Zhi Sou San

Zhi Sou San

Platycodon 3 qian, Schizonepeta 3 qian, Aster 3 qian, Aristolochia 3 qian, White Front 3 qian, Tangerine Peel 3 qian, Licorice 1 qian

Pu Mingzi formulated this recipe and commented on its excellence, but did not specify the medicinal principles behind it. Based on his notes, I adjusted the formula as follows: The lungs belong to metal and fear fire, so when exposed to heat, they cough; using aster and aristolochia to clear heat. Metal is inherently dry and dislikes cold, so when exposed to cold, they cough; using white front and tangerine peel to treat cold. Moreover, the lungs are delicate organs, mainly responsible for the skin and hair, making them highly susceptible to pathogenic factors. If the exterior is not dispersed, pathogenic factors linger and do not dissipate, so schizonepeta is used to disperse the exterior. The lungs have two openings—one in the nose and one in the throat. The nasal opening should be open rather than closed, while the throat opening should be closed rather than open. Now that the nasal opening is blocked, the throat opening is activated, leading to coughing, so platycodon is used to open the nasal passage. This formula is warm and gentle, neither cold nor hot, keeping the lung qi peaceful.

[Note] This formula originates from "Yixue Xinwu." It is warm and gentle, neither cold nor hot, and excels at stopping coughs.