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Cannabis Fruit Pill

麻子仁丸 〔麻子仁丸〕má zǐ rén wán

Source: Shāng Hán Lùn 伤寒论

Alternate Chinese names: 脾约麻仁丸; 麻仁丸

Ingredients:

Action: Moistens the intestines and frees the stool.

Indication: Dryness-heat in the stomach and intestines with constipation, distension and fullness in the stomach duct and abdomen, pain in the abdomen. Also used for constipation with hemorrhoids.

Category: Draining-precipitation formulas / Moist precipitation formulas

Method: Grind to a fine powder, blend with honey, and form into pills the size of firmiana seed. Alternatively, decoct with water. Note that maziren is nowadays often replaced with yamazi.

Dosage: Take 10 pills a time and increase the dose until effective.

Warnings: Unsuitable for prolonged use owing to the inclusion of abductive dispersing agents. This formula should not be used for vacuity constipation in the weak or elderly with signs of blood dryness and liquid depletion. The dahuang and zhishi also make it unsuitable in pregnancy or habitual miscarriage.

Rationale: Huǒ má rén, Bái sháo, and honey all moisten the intestines and free the stool, as well as enriching spleen yīn. They therefore treat the root of the condition. Xìng rén also moistens the intestines, but also helps to free the stool by promoting depurative downbearing of the lung (the lung and large intestine stand in interior-exterior relationship). Dà huáng, Zhǐ shí, and Hòu pò precipitate and drain heat, as well as moving qì and eliminating fullness. They clear heat from the stomach and intestines and prevent the stickiness of the Má zǐ rén, Fēng mì, and Xìng rén from clogging the stomach.

Variations:

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