Source: Handed-Down Rare and Treasured Formulas (Song Dynastry)
Category: Formulas that Dispel Summerheat
Pattern: Summerheat Sudden Turmoil Disorder from consumption of cold food and drink injuring the Spleen and Stomach
Key Symptoms: Spasmodic diarrhoea and vomiting, squeezing pain of the central abdomen, cold sweats over the entire body, frigid extremities, restlessness, thirst, inability to settle down
Ingredients
Huang Lian
| 9g | |
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Pinyin: Huang Lian
Chinese: 黄连
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Coptidis
Taxonomy: Coptidis chinensis
English: Coptis Rhizome / Goldthread Rhizome
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Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Stomach, Large Intestine and Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat and drains Dampness
Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
Stomach Heat with vomiting and/or acid regurgitation
- Drains Fire and resolves Fire toxicity
Heat with Blazing Fire (Toxic Heat) with high fever. irritability, disorientation, delirium, a red tongue and a rapid, full pulse
Heat from Excess with toxicity: painful, red eyes and a sore throat
Boils, carbuncles and abscesses (Chuang Yung)
- Clears Heat and stops bleeding
Blood Heat with epistaxis, hematuria, hemafecia and hemoptysis
- Clears Heat topically
Infected wounds, red and painful eyes, ulcerations of the tongue and mouth (topical)
- Clears Heart Fire (sedative)
Heart Fire
Lack of communication between the Heart and Kidneys
- Drains Stomach Fire
Stomach Fire
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Standard Dosage: 2-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for deficiency-cold syndrome. Because its taste is extremly bitter and dryness, overdosage and long-time taking will impair spleen and stomach, yin and fluids. |
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Hou Po
| 9g | |
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Pinyin: Hou Po
Chinese: 厚朴
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Magnoliae
Taxonomy: Magnolia officinalis
English: Magnolia Bark
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Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Large Intestine
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Actions & Indications:
- Promotes the movement of Qi in the Middle Jiao and resolves Stagnation
Abdominal, epigastric, and/or chest fullness, bloating, loss of appetite, poor digestion, constipation
Plum Pit Qi, a feeling of a lump in throat, usually considered psychosomatic today (globus hystericus). Hou Po has modern indications as neuroprotective and also features in formulas like Da/Xiao Cheng Qi Tang which deal with neuropsychiatric symptoms like delirium.
- Promotes the movement of Qi downward, dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
Dampness or Phlegm Obstructing the Middle Jiao with distention, fullness, nausea and diarrhoea
- Descends Rebellious Qi, reduces Phlegm and calms wheezing
Cough and wheezing due to Phlegm congesting the Lungs
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for the syndrome of qi deficiency and fluid consumption, and in pregnant women. Due to some of the anticoagulant effects of its constituents it should be used with caution in conjunction with blood thinners. |
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Xiang Ru
| 6g | | |
Pinyin: Xiang Ru
Chinese: 香薷
Pharmaceutical: Herba Moslae seu Elscholtsiae
English: Aromatic Madder / Mosla / Elscholtzia
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Tastes: Pungent, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen, Stomach and Gallbladder
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Actions & Indications:
- Induces sweating, releases the Exterior, expels Summeheat, transforms Dampness and harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach
Wind-Cold during the summer, especially when accompanied by Dampness with chills, fever, headache, anhidrosis, body aches, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
Externally contracted Summerheat or Dampness
- Promotes urination and reduces swelling
Edema and urinary difficulty especially if associated with external invasion
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Standard Dosage: 6-15g in decoction. Small doses decocted for a short time are best for sweating, large doses decocted for a long time are better for inducing diuresis.
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Subsitutions:
Scheid et al. (2009) lists the last ingredient as Ru Xiang but it has been assumed to be a mistake.
Preparation: Mix Hou Po with 12g ginger juice, pestle into a paste and fry until the colour changes to purple. Decoct 9g of this powder with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of wine until 1 cup remains. At present it is generally prepared as a decoction with Sheng Jiang added.
Actions: Resolves the Exterior and disperses Cold, dispels Summerheat and eliminates irritability
Research Links:
Reference Notes: (click to display)
Most formulas are found in Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet (2009): Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies and Chen & Chen (2015) Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications. Others are from translations of primary sources. It is recommended that the original material is cross-referenced for mistakes and additional information.
Substitutions have been taken from Ken Lloyd & Prof. Leung (2004): Mayway UK Substitution List or the above publications and are intended as suggestions to help navigate the tight restrictions in the UK quickly. More applicable substitutions may be appropriate in specific situations.
Individual herb information has initially been sourced from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.