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Source: Wēn Bìng Tiáo Biàn 温病条辨

Ingredients

• Fáng jǐ (防己 Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix, fangji [root]) 18g
• Guì zhī (桂枝 Cinnamomi Ramulus, cinnamon twig) 9g
• Shí gāo (石膏 Gypsum Fibrosum, gypsum) 18g
• Xìng rén (杏仁 Armeniacae Semen, apricot kernel) 12g
• Huá shí (滑石 Talcum , talcum) 12g
• Tōng cǎo (通草 Tetrapanacis Medulla, rice-paper plant pith) 6g
• Yì yǐ rén (薏苡仁 Coicis Semen, coix [seed]) 15g

Actions: Clears heat and disinhibits dampness; diffuses impediment (bì) and relieves pain.

Indications: Damp-heat impediment (shī rè bì).

Method: Decoct with water. Split each lot into three doses to be taken in one day.

Rationale: Fáng jǐ is the sovereign agent since it is very effective in eliminating dampness from the interstices of the flesh and relieving pain. Shí gāo is a cold acrid agent that clears heat. Yì yǐ rén, Huá shí, and Tōng cǎo are bland-sweet dampness percolators. Táo rén frees and drains lung qì. Guì zhī, the only warm agent in the formula, is a counteracting assistant (反佐 fán zuǒ), being used for its ability to free the blood vessels and diffuse impediment (bì).

Variations:

• When cold prevails, there is pain: Add Fáng jǐ (防己 Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix, fangji [root]), Guì zhī (桂枝 Cinnamomi Ramulus, cinnamon twig), Jiāng huáng (姜黄 Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, turmeric), and Hǎi tóng pí (海桐皮 Erythrinae Cortex, erythrina [bark]).
• When wind prevails, the pain is migratory and associated with tension: Add Guì zhī (桂枝 Cinnamomi Ramulus, cinnamon twig) and Sāng yè (桑叶 Mori Folium, mulberry leaf).
• When dampness prevails, there is swelling: Add Huá shí (滑石 Talcum , talcum), Bì xiè (萆薢 Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae seu Semptemlobae Rhizoma, fish poison yam), and Cāng zhú (苍朮 Atractylodis Rhizoma, atractylodes [rhizome]).
• Red face and drooling: Add Shí gāo (石膏 Gypsum Fibrosum, gypsum) and Zhī mǔ (知母 Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, anemarrhena [root]).
• Absence of sweating: Add Qiāng huó (羌活 Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix, notopterygium [root]) and Cāng zhú (苍朮 Atractylodis Rhizoma, atractylodes [rhizome]).
• Sweating: Add Huáng qí (黄芪 Astragali Radix, astragalus [root]) and mix-fried Gān cǎo (甘草 Glycyrrhizae Radix, licorice [root]).
• Phlegm-rheum: Add Hòu pò (厚朴 Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, officinal magnolia bark), Bàn xià (半夏 Pinelliae Rhizoma, pinellia [rhizome]), and Chén pí (陈皮 Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, tangerine peel).

Similar: Xuān bì tāng (宣痹汤 Impediment-Diffusing Decoction)

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