Source: Extensive Notes on Medicine
Category: Formulas that Drain Downward
Pattern: Accumulation of Dryness and Heat in the Intestines with disturbance of the Spirit
Key Symptoms: Constipation
Secondary Symptoms: Restless, irritability, short temper and insomnia
Ingredients
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Zhu Sha
| 15g | |
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Pinyin: Zhu Sha
Chinese: 朱砂
Pharmaceutical: Cinnabaris
Taxonomy: HgS
English: Cinnabar / Vermilion / Mercury (II) Sulfide / 丹 Dan / 朱雀 Zhu Que (Red Raven) |
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Tastes: Sweet, cold, toxic
Meridians Entered: Heart |
Actions & Indications:
- Sedates the Heart and calms the Spirit
Restlessness, palpitations, anxiety, insomnia and convulsions associated with a disturbed Spirit
Heart Fire (with appropriate herbs)
Phlegm Fire Disturbs the Heart (with appropriate herbs)
Heart Blood Deficiency (with appropriate herbs)
- Expels Phlegm and sedates jitteriness and convulsions while stopping tremors
Seizures, childhood convulsions and other problems due to Phlegm-Heat Blocking the Pericardium and Heart
Wind-Phlegm dizziness
Lung Heat
- Clears Heat, relieves toxicity and prevents putrefaction
Topically for carbuncles, mouth sores, sore throat and snakebite
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of minerals which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate with the spirit light (Shenming) and prevent senility. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生) and spiritual practice.
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Standard Dosage: No dosage is permissible due to mercury toxicity. 0.1-0.5g in powder or pills is traditional.
Cautions: Prohibited from use today due to its mercury content, it is generally omitted or substituted with Hu Po. Historically it was sometimes confused with Xue Jie, so this could also make a potential substitute in the right circumstances.
Zhao, Li & Wang (2022) claim that grinding and washing was a traditional method of removing the toxicity but any amount of mercury toxicity is unacceptable today.
Traditional contraindications include overdose and taking for a long period of time, or calcinification. |
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Lu Hui
| 21g | | |
Pinyin: Lu Hui
Chinese: 蘆薈
Pharmaceutical: Aloe vera seu ferox
Taxonomy: Aloe very (syn. barbadensis) seu ferox
English: Aloe Juice |
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Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Large Intestine, Liver and Stomach |
Actions & Indications:
- Purges and drains Fire and guides out accumulations
Heat Accumulation with constipation, dizziness, red eyes, and irritability (especially for Hot constipation with Heart and Liver Fire with irritability, restlessness and insomnia)
Chronic constipation
- Clears Heat and cools the Liver
Heat in the Liver channel or Liver Fire with epigastric discomfort, dizziness, headache, irritability, tinnitus, constipation and fever
- Kills parasites and strengthens the Stomach
Childhood nutritional impairment especially when due to roundworms
Tinea
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Standard Dosage: 0.6 - 4.5g as concentrate in pills, or 10 - 15g of whole leaf in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of patients with hypo-function of stomach and spleen, poor appetite, diarrhea as well as pregnant women. |
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Subsitutions:
Due to the unacceptable toxicity of Zhu Sha it must be substituted. Da Huang shares its Heat purging, Blood moving and Shen calming properties while also having purgative properties and it could be adjusted with Fan Xie Ye (senna leaves) and/or Yu Li Ren (bush cherry pit) to make it even more explosive and live up to its name!
Preparation: Ground into a fine powder and formed into pills with a small amount of wine and taken in 3.6g doses.
Actions: Drains fire and unblocks the bowels.
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.
