WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

Ginseng，Poria and Bighead Atractylodes Powder shen ling bai zhu san

[SOURCE]: Formulae of Peaceful Benevolent Dispensary

[INGREDIENTS]: Lotus seed 12g,      Coix seed 12g,       Amomum fruit 8g,      Platycodon root(stir-baked to deep yellowish) 6g ,       White hyacinth bean (macerated in ginger juice, skin removed and stir-baked just dry) 12g,     Poria l0g ,     Ginseng(stem removed) 12g,       Licorice root 8g,       Bighead atractylodes rhizome 15g, Chinese yam 15g

[DIRECTIONS:] All the above herbs can be make into powder, or pills, 6 gram each time is taken with soup of red date or warm boiled water. Or all the above can be decocted in water for oral administration.

[EFFECTS]: Strengthening the spleen, replenishing qi, excreting dampness and stopping diarrhea.

[INDICATIONS]: Qi deficiency syndrome of the spleen and stomach complicat­ed with dampness marked by lassitude of limbs, general debility, poor appetite, loose stool, vomiting of diarrhea, epigastric distention, sallow compexion, whitish and greasy coating on the tongue, and feeble and moderate pulse.

[ANALYSIS OF FORMULA]: This formula is Four Gentleman decoction plus Chinese yam, coix seed, white hyacinth bean, lotus seed, amomum fruit and platycodon root. Gingseng, bighead atractylodes rhizome and poria as the principal herbs replenish qi and strengthen the spleen. White hyacinth bean coix seed, Chinese yam and lotus seed assist bighead atractylodes rhizome in strengthening the spleen, excreting dampness and arresting diarrhea. Amomum fruit with acrid flavor is used to awaken the spleen, regulate qi and harmonize the stomach, so as to avoid stagnation due to tonification. Platycodon root is a herb for lung meridian guiding, and leads the herbs effects upwards. Licorice root replenishes qi and har­monizes the middle. They are dispatcher herbs.

This formula and Four Gentlemen Decoction can be used to tonify qi and strengthen the spleen. Howerer, the latter is used to tonify qi as main purpose, the former stresses on harmonizing the stomach and oozing out dampness. It is specif­ically indicated to syndrome of qi deficiency of the spleen and stomach complicated with dampness, but nowadays, it is often used for deficiency of lung-qi marked by chronic cough with profuse sputum.