Author: Zhang Zhong-Jing, 張仲景
Year: c. 220
Source: Discussion of Cold Damage (Shang Han Lun, 傷寒論)
Category: Formulas that Clear Heat
Pattern: Xu Fan, Deficiency Vexation or Formless Heat lingering at the Qi level
Key Symptoms: Fever, irritability, insomnia with tossing and turning in bed, a stifling sensation in the chest, hunger with no desire to eat
Tongue: Slightly yellow coat
Pulse: Slightly rapid pulse
Abdomen: Soft epigastrium
Ingredients
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Zhi Zi
| 9g | |
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Pinyin: Zhi Zi
Chinese: 栀子
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Gardeniae
Taxonomy: Gardenia jasminoides
English: Gardenia Fruit |
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Tastes: Bitter and cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver, Stomach and Lung |
Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat, reduces Fire and eliminates irritability in the San Jiao
Excess Heat in the Heart, Stomach and Liver with high fever, irritability, restlessness, a stifling sensation in the chest, insomnia or delirious speech, eye problems, anger, jaundice
- Clears Heat and resolves Dampness (Drains Damp-Heat)
Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with painful urinary dysfunction (Lin Syndrome)
Damp-Heat in the Liver/Gallbladder with jaundice
Damp-Heat in the San Jiao
Damp-Heat in the Gallbladder and San Jiao channels of the face affecting the nose and eyes or causing sores in the mouth or facial region
- Cools the Blood and relieves toxicity (stops bleeding by astringing)
Heat in the Blood with epistaxis, hematemesis, hemafecia or hematuria (partially charred)
- Reduces swelling and invigorates the Blood
Blood Stagnation due to trauma (topical)
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Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Being strongly bitter in flavor and cold in nature, it is not good for deficiency-cold syndrome because it can easily impair spleen and stomach. It is contraindicated in case of loose stool due to spleen deficiency. |
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Dan Dou Chi
| 6-9g | | |
Pinyin: Dan Dou Chi
Chinese: 淡豆豉
Pharmaceutical: Semen Sojae Preparatum
Taxonomy: Glycine max
English: Fermented Soybean |
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter and cool
Meridians Entered: Lung and Stomach |
Actions & Indications:
- Releases the Exterior
Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat
Yin Deficiency with superimposed Exterior disorders
- Eliminates irritability, harmonizes the Middle Jiao and relieves stuffy sensations in the chest
Irritability, restlessness, insomnia, stifling sensations in the chest and insomnia following a febrile disease
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
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Preparation: Decoction.
Actions: Clears Heat and alleviates restlessness and irritability
Contraindications: Use with caution in patients with long lasting Spleen deficiency and loose stools
Notes:
One liang is taken as 3g in modern sources but in Eastern Han times it was equivalent to 13.875g. This means that the dosages in classical formulae could have been more than 4x what is given today making them far higher than recommended safe dosages today but prompts consideration of what an effective dose may be (He, 2013).
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.
