Herb Formulas Notebook

Zhi Bao Dan

Greatest Treasure Special Pill


Source: Fine Formulas by Su and Shen (1075)


Category: Formulas that Clear Heat

Pattern: Phlegm-Heat obscuring the orifices of the Heart

Key Symptoms: Fever, irritability, restlessness, delirious speech, impaired or loss of consciousness, copious sputum and rough breathing with raspy sounds, spasms or convulsions.

Tongue: Red or deep red with a foul, greasy, yellow coating
Pulse: Slippery and rapid


Ingredients

Shui Niu Jiao 300g
Niu Huang 0.3g
Dai Mao 30g
Bing Pian 0.3g
She Xiang 0.3g
An Xi Xiang 45g
Zhu Sha 30g
Hu Po 30g
Xiong Huang 30g

Subsitutions:
All the ingredients except Hu Po are prohibited from use in the UK so its inclusion here is for academic interest more than practical use. If we were to use substitutions some suggestions from Lloyd and Leung would be:
Shui Niu Jiao = Xuan Shen + Huang Lian in 3:1 ratio
Niu Huang = Huang Lian + Gou Teng + Tian Zhu Huang
Bing Pian = Shi Chang Pu + Yuan Zhi
She Xiang = Shi Chang Pu + Ru Xiang
An Xi Xiang = Shi Chang Pu + Yu Jin
Zhu Sha = Hu Po
Some suggestions of my own for the missing ingredients would be:
Dai Mao = Chong Lou + Tian Ma to calm Liver Wind and stop convulsions
Xiong Huang = Chuan Bei Mu + Gua Lou to clear Phlegm-Heat.


Preparation: Ground into powder and formed into pills. Originally an additional 50 pieces of silver leaf and 25 pieces of gold leaf were added and the pills coated in an additional 25 pieces of gold leaf. These are generally omitted today along with Zhu Sha and Xiong Huang due to their toxic heavy content.
One 3g pill is taken 1-3 times per day with a decoction of Ren Shen.


Actions: Clears Heat, opens the sensory orifices, transforms turbidity, resolves toxicity



Research Links:



Reference Notes: (click to display)

These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.