhu Ru as sweet and slightly cooling, entering the Stomach and Lung to stop vomiting while also relieving vexation and phlegm-heat restlessness.
Modern Me & Qi teaching materials preserve the classical distinction that Zhu Ru is milder than Zhu Li: better for moderate phlegm-heat with nausea and insomnia, while Zhu Li is reserved for heavier phlegm obstruction.