半夏厚朴汤

Name

Decoction of Pinellia and Magnolia Bark

Source

The book Jin Gui Yao Lue

Ingredients

• Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae) 12 g,
• Fu Ling (Poria) 12 g,
• Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis) 9 g,
• Sheng Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens) 9 g,
• Su Ye (Folium Perillae) 6 g.

Explanation

Ban Xia: The principal drug, dissolving phlegm and dispersing accumulation of pathogens, keeping the adverse Qi flowing downward and regulating the stomach.

Hou Po: Inducing Qi to flow downward and relieving distention.

Fu Ling: Being sweet and tasteless in flavor, inducing diuresis.

Sheng Jiang: Being pungent in taste and warm in nature, dispersing accumulation of pathogens, regulating the stomach to arrest vomiting.

Su Ye: Being aromatic in taste, promoting the flow of Qi, regulating the lung, soothing the liver.

Effect

Promoting the circulation of Qi and dispersing accumulation of pathogens, making the adverse Qi flow downward to dissolve phlegm.

Indications

Syndrome of globus hystericus marked by a sensation of something stuck in the throat which is difficult to vomit out or swallow, fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, whitish moist tongue coating, and taut slow pulse; including such diseases with the above symptoms as hysteria, gastroneurosis, esophageal spasm and chronic pharyngitis.

Administration

Decocted in water for oral dose to be taken twice.