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Astringing formulas

固涩剂 〔固澀劑〕 gù sè jì

Medicinal formulas that mainly use astringing agents to check the discharge of substances from the body, including severe losses of qì, blood, essence (in the form of semen), and fluids referred to efflux desertion.

Astringing formulas embody the principle dispersion is treated by contracting, laid down in Sù Wèn (Chapter 74). They correspond to astringing formulas of the ten formula types .

Discharge or qì, blood, essence, and fluids can talk the form of sweating (spontaneous or night sweating), persistent cough, enduring diarrhea, seminal emission and efflux, urinary incontinence, flooding and spotting, and vaginal discharge. Different formulas are required for each of these conditions, hence the subcategories discussed below.

Cautions

Astringing formulas are designed for internal vacuity of right qì trending toward efflux desertion. Hence, supplementing agents are added according to need. However, in cases of great vacuity of original qì and yáng collapse on the verge of desertion in patients with great dripping sweating, urinary incontinence, or incessant flooding, it is imperative to provide yáng-returning desertion-stemming action, not just astringency.

Astringing formulas apply in conditions of right vacuity with no evils. So, unless external evils have been eliminated, they can shut the gates and detain the intruder. Not be treated with astringing formulas are profuse sweating in febrile disease, seminal emission due to effulgent sovereign and ministerial fire, heat diarrhea, diarrhea due to food stagnation, or flooding and spotting and vaginal discharge due to repletion heat.

Subcategories

  1. Exterior-securing sweat-checking formulas
  2. Lung-constraining cough-relieving formulas
  3. Intestine-astringing desertion-stemming formulas
  4. Essence-astringing enuresis-checking formulas
  5. Flooding and vaginal discharge formulas formulas

1. Exterior-Securing Sweat-Checking Formulas

These treat spontaneous or night sweating due either to exterior vacuity and inability of defense qì unable to keep the interstices tightly secured or to heart yáng failing to contain yīn humor.

Main agents

Representative formula: Mǔ lì sǎn (牡蛎散 Oyster Shell Powder) .

2. Lung-Constraining Cough-Relieving Formulas

Formulas that constrain the lung and relieve cough treat enduring cough causing lung vacuity in which qì and yīn are both damaged. Signs include cough, panting, spontaneous sweating, and a pulse that is vacuous and rapid.

Main agents

These can be combined with qì-boosting and yīn-nourishing medicinals such as rén shēn (人参 Ginseng Radix, ginseng) and ē jiāo (阿胶 Asini Corii Colla, ass hide glue).

Representative formula: Jiǔ xiān sǎn (九仙散 Nine Immortals Powder) .

3. Intestine-Astringing Desertion-Stemming Formulas

These treats enduring diarrhea due to spleen-kidney vacuity cold gives way to the severe condition of efflux desertion diarrhea. Medicinals include:

To these can be added agents that warm and supplement the spleen and kidney such as:

Representative formulas

4. Essence-Astringing Enuresis-Checking Formulas

Formulas that astringe essence and check enuresis treat seminal efflux due to kidney vacuity storage failure (failure to store essence) or frequent urination and enuresis due to insufficiency of kidney qì affecting the bladder’s ability to contain urine.

Main agents

Representative formulas

5. Flooding and Vaginal Discharge Formulas

These formulas treat flooding and spotting (bleeding via the vagina not associated with menstruation) and persistent abnormal vaginal discharge.

Main agents

For flooding and spotting due to spleen qì vacuity and insecurity of the thoroughfare (chōng) and controlling (rèn) vessels, add huáng qí (黄芪 Astragali Radix, astragalus), huáng qí (黄芪 Astragali Radix, astragalus), and huáng qí (黄芪 Astragali Radix, astragalus) to supplement the spleen and boost the kidney.

For flooding and spotting due to yīn vacuity and blood heat damaging the thoroughfare (chōng) and controlling (rèn) vessels, add huáng bǎi (黄柏 Phellodendri Cortex, phellodendron) and guī bǎn (龟版 Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum, tortoise shell) to enrich yīn and clear heat.

For vaginal discharge due to pouring downward, add chē qián zǐ (车前子 Plantaginis Semen, plantago seed). Since the damp-heat often results from depressed liver overwhelming the spleen, liver-coursing medicinals may need to be added.

Representative formulas

See securing and astriction.

Astringing Formulas

Exterior-Resolving Sweat-Checking Formulas

Lung-Constraining Cough-Relieving Formulas

Intestine-Astringing Desertion-Stemming Formulas

Essence-Astringing Essence Enuresis-Checking

Flooding and Vaginal Discharge Formulas

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