1. Mahuang Tang

1. Mahuang Tang

Mahuang 10 grams, Guizhi 10 grams, Xingren 10 grams, Gancao 6 grams, Shengjiang 6 grams, Dazao 6 pieces—decocted in water and taken orally, usually one dose per day. This formula is highly effective against upper respiratory infections and influenza, and also shows definite efficacy against various types of rhinitis, including acute and chronic rhinitis as well as sinusitis. If accompanied by sore throat and swollen tonsils, add Erhua, Lianqiao, Gongying, Baijiang, Shandougen, Shegan, etc.; for chronic rhinitis, add Cang’erzi, Chuanxiong, Baizhi, Xixin, Zhike, Qiangdugu, Fangfeng. Adding Shengshigao to Mahuang Tang creates Daqinglong Tang. "Shanghan Lun" states: "For Taiyang Zhongfeng, with floating, tight pulse, fever, aversion to cold, body pain, no sweat but restlessness, Daqinglong Tang is the primary choice." This indicates that if Mahuang Tang is accompanied by restlessness, Daqinglong Tang should be used instead. Restlessness is a clinical manifestation of external pathogenic factors penetrating deeper and turning into fire; from a modern medical perspective, it means an infection or exacerbation of infection in the upper respiratory tract. Clinical practice has proven that Daqinglong Tang is indeed an excellent remedy for acute bronchitis caused by upper respiratory infections. If Guizhi is removed from this formula, it becomes the best remedy for acute bronchitis and bronchopneumonia, known as Maxing Ganshi Tang. "Shanghan Lun" says: "After sweating to release exterior pathogens, do not use Guizhi Tang again. If sweating leads to asthma but no high fever, use Maxing Xingren Ganshi Shigao Tang." This suggests that after releasing exterior pathogens through sweating, the patient's high fever seems to subside, but asthma becomes more pronounced—external pathogenic factors have penetrated deeper and turned into fire. From a modern medical standpoint, this means secondary bronchopneumonia. This formula has undergone long-term clinical trials, and most physicians have confirmed its remarkable efficacy in treating infections of the bronchi and lungs. In this formula, I added Sangbaipi 10 grams, Digupi 10 grams, Tinglizi 10 grams, Dazao 4 pieces, Huangqin 20 grams, and Yuxingcao 30 grams, which can help most children with pneumonia avoid intravenous infusions and injections, making it especially convenient and cost-effective for grassroots patients, such as lobar pneumonia, viral pneumonia, emphysema complicated by infection, and heart failure complicated by lung infection.

"Shanghan Lun" states: "If Shanghan symptoms are not resolved, with water qi in the lower abdomen, dry heaving, fever and cough, or diarrhea, or choking, or difficulty urinating, or fullness in the lower abdomen, or asthma, Xiaoqinglong Tang is the primary choice." Xiaoqinglong Tang is made by removing Xingren from Mahuang Tang and adding Ganjiang, Xixin, Wuweizi, Banxia, and Baishao. This formula is designed for cases where Mahuang Tang transforms from yin to cold, resulting in water qi in the lower abdomen and symptoms such as cough, asthma, diarrhea, choking, etc. From a modern medical perspective, upper respiratory infections accompanied by asthma, diarrhea, and hiccups are indications for this formula. In clinical practice, I often find that Ganjiang, Xixin, Wuweizi, and Banxia in this formula have obvious effects in relieving bronchial spasms, relaxing gastrointestinal smooth muscles, and raising blood pressure. These effects can be explained as "inhibiting parasympathetic nervous system tension." Therefore, Xiaoqinglong Tang can be used to prevent seasickness and motion sickness, as well as to treat diarrhea, hiccups, stomach pain, difficulty urinating, and lower abdominal bloating.