麻黄汤

Name

Ephedra Decoction

Source

The book Shang Han Lun

Ingredients

• Ma Huang (Herba Ephedrae) 6 g,
• Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) 4 g,
• Xing Ren (Semen Armeniacae Amarum) 9 g,
• Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata) 3 g.

Explanation

Ma Huang: The principal drug, being pungent and bitter in flavor and warm in nature, relieving superficies syndrome by means of diaphoresis, facilitating the flow of the lung-Qi to stop asthma.

Gui Zhi: Expelling pathogenic factors from the muscles and skin by means of diaphoresis, warming the channels to expel pathogenic cold, assisting Ma Huang in inducing diaphoresis to relieve exterior syndrome, relieving pain in the limbs.

Xing Ren: Promoting the flow of the lung-Qi, aiding Ma Huang in relieving asthma.

Zhi Gan Cao: Tempering the actions of all the other ingredients.

Effect

Relieving exterior syndrome by means of diaphoresis, facilitating the flow of the lung-Qi to relieve asthma.

Indications

Exterior syndrome of excess type due to wind-cold pathogens, marked by aversion to cold, fever, asthma without sweating, headache, general pain, whitish thin tongue coating and superficial tense pulse; including such diseases with the above symptoms as common cold, influenza, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, etc.

Administration

Decocted in water for oral dose to be taken twice.

Contraindication

Syndromes with Qi, blood or body fluid deficiency (because this decoction is powerful).