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Source: Shāng Hán Lùn 伤寒论

Alternate Chinese names: 温肺化饮汤

Ingredients:

• Má huáng (麻黄 Ephedrae Herba, ephedra) 6–9g
• Guì zhī (桂枝 Cinnamomi Ramulus, cinnamon twig) 6–9g
• Bái sháo (白芍 Paeoniae Radix Alba, white peony [root]) 6–9g
• Gān jiāng (干姜 Zingiberis Rhizoma, dried ginger) 3–6g
• Bàn xià (半夏 Pinelliae Rhizoma, pinellia [rhizome]) 6–9g
• Xì xīn (细辛 Asari Rhizoma et Radix, asarum) 3–4.5g
• Wǔ wèi zǐ (五味子 Schisandrae Fructus, schisandra [berry]) 3–6g
• Gān cǎo (甘草 Glycyrrhizae Radix, licorice [root]) (mix–fried) 3–6g

Action: Warms the lung and transforms rheum; relieves cough and calms panting.

Indication: External cold and internal rheum with cough, panting, and copious amounts of clear, thin phlegm. In severe cases, the panting prevents the patient from lying down, and there is a feeling of cold in the back; there may also be swelling of the limbs and face, and thirst. Tongue fur: Thin, white, and moist.

Category: Exterior-resolving formulas / Warm acrid exterior-resolving formulas

Method: Decoct with water.

Warnings: Do not use if there is cough without phlegm, or if the phlegm is thick and yellow and accompanied by dry throat and mouth.

Rationale: Má huáng resolves the exterior and disperses cold, as well as calming panting and relieving cough. Guì zhī helps Má huáng to resolve the exterior and disperse cold, and also warms and transforms phlegm-rheum. Dry ginger and Xì xīn combined with Guì zhī disperse externally contracted wind-cold, and warm the spleen and transform phlegm, thus eliminating the source of the phlegm, Bàn xià dries dampness and transforms phlegm, and treats water-rheum that has already developed. Wǔ wèi zǐ warms the lung and constrains qì, preventing dissipation of lung qì. Bái sháo combined with Guì zhī regulates provisioning and defense, resolve the flesh and disperses cold. Gān cǎo helps Guì zhī to warm the spleen and transform rheum.

Variations:

• Severe aversion to cold: Increase Má huáng (麻黄 Ephedrae Herba, ephedra) and Guì zhī (桂枝 Cinnamomi Ramulus, cinnamon twig); for aversion to wind with sweating, increase Guì zhī (桂枝 Cinnamomi Ramulus, cinnamon twig), Sháo yào (芍药 Paeoniae Radix, peony [root]), and Gān jiāng (干姜 Zingiberis Rhizoma, dried ginger), and add Dà zǎo (大枣 Jujubae Fructus, jujube).
• If the external cold has resolved leaving a cough, omit the Guì zhī (桂枝 Cinnamomi Ramulus, cinnamon twig), and use mix-fried Má huáng (麻黄 Ephedrae Herba, ephedra).
• Coughing of thin clear phlegm with fullness in the chest and panting and without aversion to cold or heat effusion: Increase the Xì xīn (细辛 Asari Rhizoma et Radix, asarum) and Bàn xià (半夏 Pinelliae Rhizoma, pinellia [rhizome]).

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