Qì-rectifying formulas

Medicinal formulas that promote the normal movement of qì in the treatment of qì stagnation and qì counterflow.

Qì flows throughout the body, constantly moving upward, downward, inward, and outward, maintaining all bodily functions. The movement of qì can be disturbed by affect-mind disturbances, imbalances of cold and heat, dietary irregularities, and imbalances of activity and inactivity. Hence, Sù Wèn (Chapter 39) states, The hundred disease arise from qì. Chapter 74 states, Languidness is treated by moving, binding is treated by dispersing, what is high is treated by repression. Chapter 71 states, depressed wood is treated by promoting free reach. Disturbances of qì can present with numerous signs, but they can be divided into no more than three types qì vacuity, qì stagnation, and qì counterflow. Qì vacuity is treated with supplementing formulas; qì stagnation and qì counterflow are treated by qì-rectifying formulas.

Qì stagnation is mostly due to binding depression of liver qì (also called depressed liver qì or liver depression) and spleen-stomach qì stagnation. Qì counterflow essentially takes the form of stomach qì ascending counterflow or lung qì ascending counterflow. Qì stagnation is treated by moving qì, while qì counterflow is treated by downbearing qì.

Cautions

When using qì-rectifying formulas, the most important thing is to ensure that the condition addressed is one of repletion rather than vacuity, so as to avoid the error of evacuating vacuity and replenishing repletion. If qì-supplementing treatment is given in a repletion pattern of qì stagnation, this will exacerbate the stagnation. If qì-rectifying treatment is given in a qì vacuity pattern, it will damage qì even further.

When qì stagnation is also accompanied by qì counterflow, qì-moving and qì-downbearing agents must be used in tandem. If qì stagnation also occurs with signs of qì vacuity, then qì-supplementing agents can be added to ensure that both aspects of the condition are addressed.

Qì-rectifying medicinals are mostly aromatic, acrid, and drying, so they easily damage liquid and qì. Care must therefore be taken to avoid excessive doses, especially in the elderly and weak, in patients with yīn vacuity and effulgent fire, as well as in pregnant women.

Subcategories

• Qì-moving formulas
• Qì-downbearing formulas

Qì-Moving Formulas

Qì-moving formulas treat binding depressed liver qì and spleen-stomach qì stagnation.

Depressed liver qì is characterized by distension and pain in the chest and rib-side, or mounting qì pain, menstrual irregularities, or menstrual pain. Treatment is based on liver-coursing qì-rectifying medicinals such as the following:

• Cyperus (Cyperi Rhizoma, 香附子 xiāng fù zǐ)
• Lindera (Linderae Radix, 乌药 wū yào)
• Toosendan (Toosendan Fructus, 川楝子 chuān liàn zǐ)
• Unripe tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride, 青皮 qīng pí)
• Curcuma (Curcumae Radix, 郁金 yù jīn)

Spleen-stomach qì stagnation is characterized by distension and fullness in the stomach duct and abdomen, belching, acid swallowing, retching nausea, reduced eating, and abnormalities of the stool. It is treated by rectifying spleen-stomach qì, mainly using the following agents:

• Tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, 陈皮 chén pí)
• Officinal magnolia bark (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, 厚朴 hòu pò)
• Costusroot (Aucklandiae Radix, 木香 mù xiāng)
• Bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus, 枳壳 zhǐ ké)
• Amomum (Amomi Fructus, 砂仁 shā rén)

In both cases, medicinals with other actions can be added according to need.

Representative formulas

• Bupleurum Liver-Coursing Powder (柴胡疏肝散 chái hú shū gān sǎn)
• Unripe Bitter Orange and Glomus-Dispersing Pill (枳实消痞丸 zhǐ shí xiāo pǐ wán)
• Depression-Overcoming Pill (越鞠丸 yuè jú wán)
• Pinellia and Officinal Magnolia Bark Decoction (半夏厚朴汤 bàn xià hòu pò tāng)
• Trichosanthes, Chinese Chive, and White Wine Decoction (栝楼薤白白酒汤 guā lóu xiè bái bái jiǔ tāng)
• Unripe Bitter Orange and Glomus-Dispersing Pill (枳实消痞丸 zhǐ shí xiāo pǐ wán)

Qì-Downbearing Formulas

Qì-downbearing formulas treat cough and panting due to lung qì ascending counterflow as well as vomiting and retching due to stomach qì ascending counterflow.

Medicinals used to downbear qì and calm panting include the following:

• Perilla seed (Perillae Fructus, 紫苏子 zǐ sū zǐ)
• Coltsfoot (Farfarae Flos, 款冬花 kuǎn dōng huā)
• Apricot kernel (Armeniacae Semen, 杏仁 xìng rén)
• Aster (Asteris Radix, 紫菀 zǐ wǎn)

Medicinals that downbear counterflow and check retching include the following:

• Inula flower (Inulae Flos, 旋覆花 xuán fù huā)
• Hematite (Haematitum, 代赭石 dài zhě shí)
• Pinellia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏 bàn xià)
• Bamboo shavings (Bambusae Caulis in Taenia, 竹茹 zhú rú)
• Clove (Caryophylli Flos, 丁香 dīng xiāng)
• Persimmon calyx (Kaki Calyx, 柿蒂 shì dì)

Representative formulas

See rectifying qì.