Prescriptions for eliminating dampness are mainly composed of diuretic drugs with effects of eliminating dampness, inducing diuresis, relieving stranguria and discharging turbidity, and are suitable for pathogenic dampness.
  
Dampness may be generated either exteriorly or interiorly, and located either in the superficies or the interior, either in the upper or in the lower. Dampness also differs in nature as cold or heat. Therefore, prescriptions for eliminating dampness are subdivided accordingly to prescriptions for drying dampness and regulating the stomach, those for clearing away heat and dampness, those for promoting diuresis and eliminating dampness, those for warming and eliminating water-dampness, and those for expelling wind and eliminating dampness.
 
Prescriptions for drying dampness and regulating the stomach chiefly consist of drugs with bitter and warm nature, which possess the effects of drying dampness, invigorating the spleen, promoting the flow of qi and regulating the stomach and are applied to syndrome of dampness retention in the middle-energizer. Prescriptions for clearing away heat and dampness are composed of drugs with the effects of clearing away heat and toxins and inducing diuresis and used for syndrome of damp heat accumulation in the interior. Prescriptions for promoting diuresis and eliminating dampness are made up of drugs with the effect of promoting diuresis and eliminating dampness, which can promote urination and relieve swelling and are fit for excessive retention of water-dampness.

Prescriptions for warming and eliminating water-dampness consist of drugs with the effect of warming yang and removing cold, inducing diuresis and eliminating dampness, which can warm yang and are suitable for syndrome of phlegm retention due to cold-dampness. Prescriptions for expelling wind and eliminating dampness possess the effects of dispelling wind and cold, eliminating dampness and relieving pain and are applied to obstruction of meridians and collaterals by dampness.
 
This group of prescriptions is apt to consume and impair body fluid because they are mostly composed of drugs that are aromatic, warm, dry, sweet and bland and can promote diuresis. For this reason, they should be cautiously used for patients with usual deficiency of yin and body fluid, or those with weak constitution after illness, or pregnant women.