WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

Gentian Liver-Purging Decoction( Long dan xie gan tang)

[SOURCE]: Collection of Formulae with Notes

[INGREDIENTS]:   

Gentian root 9g , Bupleurum root 6g , Scutellaria root 9g,  Capejasmine fruit 9g,  Water plantain 12g , Plantain seed 9g,  Akebia stem 9g , Chinese angelica root 3g,  Rehmannia root 9g,  Licorice root 6g 

[DIRECTIONS]:Decoct the above herbs in water for oral administration.

[ EFFECTS]: Purging the excessive fire of the liver and gallbladder, clearing away damp-heat in the lower-jiao.

[INDICATIONS]: Flaming -up of the excessive fire of the liver and gallbladder manifested by headache with conjunctiva congestion, hypochondriac pain, oral bit­ter taste, deafness with bulge of ear; or downward flow of damp-heat manifested by itch and swelling of vulva, impotence, polyhidrosis around the external geni­tals, stranguria with turbid urine, or leukorrhagia in woman.

[ANALYSIS OF FORMULA]: This is an effective formula for the excessive fire of the liver and gallbladder with downward flow of damp-heat. Being bitter flavor and cold nature, acting on the liver and gallbladder, gentian stem is the main herb, which is good at purging the excessive fire of the liver and gallbladder and dispel­ling damp-heat in the lower-jiao, As the assistant herbs, Scutellaria root can clear heat and dry dampnesscapejasmine fruit is diuretic which purges fire from the triple-jiao and removes dampness. As the adjuvant herbs, water plantain, akebia stem and plantain seed clear heat and dampness to induce evils out; rehmannia root nourishes yin and promotes generation of body fluid; Chinese angelica root and bupleurum root nourish blood and soothe the liver. Licorice root is the dis­patcher herb to harmonize all the components.

In the present clinic, this formula is usually applied to migraine, hyperten­sion, acute conjuctivitis, acute otitis media, rhinitis pertaining to flaming-up of the excessive fire of the liver and gallbladder;or acute icterohepatitis, acute cholecys­titis, herpes zoster, and inflammation in the urinary and reproductive system such as acute pyelonephritis, acute cystitis, urethritis, vulvitis, testitis，acute pelvic in­flammation pertaining to interior accumulation of dam-heat of the liver and gall­bladder or downward flow of damp-heat.

Since most of herbs in this formula are bitter flavor and cold nature which can injure the spleen and stomach, long-term use is not suggested.

[ASSOCIATED FORMULA]:

Chinese Angelica, Gentian and Aloes Pills (dang gut long hui wan)：

Chinese angelica root, gentian root, acpejasmine fruit, coptis root, phelloden­dron bark, Scutellaria root, rhubarb, aloes, natural indigo, aucklandia root, musk.

The above herbs should be ground and mixed with honey and made into pills which should be taken with fresh ginger decoction. Effects: clearing the liver and purging heat and stasis. Indications： excessive fire of the liver and gallbladder manifested by headache, with flushed face, conjunctival congestion with swelling eyelids, disteding pain of chest and hypochondrium, constipation, dark urine, restessness, or even spasm, strong taut pulse.