大秦艽汤
Name
Major Gentian Decoction
Source
The book Su Wen Bing Ji Qi Yi Bao Ming Ji
Ingredients
- Qin Jiao (Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae) 90 g,
- Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae) 60 g,
- Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) 60 g,
- Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 60 g,
- Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 60 g,
- Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum) 60 g,
- Du Huo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis) 60 g,
- Qiang Huo (Rhizoma seu Radix Notopterygii) 30 g,
- Fang Feng (Radix Saposhinkoviae) 30 g,
- Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) 30 g,
- Bai Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae) 30 g,
- Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) 30 g,
- Sheng Di (Radix Rehmanniae) 30 g,
- Shu Di (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata) 30 g,
- Fu Ling (Poria) 30 g,
- Xi Xin (Herba Asari) 15 g.
Explanation
Qin Jiao: The principal drug, expelling wind and clearing obstruction in the channels.
Qiang Huo, Du Huo, Fang Feng, Bai Zhi and Xi Xin: Dispelling wind pathogen.
Dang Gui, Bai Shao and Shu Di: Nourishing blood and softening the tendons.
Chuan Xiong: Promoting blood circulation and clearing away obstruction in the channels.
Huang Qin, Shi Gao and Sheng Di: Removing heat from blood.
Gan Cao: Tempering the actions of all the other ingredients.
Effect
Expelling wind, dispelling heat, nourishing blood and promoting blood circulation.
Indications
Syndrome due to primary attack of the channels by wind, marked by distortion of the face, stiff tongue, inability to speak, difficulty in moving the hands and feet, whitish tongue, and floating pulse; including such diseases with the above symptoms as facial paralysis and tetanus.
Administration
All the ingredients are ground into fine powder, 30 g of the powder is decocted in water for the decoction to be taken twice daily. Or, the ingredients are decocted in water for oral dose with their amounts properly modified according to their original proportions.
Drugs pungent in flavor are more in this prescription, which tends to damage Yin-blood. So, attention should be paid to modify their dosages in clinical practice.