厚樸麻黃湯

Source

The book Jin Gui Yao Lue

Ingredients

• Hou Po 15 g,
• Ma Huang 12 g,
• Gan Jiang 6 g,
• Xing Ren,
• Shi Gao,
• Ban Xia,
• Xi Xin 6 g,
• Xiao Mai,
• Wu Wei Zi.

Explanation

Ma Huang: Relieving exterior syndrome, dispersing cold pathogen.

Shi Gao: Being pungent and sweet in flavor and very cold in nature, facilitating the flow of the lung-Qi to clear away the lung-heat and preventing the other drugs warm in nature from producing heat, with its dose as two times as that of Ma Huang.

Xing Ren: Promoting the flow of the lung-Qi.

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

Gan Jiang: Warming the lung and dispelling cold so as to eliminate retained phlegm and warming up the spleen-Yang to remove dampness.

Xi Xin: Warming the lung to dispel cold, assisting Gan Jiang in eliminating retained phlegm.

Wu Wei Zi: Astringing the Lung to relieve cough.

Xiao Mai: Strengthening superficies to check sweating, replenishing qi, clearing heat.

Ban Xia: Removing dampness, eliminating phlegm, checking upward adverse flow of Qi and arresting nausea.

Effect

Diffuse the lung and direct qi downward, resolve retained fluid and relieve cough.

Indications

Cough with dyspnea.

Administration

Decoct in water for oral dose to be taken twice.