半夏瀉心湯
Name
Pinellia Decoction for Purging Stomach Fire
Source
The book Shang Han Lun
Ingredients
- Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae) 9 g,
- Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) 6 g,
- Gan Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) 6 g,
- Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng) 6 g,
- Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata) 6 g,
- Huang Lian (Rhizoma Coptidis) 3 g,
- Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae) 4 dates.
Explanation
Ban Xia: The principal drug, being pungent in flavor and warm in nature, dispersing accumulation of pathogens, letting the adverse flow of the stomach-Qi go downwards to arrest vomiting.
Gan Jiang: Being pungent in flavor-and warm in nature, dispelling pathogenic cold.
Huang Qin and Huang Lian: Purging pathogenic cold.
Ren Shen and Da Zao: Replenishing the Qi of the middle-Jiao.
Gan Cao: Invigorating the spleen and stomach, tempering the actions of all the other ingredients.
Effect
Letting the upward adverse flow of the stomach-Qi go downwards to regulate the function of the stomach, dispersing the accumulation of pathogens to relieve distention.
Indications
Syndrome due to the accumulation of pathogenic cold and heat in the gastro intestines, marked by epigastric fullness without painful sensation, or retching or vomiting , bowel sound, loose stools, thin yellowish greasy tongue coating, and taut rapid pulse; including such diseases with the above symptoms as chronic gastitis, gastroduodenal ulcer, gastroneurosis and chronic enteritis.
Administration
Decocted in water for oral dose to be taken twice.