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Source: Shāng Hán Lùn 伤寒论

Ingredients:

• Dàn zhú yè (淡竹叶 Lophatheri Herba, lophatherum) 9–15g
• Shēng shí gāo (生石膏 Gypsum Crudum, crude gypsum) 30g
• Mài mén dōng (麦门冬 Ophiopogonis Radix, ophiopogon [root]) 9–18g
• Rén shēn (人参 Ginseng Radix, ginseng) (or Dǎng shēn (党参 Codonopsis Radix, codonopsis [root])) 6g
• Bàn xià (半夏 Pinelliae Rhizoma, pinellia [rhizome]) 9g
• Gān cǎo (甘草 Glycyrrhizae Radix, licorice [root]) (mix–fried) 3–6g
• Jīng mǐ (粳米 Oryzae Semen, non-glutinous rice) 12–15g

Action: Clears heat and engenders liquid; boosts qì and harmonizes the stomach.

Indication: (a) Recovery stage of febrile disease with residual heat and damage to both qì and liquid, manifesting in signs such as vexation and thirst, desire to vomit, dry mouth and lips, smooth red tongue with scant fur, and a fine rapid pulse; (b) insufficiency of stomach yīn stomach fire giving rise to erosion of the mouth and tongue, a red or crimson dry tongue, thirst, nausea and retching; (c) stomach fire dispersion-thirst (xiāo kě); (d) summerheat-heat with damage to qì and liquid.

Category: Heat-clearing formulas / Qì-aspect heat-clearing formulas

Method: Decoct with water.

Rationale: Rén shēn —or Dǎng shēn— and Mài dōng boost qì and engender liquid; Dàn zhú yè and Shí gāo are cold, acrid, and sweet, and clear residual heat. By clearing and supplementing, these agents therefore treat the root and the tip. Bàn xià downbears counterflow and checks vomiting; combined with Mài dōng, its warmth and dryness is reduced without affecting its counterflow-downbearing function. Bàn xià also helps Rén shēn to transport fluid. Gān cǎo and rice help the Rén shēn and the Mài dōng to boost qì and harmonize the stomach, and also prevent the coldness of Shí gāo from damaging the stomach. This formula is effectively Bái hǔ tāng (白虎汤 White Tiger Decoction) minus Zhī mǔ and plus Dàn zhú yè, Rén shēn, Mài dōng, and Bàn xià.

Variations:

• Exuberant heat toxin: Huáng qín (黄芩 Scutellariae Radix, scutellaria [root]), Jīn yín huā (金银花 Lonicerae Flos, lonicera [flower]), and Lián qiào (连翘 Forsythiae Fructus, forsythia [fruit]).
• Pneumonia with pronounced cough: Add Má huáng (麻黄 Ephedrae Herba, ephedra), Xìng rén (杏仁 Armeniacae Semen, apricot kernel), Huáng qín (黄芩 Scutellariae Radix, scutellaria [root]), and Yú xīng cǎo (鱼腥草 Houttuyniae Herba, houttuynia).
• Warm disease with residual heat: Add Qīng hāo (青蒿 Artemisiae Annuae Herba, sweet wormwood), Mǔ dān pí (牡丹皮 Moutan Cortex, moutan [bark]), and Shēng dì huáng (生地黄 Rehmanniae Radix Exsiccata seu Recens, dried/fresh rehmannia [root]).

Similar: Bái hǔ tāng (白虎汤 White Tiger Decoction)

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