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Source: Jǐng Yuè Quán Shū 景岳全书

Alternate Chinese names: 石膏熟地煎

Ingredients:

• Shēng shí gāo (生石膏 Gypsum Crudum, crude gypsum) 10–15g
• Shú dì huáng (熟地黄 Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, cooked rehmannia [root]) 10–15g
• Mài dōng (麦冬 Ophiopogonis Radix, ophiopogon [root]) 3–6g
• Zhī mǔ (知母 Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, anemarrhena [root]) 3–6g
• Niú xī (牛膝 Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, achyranthes [root]) 3–6g

Action: Clears stomach fire; nourishes kidney yīn.

Indication: Headache, dry mouth, thirst, erosion of the mouth and tongue, painful swelling of the gums, or dispersion-thirst (xiāo kě) due to stomach fire and kidney yīn vacuity.

Category: Heat-clearing formulas / Bowel and visceral heat-clearing formula

Method: Decoct with water and split into three.

Rationale: Shí gāo clears residual stomach fire. Shú dì huáng enriches kidney water. Together, these two clear fire and invigorate water. Zhī mǔ is bitters, cold, and moist; it helps the Shí gāo to clear the stomach fire. Mài dōng is a cold, sweet agent that nourishes the stomach and helps the Shú dì huáng to enrich kidney yīn. Niú xī conducts the heat downward and stanches bleeding in the upper body. Thus, these five agents together treat both the root and the tip of the condition.

Variations:

• Intense stomach heat with pronounced kidney yīn depletion: Replace Shú dì huáng (熟地黄 Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, cooked rehmannia [root]) with Shēng dì huáng (生地黄 Rehmanniae Radix Exsiccata seu Recens, dried/fresh rehmannia [root]), and replace Niú xī (牛膝 Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, achyranthes [root]) with Xuán shēn (玄参 Scrophulariae Radix, scrophularia [root]).
• Pronounced heat and bleeding: Replace Shú dì huáng (熟地黄 Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, cooked rehmannia [root]) with Shēng dì huáng (生地黄 Rehmanniae Radix Exsiccata seu Recens, dried/fresh rehmannia [root]), and add Mǔ dān pí (牡丹皮 Moutan Cortex, moutan [bark]), Bái máo gēn (白茅根 Imperatae Rhizoma, imperata [rhizome]), or Mò hàn lián (墨旱莲 Ecliptae Herba, eclipta).
• Vomiting of blood: Increase the Shí gāo (石膏 Gypsum Fibrosum, gypsum) and Niú xī (牛膝 Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix, achyranthes [root]), and add Zhě shí (赭石 Haematitum , hematite) or ǒu jié (藕节 Nelumbinis Rhizomatis Nodus, lotus root node).
• Dry red or crimson tongue or bare mirror tongue (indicating insufficiency of stomach humor): Add Shā shēn (沙参 Adenophorae seu Glehniae Radix, adenophora/glehnia [root]) or Shí hú (石斛 Dendrobii Herba, dendrobium).

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

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