Author: Zhang Zhong-Jing, 張仲景
Year: c. 220
Source: Discussion of Cold Damage (Shang Han Lun, 傷寒論)
Category: Formulas that Drain Downward
Pattern: Cold-Phlegm leading Cold excess clumping in the chest
Key Symptoms: Extreme fullness and hardness in the chest (possibly extending to the lower abdomen), constipation, coughing up of turbid fishy-smelling sputum.
Ingredients
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Jie Geng
| 30g | |
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Pinyin: Jie Geng
Chinese: 桔梗
Pharmaceutical: Radix Platycodi
English: Balloon Flower Root |
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Tastes: Bitter, pungent, neutral
Meridians Entered: Lung |
Actions & Indications:
- Opens the Lungs, spreads Lung Qi, expels Phlegm and benefits the throat
Cough due to Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat (with profuse sputum, sore throat, loss of voice)
Loss of voice or sore throat due to external Heat, Phlegm Heat or Yin Deficiency Heat
- Expels pus
Lung or throat abscess (Phlegm and Qi Stagnation) with fevers, chest pain, coughing of yellow sputum with a fishy smell and hemoptysis
- Opens and raises Lung Qi, directing the effects of other herbs to the upper body
Reinforces the actions of the other herbs and focuses the formula on the upper body
- Expels Gu Toxins
Vomiting blood due to Gu-Toxins (with Gan Cao; in the Soushen Ji, Record of Searching for Spirits; Wilcox, 2024).
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Overdose can cause nausea and vomiting. |
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Ba Dou
| 10g | |
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Pinyin: Ba Dou
Chinese: 巴豆
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Crotonis
Taxonomy: Croton Tiglium
English: Croton Fruit |
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Tastes: Pungent, Hot, Toxic
Meridians Entered: Stomach, Large Intestine, and Lung |
Actions & Indications:
- Warmly unblocks and vigorously purges (purges accumulated Cold)
Severe Internal Cold Accumulation leading to constipation, abdominal fullness, distention and pain
Food Stagnation
- Drives out water and reduces oedema
Ascites due to end stage schistomiasis
- Breaks up clogged Phlegm and improves the condition of the throat
Difficult breathing, wheezing, and severe fullness and distention in the chest and diaphragm
Phlegm Blocking the Orifices
- Promotes healing of abscesses and ulcers topically and kills parasites
Abscesses that have suppurated but not ulcerated
Severe ulcers
- Stops diarrhoea
Diarrhoea due to Cold
- Kills Parasites
Insecticide topically
Internally for Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
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Standard Dosage: 0.1-0.3g powder taken separately.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in pregnancy, those anxious about their health, and is incompatible with Qian Niu Zi.
While not actually on the list of banned and restricted herbal ingredients in the UK it is generally substituted with Wu Zhu Yu due to lack of availability. |
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Bei Mu
| 30g | | |
Pinyin: Bei Mu
Chinese: 贝母
Pharmaceutical: Bulbus Fritillariae
Taxonomy: Fritillaria spp.
English: Fritillaria Bulb |
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Tastes: Bitter, sweet, lightly cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Heart |
Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat, transforms Phlegm and stops coughing
Acute Lung Heat patterns with productive cough
- Clears Heat and dissipates nodules
Phlegm-Fire causing neck swellings (Chuang Yung) Lung and breast abscesses
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Contraindicated to Wu Tou. |
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Subsitutions:
In the UK Ba Dou is substituted with Wu Zhu Yu.
Preparation: Ground into powder and taken in 0.5-1g doses with warm water.
It is supposed to induce diarrhoea to purge the insides. The source text advises to take with warm rice gruel if it does not induce diarrhoea, or with cold rice gruel if the diarrhoea does not stop.
Actions: Warmly drains downward, expels water, transforms Phlegm, disperses clumping.
Contraindications: Weak and pregnant patients, or in cases of acute abdominal pain due to Heat or Summerheat.
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.
