WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

Poria,Licorice，Schisandra, Ginger and Asarum Decoction ling gan wit wei jidng xin tang

【SOURCE】: Synopsis of Prescriptions from the Golden Chamber

【INGREDIENTS】:Poria 12g，   Licorice root 6g ，  Dried ginger 9g ，  Asarum herb 6g，   Schisandra fruit 6g

【DIRECTIONS】:Decoct all the above herbs in water for oral administration.

【EFFECTS】:Warming the lung and resolving retention of phlegm-fluid.

【INDICATIONS】: Syndrome of phlegm-fluid retention marked by cough with profuse white thin sputum, discomfort in the chest, pale tongue with white and watery coating and taut and slippery pulse.

【ANALYSIS OF FORMULA】: It is a common formula for treatment of the phlegm-fluid retention of cold type. Dried ginger, being pungent in flavor and hot in property, as a principal herb, can warm the lung and expel cold to resolve phlegm-fluid retention, and also warm the spleen-yang to remove dampness. Act­ing as assistant herbs, asarum herb with pungent flavor and dispersing action warms the lung to expel cold, assists principal herb in resolving cold retention of phlegm-fluid; poria, being sweet and tasteless flavor, invigorates the spleen and excretes dampness. The combination with dried dinger results in stopping the source of phlegm formation. Schisandra fruit as an adjuvant herb astringes the lung-qi to stop cough and the combination with asarum herb can yield both the dispersing and astringing effects, dispersing without impairment of the genuine- qi, while astringing without retaining the evei-qi. Licorice root harmonizes the middle and coordinates the effects of the other herbs in the formula, playing a role of dispatcher herb. The joint use of all herbs can complement each other by both opening and closing, warming and dispersing so that the cold-evil is displled, phlegm-fluid retention eliminated.

If the case is marked by profuse phlegm and nausea, pinellia tuber can be added to the formula to lower adverse qi and stop vomiting, dry dampness and re­solve phlegm. If the case is accompanied, by symptoms of rebellion of adverse qi, cinnamon twig can be added to the formula to warm the middle and lower adverse qi. If the case is marked by severe cough with facial edema, apricot kernel can be added to the formula to disperse the lung-qi and stop cough.

In clinical practice this formula can be used for chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and other diseases menifested as syndrome of cold retention of phlegm- fluid.