Author: Zhu Dan-Xi, 朱丹溪
Year: 1732
Source: Essential Teachings of Dan-Xi (Dan Xi Xin Fa, 丹溪心法)
Category: Formulas that Dispel Phlegm
Pattern: Chronic and stubborn Phlegm-Heat
Key Symptoms: Dian Kuang (mania and withdrawal or bipolar disorder), severe palpitations with unconsciousness, coughing and wheezing with thick sputum, dysphagia with irritability and oppressive fullness in the chest and epigastrium, dizziness and tinnitus, nodules around the neck, erratic movements of the eyes and mouth, insomnia or sleep disturbed with bizarre dreams, severe stabbing pain in the joints, constipation.
Tongue: Thick yellow coating
Pulse: Slippery, rapid and forceful
Ingredients
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Meng Shi
| 30g | |
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Pinyin: Meng Shi
Chinese: 礞石
Pharmaceutical: Lapis Mica seu Chloriti
English: Lapis Stone |
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Tastes: Salty, neutral
Meridians Entered: Lung and Liver |
Actions & Indications:
- Descends Qi and reduces Phlegm
Chronic wheezing and cough due to old, stubborn Phlegm that has become especially viscous and clumped, Phlegm with pus
Severe Food Stagnation
- Pacifies the Liver and relieves convulsions
Withdrawal-mania (Dian Kuang)
Chronic convulsions or severe palpitations due to Phlegm-Heat blocking the Heart Orifices
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Standard Dosage: 6-12g in decoction.
Cautions: Prohibited for deficiency of stomach and spleen, chronic infantile convulsive disease and the pregnant women. |
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Da Huang
| 240g | |
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Pinyin: Da Huang
Chinese: 大黄
Pharmaceutical: Radix et Rhizoma Rhei
Taxonomy: Rheum palmatum
English: Chinese Rhubarb Root |
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Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Large Intestine, Spleen, Stomach, Liver and Heart |
Actions & Indications:
- Drains Heat and purges accumulations
Intestinal Heat Excess, with high fever, profuse sweating, thirst, constipation, abdominal distention and pain, delirium, a yellow tongue coat and a full pulse
Yang-Ming Fu Stage
Qi Level Heat in the Intestines
- Drains Fire
Fire from Excess with intense fever, sore throat, and painful eyes and constipation
Fire toxin sores due to Xue Level Heat, especially with constipation
- Clears Heat, transforms Dampness and promotes urination
Damp-Heat with oedema, jaundice, painful urinary dysfunction and acute, hot dysenteric disorders
- Drains Heat from the Blood
Bloody stool either from hemorrhoids or Heat in the Intestines
Chaotic movement of hot Blood with hemoptysis or epistaxis with constipation
It can be powdered and administered orally for bleeding in the upper digestive tract
- Invigorates the Blood and dispels Blood Stasis
Blood Stasis with amenorrhea, fixed abdominal masses or fixed pain
Blood Stasis due to traumatic injury
Intestinal abscess
- Clears Heat and reduces Fire toxicity
Topically or internally for burns or skin lesions (Chuang Yung) due to Heat
- Clears Heat and eliminates Phlegm
Chronic Accumulation of Phlegm-Heat with cough, dyspnea, mania, disorientation and other symptoms of Phlegm Misting the Heart
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction. Excessive decoction will reduce the purgative action. Therefore it should be added at end to achieve this purpose and over-decocted to eliminate this action.
Cautions: It should be used with caution in case of spleen and stomach deficiency for its bitter and cold property which is easily to damage stomach qi. It is contraindicated to women during pregnancy, menstruation or lactation for it has actions of activating blood and resolving stasis, and can make the purged substances follow lactating out. |
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Huang Qin
| 240g | |
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Pinyin: Huang Qin
Chinese: 黄芩
Pharmaceutical: Radix Scutellariae baicalensis
Taxonomy: Scutellaria baicalensis
English: Baical Skullcap Root |
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Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Stomach, Gallbladder, Large Intestine and Bladder |
Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat and dries Dampness
Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
Damp-Warmth with fever, a stifling sensation in the chest and thirst with no desire to drink
Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with painful urinary dysfunction
Damp-Heat jaundice (auxiliary), infectious hepatitis
- Drains Fire and detoxifies
Heat and Fire especially in the Upper Jiao (Lung) with high fever, irritability, thirst, cough and expectoration of thick, yellow sputum
Upper respiratory tract infection
Hot sores and swellings (topical or internal)
- Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
Xue Stage Heat or Blood Heat causing bleeding with epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis and hemafecia
- Clears Heat and calms the fetus
Fetal restlessness due to Heat
- Calms ascending Liver Yang
Liver Yang Rising with headache, irritability, red eyes, flushed face and bitter taste
High Blood pressure
Gallbladder Heat
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Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
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Chen Xiang
| 15g | | |
Pinyin: Chen Xiang
Chinese: 沉香
Pharmaceutical: Lignum Aquilariae Resinatum
Taxonomy: Aquilaria agallocha seu sinensis seu malaccensis
English: Agarwood / Aloeswood / Eaglewood |
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Kidney |
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes movement of Qi and alleviates pain
Qi Stagnation, with distention, pain or a feeling of pressure in the epigastric or abdominal region Especially useful for Deficiency Cold or Blood Stagnation
- Descends Qi, regulates the Middle, dispels Cold, warms the Spleen and Stomach and stops vomiting
Rebellious Qi wheezing from either Excess or Deficiency Vomiting, belching or hiccup due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold
- Warms the Kidneys and aids the Kidneys in grasping Qi
Asthma and wheezing due to Kidneys Unable to Grasp Qi
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Standard Dosage: 1-3g in decoction.
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Subsitutions:
In the UK Meng Shi must be substituted. Xia Ku Cao and Tian Zhu Huang are the best substitutes. If Tian Zhu Huang cannot be obtained then Tian Nan Xing and Zhu Ru will suffice.
Chen Xiang is usually also substituted with Hou Po due to expense.
Preparation: Ground into a fine powder and formed into small pills with water, approx 5mm in diameter. 40-50 pills are taken with tea or warm boiled water after meals and at bedtime. Dosage is adjusted according to severity of condition. Today it may be prepared as pills and taken in 5-9g doses or prepared as a decoction with appropriate reduction in dosages.
Actions: Purges Fire and eliminates Phlegm
Notes:
Obviously some of the symptoms are severe and a few are red flags so this should not be the only line of treatment being followed.
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.
