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Sudden Smile Pill
失笑丸 〔失笑丸〕 shī xiào wán
Source: Lán Shì Mì Cáng 兰室秘藏
Ingredients
- Zhǐ shí (枳实 Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, unripe bitter orange) 15g
- Huáng lián (黄连 Coptidis Rhizoma, coptis [root]) 15g
- Hòu pò (厚朴 Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, officinal magnolia bark) (mix-fried) 12g
- Dǎng shēn (党参 Codonopsis Radix, codonopsis [root]) 9g
- Bàn xià qū (半夏曲 Pinelliae Massa Fermentata, pinellia [tuber] leaven) 9g
- Bái zhú (白朮 Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, white atractylodes [root]) 6g
- Fú líng (茯苓 Poria , poria) 6g
- Mài yá qū (麦芽曲 Hordei Massa Fermentata, barley leaven) 6g
- Gān jiāng (干姜 Zingiberis Rhizoma, dried ginger) 3g
- Gān cǎo (甘草 Glycyrrhizae Radix, licorice [root]) (mix-fried) 3g
Actions: Disperses glomus and eliminates fullness; fortifies the spleen and harmonizes the stomach.
Indications: Spleen vacuity with stagnation of qì and damp manifesting as glomus and fullness in the stomach duct, aversion to food, fatigue, or distension in the chest, and inhibited defecation.
Rationale: Zhǐ shí and Hòu pò move qì and disperse glomus and fullness. Bàn xià downbears qì and disperses binds, as well as dispersing food and transforming stasis. These three help to eliminate the glomus. The Dǎng shēn, Bái zhú, Fú líng, and Gān cǎo (the four gentlemen) treat the root of the disorder, which is the spleen vacuity. Gān jiāng is acrid and disperses dampness and stagnation. Cold bitter Huáng lián clears the stomach and dries dampness. These two agents work together to produce an acrid opening and bitter downbearing
action that works for glomus due to qì and damp stagnation or damp-heat.