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Abductive dispersion and accumulation-transforming formulas

消导剂 〔消導劑〕 xiāo dǎo jì

Also dispersion formulas. Medicinal formulas that treat abiding food (food stagnating and accumulating in the stomach and intestines) and concretions and accumulations, scrofula, and goiter.

Note that while dispersion formulas is concise, the term abductive dispersion and accumulation-transforming is more precise because it reflects the use of such formulas for both digestive problems and for hard masses.

Abductive dispersion and accumulation-transforming formulas correspond to dispersion among the eight methods.

They embody the principles of hardness is whittled away and binding is treated by dispersion. Whenever qì, blood, phlegm, dampness, and foot gather, stagnate, and bind to form a solid, palpable mass, such as stagnant food, concretions and accumulations (solid masses), scrofula, and goiter, dispersion formulas can be used. There are food-dispersing stagnation-abducting formulas and concretion and accumulation formulas, as described below.

Dispersion formulas are similar to draining-precipitation formulas in that they treat tangible evils. In clinical practice, however, they are used differently. Draining-precipitation formulas purge the stomach and intestines to flush abiding food, dry stool, cold accumulations, water-rheum, accumulated phlegm, or static blood out the body. As Sù Wèn (Chapter 74) states draw down and exhaust what is low. This kind of treatment is used in acute disease when the body and pattern are both replete (strong body with repletion pattern) and the urgent need is to eliminate the unwanted matter. By contrast, dispersion formulas are gentle in nature, as reflected in the principle of hardness is whittled away. The aim is to gently and gradually disperse accumulations of food, qì, blood, and phlegm, etc, in conditions that have persistent for some time and constitute vacuity-repletion complexes. If draining-precipitation were to be used in such conditions, it would damage already weakened right qì further, entrenching the disease even further.

Cautions

Devising dispersion formulas requires a thorough grasp of the pathomechanisms operant and accurate assessment of cold, heat, vacuity, and repletion.

Accumulation and stagnation hampers the qì dynamic, thus creating a vicious circle. Hence, dispersion formulas often include qì-rectifying medicinals.

Some patients requiring treatment using dispersion formulas suffer from right qì vacuity, such as spleen-stomach vacuity with insufficiency of qì and blood, meaning that they display complex patterns of right vacuity and evil repletion. This means that formula they are prescribed must include supplementing medicinals to ensure that evil is eliminated without damaging right qì.

Although dispersion formulas are gentler than draining-precipitation formulas, they are nevertheless harsh and abrasive and hence are unsuited to extended use.

Subcategories

  1. Food-dispersing stagnation-abducting formulas
  2. Concretion and accumulation formulas

1. Food-Dispersing Stagnation-Abducting Formulas

Formulas that disperse food and abduct stagnation treat food accumulation in the stomach and intestines, with glomus and oppression in stomach duct and abdomen, putrid belching, acid vomiting, aversion to food, retching counterflow, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Main agents

These are frequently complemented by qì-boosting and spleen-fortifying agents such as rén shēn (人参 Ginseng Radix, ginseng), bái zhú (白朮 Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, white atractylodes), and fú líng (茯苓 Poria, poria). Qì-rectifying, dampness-dispelling, and heat-clearing agents are also often incorporated into formulas.

Representative formulas

2. Concretion and Conglomeration Formulas

Formulas that disperse concretions and transform accumulations treat not only concretions and accumulations, as well as glomus lumps, scrofula, and scrofula

Concretions and accumulations are solid masses are attributable to cold, heat, phlegm, and food affecting the movement of qì and blood to produced concretions and accumulations in the abdomen and glomus lumps in the rib-side associated with oppression, distension, and pain the stomach duct, reduced eating, and emaciation. Goiter and scrofula develop from qì stagnation and blood stasis, and phlegm-damp congestion. Goiter is marked by large swelling of the neck, while scrofula appear and smaller swelling in the armpit region. Theses conditions are treat by combinations of agents that rectify qì, disperse stasis, transform phlegm and percolate dampness, and soften hardness and dipser binds.

Main agents

Representative formulas

See dispersion.

Dispersion Formulas

Food-Dispersing Stagnation-Abducting Formulas

Concretion and Conglomeration Formulas

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