Author: Zhang Zhong-Jing, 張仲景
Year: c. 220
Source: Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lue, 金匱要略)
Category: Formulas that Drain Downward
Pattern: Retention of fluid below the Heart
Key Symptoms: Severe dizziness or vertigo, fluid retention, inhibited urination
Ingredients
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Ze Xie
| 15g | |
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Pinyin: Ze Xie
Chinese: 澤瀉
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Alismatis
Taxonomy: Alisma plantago-aquatica seu orientale
English: Water Plantain Rhizome |
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Tastes: Sweet, bland, cold
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Bladder |
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
Stagnation due to Dampness with urinary difficulty, painful urinary dysfunction, diarrhoea and dizziness
Especially useful for Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao
- Settles Ministerial Fire in the Kidneys by draining Damp-Heat from the lower Jiao
Spermatorrhea due to Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao disturbing the ministerial Fire of the Kidneys
- Drains Kidney Fire
Kidney Yin Deficiency with Fire Rising
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, sharpen the ears and eyes, make one free from hunger, prolong life, make the body light, render the face brilliant, and enable one to walk over water. 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).
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Standard Dosage: 4.5-15g in decoction. Sometimes up to 30g in extreme cases.
Cautions: Overdose, extended use or combination with diuretic drugs could cause electrolyte imbalance due to diuretic effect. |
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Bai Zhu
| 6g | | |
Pinyin: Bai Zhu
Chinese: 白朮
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephalae
Taxonomy: Atractylodes macrocephala
English: Largehead Atracylodes Rhizome |
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Tastes: Sweet, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach |
Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi
Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with diarrhoea, fatigue, a sallow complexion and lack of appetite
Spleen Yang failure to rise
- Dries Dampness and promotes water metabolism
Spleen Damp or accumulation of fluids affecting the digestion
Edema and reduced urination due to Spleen Deficiency (failure to transform and transport)
Tan Yin, masses, swelling
Auxiliary for Damp painful obstruction
- Stabilizes the Exterior and stops sweating
Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating (Wei Qi Deficiency)
With appropriate herbs, other types of sweating
- Calms the fetus
Restless fetus disorder due to Spleen Qi Deficiency
With appropriate herbs, other types of Restless Fetus Disorder
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light, prolong life and make one free from hunger. 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).
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Standard Dosage: 6-12g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with cautions in cases of yin deficiency with fluid injury by dryness-heat pathogen. |
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Preparation: Decoction.
Actions: Drains excess fluids, promotes urination and alleviates dizziness.
Contraindications: Long term use or combination with diuretic drugs may cause electrolyte imbalance.
Notes:
Zhang Zhong-Jing's original formula contains 5 liang Ze Xie and 2 liang Bai Zhu. In general it seems translators take some liberties with how much a liang is in grams, ranging from 1-3 while most sites actually translating measurements from Han Dynasty without an interest in medicine saying it is as much as 13.8g which would make it as much as 70g and 28g, far higher than considered safe in modern dosages! I have chosen a 1:3 ratio as it places this at the upper ranges of what is considered safe today.
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.
