Several Effective Traditional Chinese Medicines and Formulas, August 10, 2003

Several Effective Traditional Chinese Medicines and Formulas, August 10, 2003

① Madder root: Its primary function is to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. Dosage: 10–30 grams. It promotes blood circulation without causing bleeding, stops bleeding without causing clotting, and can be used for abdominal pain, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and joint pain; commonly used for uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, amenorrhea, and arthritis.

② Earthworm: This medicine has the functions of dispelling wind-phlegm, relieving acute spasms, promoting blood circulation, and treating stroke—namely, relieving asthma, clearing heat, unblocking meridians, and calming wind. It is also effective for joint pain and muscle pain.

③ Chaiping Tang: Contains bupleurum, scutellaria, pinellia, codonopsis, licorice, ginger, jujube, atractylodes, magnolia bark, and citrus peel. Chaiping Tang is essentially a combination of Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Ping Wei San. It treats chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and chronic hepatitis.

④ Magnolia bark: Often used by those with lower abdominal distension and difficulty passing gas. It can be combined with zhishi, rhubarb, and radish seeds, paired with Taoren Chengqi Tang, or mixed with bai zhu. The main indication for use is slowed intestinal peristalsis, equivalent to the Western medicine motilium. Those with abdominal distension and difficulty passing gas due to Parkinson’s syndrome often use this medicine.

⑤ Dendrobium: For persistent proteinuria, dosage: 10–45 grams, combined with fu ling, ze xie, che qian zi, sheng huang qi, and zhu ling to effectively treat proteinuria.

⑥ Shenling Baizhu San: Contains codonopsis, bai zhu, fu ling, licorice, shan yao, flat beans, jiegeng, citrus peel, lotus seed meat, and sheng yi ren. Specifically treats fatigue, fear of cold, and diarrhea; lotus seed, sheng yi ren, and jiegeng are indispensable components.

⑦ Cinnamon: Suitable for true false heat syndrome characterized by dry throat, dry mouth, flushed face, and hot body. Dosage: 3–6 grams.

⑧ Astragalus: The primary herb for all conditions of deficiency with excess manifestations. Such as nephritis, diabetes, cardiac insufficiency, chronic hepatitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, leukopenia, systemic lupus erythematosus, and influenza in the elderly.

⑨ Xiao Xian Xiong: Can treat coronary heart disease, pleurisy, and pericardial effusion.

⑩ Si Ni San: Can treat chronic gastritis, ulcers, cholecystitis, hepatitis, and colitis.

Er Xian Tang: Can treat hypertension, hyperthyroidism, menopausal syndrome, and functional uterine bleeding.

Tortoise shell: Has two major effects—nourishing yin and softening hard masses. Can treat cirrhosis, ovarian cysts, and uterine fibroids.

Chuan Wu and Cao Wu: Can be used in doses of 3–30 grams; for larger doses, first decoct for 1–2 hours. Some advocate using chuan wu and cao wu together for greater effect. They can relieve joint pain, headache, stomach pain, and menstrual pain.

Hao Qin Qing Dan Tang: Contains artemisia, scutellaria, zhishi, bamboo juice, pinellia, citrus peel, fu ling, and licorice. It can treat headaches and dizziness caused by hypertension and arteriosclerosis.

Cicada molts: Can treat stubborn headaches, neuralgia, and allergies. Combined with 25 grams of lily bulbs and 25 grams of wisteria vines, it can treat stubborn insomnia.

Gan Dan Ning Tang: Contains 10 g of codonopsis, 10 g of bai zhu, 30 g of astragalus, 10 g of shan yao, 10 g of yin chai hu, 10 g of dang gui, 10 g of hang ju, 10 g of zhishi, 10 g of magnolia bark, 6 g of xiang fu, 10 g of zhi zi, and 6 g of licorice. It treats the recovery period after hepatitis and cholecystitis.

Xin Tong Tang: Contains 20 g of bai zhu, 10 g of codonopsis, 30 g of astragalus, 10 g of shan yao, 12 g of yun ling, 6 g of chuan xiong, 10 g of dang gui, 15 g of mai dong, 3 g of wu wei zi, 3 g of sheng ma, 6 g of citrus peel, and 6 g of licorice. It treats the recovery period after coronary heart disease.

Gan Dan Ning Tang and Xin Tong Tang are both prescriptions from Dr. Hong Zuoyuan, a renowned physician in Kaifeng City, Liaoning Province. Both are modifications of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, with the former adding zhishi, magnolia bark, xiang fu, and magnolia bark to regulate the liver and qi, while the latter adds sheng mai and shan yao to tonify qi and blood.

Bai Guo Ding Chuan Tang: Contains 10 g of ginkgo nuts, 10 g of ma huang, 15 g of ku shen, 6 g of ban xia, 15 g of su zi, 15 g of sang bai pi, 15 g of xing ren, 6 g of yuan zhi, and 6 g of gan cao. Mnemonic: Ma Xing Bai Gan, Sang Su Ku Ban Yuan. Used for bronchial asthma and asthmatic bronchitis.

Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang: Used for Meniere’s disease caused by insufficient vertebral artery blood supply and sequelae of cerebral arteriosclerosis. Composed of ban xia, tian ma, bai zhu, fu ling, orange peel, and licorice.