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Source: Hé Jì Jú Fāng 和剂局方

Alternate Chinese names: 连翘饮子

Ingredients:

• Dà huáng (大黄 Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, rhubarb) 600g
• Máng xiāo (芒硝 Natrii Sulfas , mirabilite) 600g
• Gān cǎo (甘草 Glycyrrhizae Radix, licorice [root]) 600g
• Zhī zǐ (栀子 Gardeniae Fructus, gardenia [fruit]) 300g
• Huáng qín (黄芩 Scutellariae Radix, scutellaria [root]) 300g
• Bò hé yè (薄荷叶 Menthae Folium, mint leaf) 300g
• Lián qiào (连翘 Forsythiae Fructus, forsythia [fruit]) 1200g
• Zhú yè (竹叶[1] Bambusae Folium, black bamboo leaf)??? 300g

Action: Clears heat and drains fire; frees the stool.

Indication: Intense evil heat in the upper and center burners with heat vexation in the chest and diaphragm, mouth and tongue sores, painful swollen throat, toothache, nosebleed, constipation, and reddish urine. Tongue fur: Yellow and slimy. Pulse: Slippery and rapid.

Category: Heat-clearing formulas / Heat-clearing toxin-resolving formulas

Method: Now usually made as a decoction. Decoct and split the daily dosage into two.

Rationale: Lián qiào clears heat from the chest and region of the heart, making it discharge externally. Thus, it is used in large quantities as the sovereign agent. Zhī zǐ, Huáng qín, Bò hé, and zhuye[1] help the Lián qiào to clear the upper burner heat. Dà huáng and Máng xiāo drain heat and free the stool, addressing the more substantial heat and stagnation in the center burner. Because the formula is designed to address stomach heat with damage to liquid that does not constitute a fully fledged bowel repletion pattern, Gān cǎo and honey are included to moderate the action of the Dà huáng and Máng xiāo, and safeguard stomach liquid.

Variations:

• Especially pronounced upper burner heat (vexation and thirst): Increase Zhī zǐ (栀子 Gardeniae Fructus, gardenia [fruit]) and add Tiān huā fěn (天花粉 Trichosanthis Radix, trichosanthes root).
• Pronounced heart heat (mouth sores): Add Huáng lián (黄连 Coptidis Rhizoma, coptis [root]) and Dì gǔ pí (地骨皮 Lycii Cortex, lycium bark).
• Severe painful pharynx: Add Shān dòu gēn (山豆根 Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix, bushy sophora [root]), and Bǎn lán gēn (板蓝根 Isatidis Radix, isatis root).
• Incessant vomiting of blood (blood ejection) or spontaneous external bleeding: Add fresh Bái máo gēn (白茅根 Imperatae Rhizoma, imperata [rhizome]) and fresh ǒu jié (藕节 Nelumbinis Rhizomatis Nodus, lotus root node).
• Acute child fright wind: Add Gōu téng (钩藤 Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis, uncaria [stem and thorn]) and Líng yáng jiǎo (羚羊角 Saigae Tataricae Cornu, antelope horn).

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