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Astringing formulas
固涩剂 〔固澀劑〕gù sè jì
Medicinal formulas that 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
laid down in Sù Wèn (Chapter 74). They correspond to astringing formulas of the ten formula types and to astringing agents.
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
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
- Exterior-securing sweat-checking formulas
- Lung-constraining cough-srelieving formulas
- Intestine-astringing desertion-stemming formulas
- Essence-astringing enuresis-checking formulas
- Flooding and vaginal discharge formulas formulas
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
- Light wheat (Tritici Fructus Levis, 浮小麦 fú xiǎo mài)
- Ephedra root (Ephedrae Radix, 麻黄根 má huáng gēn)
- Calcined dragon bone (Mastodi Ossis Fossilia Calcinata,
煅龙骨 duàn lóng gǔ) - Calcined dragon bone (Mastodi Ossis Fossilia Calcinata,
煅龙骨 duàn lóng gǔ)
Representative formula:
Lung-Constraining cough-sRelieving 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
- Schisandra (Schisandrae Fructus, 五味子 wǔ wèi zǐ)
- Mume (Mume Fructus, 乌梅 wū méi)
- Poppy husk (Papaveris Pericarpium, 罂粟壳 yīng sù ké)
These can be combined with qì-boosting and yīn-nourishing medicinals such as ginseng (Ginseng Radix, 人参 rén shēn) and ass hide glue (Asini Corii Colla, 阿胶 ē jiāo).
Representative formula:
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:
- Poppy husk (Papaveris Pericarpium, 罂粟壳 yīng sù ké)
- Nutmeg (Myristicae Semen, 肉豆蔻 ròu dòu kòu)
- Chebule (Chebulae Fructus, 诃子 hē zǐ)
- Halloysite (Halloysitum Rubrum, 赤石脂 chì shí zhī)
To these can be added agents that warm and supplement the spleen and kidney such as:
- Ginseng (Ginseng Radix, 人参 rén shēn)
- White atractylodes (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, 白朮 bái zhú)
- Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomi Cortex, 肉桂 ròu guì)
- Dried ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma, 干姜 gān jiāng)
- Psoralea (Psoraleae Fructus, 补骨脂 bǔ gǔ zhī)
Representative formulas
True Man Viscus-Nourishing Decoction (真人养脏汤 zhēn rén yǎng zàng tāng) Four Spirits Pill (四神丸 sì shén wán)
Essence-Astringing Enuresis-Checking Formulas
Formulas that astringe essence and check enuresis treat seminal efflux due to kidney vacuity
(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
- Complanate astragalus seed (Astragali Complanati Semen, 沙苑子 shā yuàn zǐ)
- Euryale (Euryales Semen, 芡实 qiàn shí)
- Mantis egg-case (Mantidis Oötheca, 桑螵蛸 sāng piāo xiāo)
Representative formulas
Mantis Egg-Case Powder (桑螵蛸散 sāng piāo xiāo sǎn) Stream-Reducing Pill (缩泉丸 suō quán wán) - lotus stamen (Nelumbinis Stamen, 莲须 lián xū)
Golden Lock Essence-Securing Pill (金锁固精丸 jīn suǒ gù jīng wán)
Flooding and Vaginal Discharge Formulas Formulas
These formulas treat flooding and spotting (bleeding via the vagina not associated with menstruation) and persistent abnormal vaginal discharge.
Main agents
- Calcined Dragon bone (Mastodi Ossis Fossilia, 龙骨 lóng gǔ)
- Oyster shell (Ostreae Concha, 牡蛎 mǔ lì)
- Ailanthus root bark (Ailanthi Altissimae Radicis Cortex, 樗根白皮 shū gēn bái pí)
- Ginkgo (Ginkgo Semen, 白果 bái guǒ)
For flooding and spotting due to spleen qì vacuity and insecurity of the thoroughfare (chōng) and controlling (rèn) vessels, add astragalus (Astragali Radix, 黄芪 huáng qí), astragalus (Astragali Radix, 黄芪 huáng qí), and astragalus (Astragali Radix, 黄芪 huáng qí) 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 phellodendron (Phellodendri Cortex, 黄柏 huáng bǎi) and tortoise shell (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum, 龟版 guī bǎn) to enrich yīn and clear heat.
For vaginal discharge due to pouring downward, add plantago seed (Plantaginis Semen, 车前子 chē qián zǐ). Since the damp-heat often results from depressed liver overwhelming the spleen, liver-coursing medicinals may need to be added.
Representative formulas
Thoroughfare-Securing Decoction (固冲汤 gù chōng tāng) Menses-Securing Pill (固经丸 gù jīng wán) Rousing Spirit Elixir (震灵丹 zhèn líng dān) Discharge-Ceasing Decoction (完带汤 wán dài tāng) Transforming Yellow Decoction (易黄汤 yì huáng tāng)