Drugs which can warm the interior and dispel internal cold to treat interior cold syndromes are referred to as interior warming drugs. Drugs of this class are pungent and hot in property and can disperse the cold in the interior to normalize the yang-qi or functional activity of the body. These drugs are indicated for gastric and abdominal cold pain, vomiting and diarrhea due to the attack of exogenous cold on the interior and Spleen Yang, or for aversion to cold, cold limbs, pale complexion, clear and long urination, pale tongue and thready pulse due to deficiency of Yang Qi accompanied with excessive cold in the interior. Some of these drugs have the function of recuperating depleted yang and rescuing the patient form collapse, and therefore they are indicated for yang depletion syndrome. Interior warming drugs should be dispensed toether with other types of drugs. For example, in cases of attack of exogenous cold on the interior accompanied with exterior syndrome, diaphoretics should be used as well; for accumulation of cold associated with stagnation of qi, drugs for regulating the normal flow of qi should be added; for cold syndrome due to yang deficiency, the interior warming drugs should be supplemented by warming and tonifying drugs. Interior warming drugs are pungent and hot and are liable to induce fire and cause damage to yin, they should therefore be used cautiously or should not be used altogether for heat syndromes, syndromes of yin deficiency, and for women in pregnancy.