2. Wen Pi Tang from "Qian Jin Fang"

2. Wen Pi Tang from "Qian Jin Fang"

[Composition] Dried ginger 6 grams (two liang), Aconitum slices 9 grams (one large piece), Licorice 3 grams (two liang), Rheum palmatum 6 grams (four liang), Ginseng 6 grams (two liang).

[Administration] Add Rheum palmatum last, decoct in water and take orally.

[Indications] Spleen and kidney yang deficiency, cold congealing and stagnation.

[Symptoms] Epigastric distension, severe constipation, abdominal pain relieved by pressure, pale complexion, feeling cold in the limbs, and a deep, string-like pulse.

[Functions] Warm the spleen and benefit the kidneys, warm cold stagnation.

[Explanation] Spleen deficiency leads to a pale complexion and epigastric distension; kidney deficiency causes coldness in the limbs. When spleen and kidney yang are deficient, cold congealing and stagnation occur, eventually leading to severe constipation and abdominal pain relieved by pressure. In this formula, ginseng tonifies the spleen, dried ginger strengthens spleen yang, working together to warm the spleen as the primary function. Aconitum warms and tonifies kidney yang, with spleen yang relying on its warmth as a supplementary function. Although Rheum palmatum has a bitter-cold nature, when combined with the warm group of ginseng, ginger, aconitum, and licorice, its coldness is masked, and its purgative effect remains prominent, allowing cold congealing and stagnation to be purged, thus achieving a dual therapeutic effect. Licorice harmonizes the herbs as a facilitating agent.

[Clinical Modifications] ① Remove licorice and add cinnamon to treat cold stagnation, with red and white diarrhea accompanied by rebellious qi. ② Add Dang Gui and Glauber's salt to treat abdominal pain, cramping around the navel, and persistent pain. ③ Remove dried ginger and ginseng, add Magnolia officinalis and cinnamon to treat chronic cold in the gastrointestinal tract, with year-long abdominal pain, diarrhea, and intermittent attacks.

[Reference Materials] This formula was used to treat one case of ascites due to liver cirrhosis, one case of indigestion in children, and two cases of ascariasis. Although the causes varied, all patients suffered from abdominal pain and constipation, belonging to the syndrome of spleen and kidney yang deficiency and cold congealing and stagnation. After taking the medicine, all achieved satisfactory results. Thus, it was recognized that the main symptoms of this formula are: persistent abdominal pain, occasional sharp pains, relief upon pressure, and either no thirst or a preference for hot drinks. ("Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine," March 1958)

[Commentary] This formula can be used for chronic dysentery, ulcerative colitis, ascites due to liver cirrhosis, and ascariasis, among others.