This kind of herbs are most pungent in taste and warm in nature and have remarkable action of dispersing wind-cold from superficies. They are indicated in patients with the exterior syndrome caused by wind-cold, which are characterized by chills, fever, anhidrosis or unsmooth perspiration, headache, general soreness, thin and white tongue coating, floating pulse. Besides, some of them may be used to treat Bi-syndrome, cough and dyspnea, edema, measles and sores at the early stage accompanied with the exterior syndrome of wind-cold.
Mahuang Herba Ephedrae
The source is from the herbaceous stem of Ephedra sinica stapf, Eintermedia schrenk et C. A. Mey, and E. equisetina Bunge, family Ephedraceae. The producing areas are mainly in Hebei, Shanxi, Gansu provinces and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, etc.. The medicinal material is collected in autumn, dried in shade and cut into pieces. Its commonly used form is crude one or the one prepared with honey.
Medicinal Properties Pungent and slightly bitter in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the lung and bladder meridians.
Actions Induce sweating to relieve superficies disperse the lung to relieve asthma and promote diuresis to subside edema.
Application
1. It is used for superficial syndrome due to wind and cold. Since the medicinal herb can strongly promote sweating, it is often used for superficial sthenia-syndrome due to wind and cold, which is manifested as aversion to cold, fever, anhidrosis, headache, stuffy nose, floating and tight pulse. It is often used in combination with Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi ), such as Mahuang Tang (Decoction).
2. For sthenia£ºsyndromes with cough and dyspnea. It is indicated for all syndromes such as cough and dyspnea due to stagnation of lung-qi, or cold, heat, phlegm or retention of fluids whether they have superficial syndrome or not. It is combined with Xingren (Semen Pruni Armeniacae) and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae), such as San' ao Tang (Decoction) for cough and dyspnea due to accumulation of wind and cold in the lung. It is combined with Ganjiang ( Rhizoma Zingiberis ), Xixin ( Herba Asari), Banxia ( Rhizoma Pinelliae), etc., like Xiaoqinglong Tang (Decoction) for retention of cold-fluid in the lung manifested as profuse watery sputum. It may also be combined with Shigao ( Gypsum Fibrosum ), Xingren (Semen Pruni Armeniacae ) and Gancao ( Radix Glycyrrhizae) to treat syndrome with asthma and yellowish-thick sputum due to stagnancy of lung-heat, such as Mahuang Xingren Gancao Shigao Tang (Decoction) to clear away lung heat and relieve dyspnea and cough.
3. For wind edema with exterior syndromes, it is of- ten combined with Shengjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens ) , Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae ), Gancao (Radix Gtycyrrhizae), etc., such as Yuebi Jia Zhu Tang (Decoction).
Besides, it is also indicated for wind-cold Bi-syndrome, deep-rooted carbuncle of yin type, subcutaneous nodule, etc.. It is often combined with Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparatae ) , Rougui ( Cortex Cinnamomi), Lujiaojiao ( Cotla Cornu Cervi ), etc., such as Yanghe Tang (Decoction) to treat the deep-rooted carbuncle of yin type.
Osage and Dosage 3 -9 g is used in decoction for oral use; the crude form is suitable for inducing sweating to relieve superficies and the prepared form with honey for relieving cough and dyspnea.
Notes It is not used excessively and contraindicated in conditions of spontaneous perspiration due to exterior deficiency, night sweating due to yin deficiency, asthenia-dyspnea and high blood pressure.
Guizhi Ramulus Cinnamomi
The source is from the tender branch of Cinnamomum cassia Presl, family Lauraceae. Its producing areas are mainly in the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan. The medicinal material is collected in spring and summer, and dried either in shade or in the sun, then is cut into pieces or segments for use.
Medicinal Properties Pungent and sweet in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the heart, lung and bladder meridians.
Actions Induce sweating to relieve superficies and activate yang and circulate qi by warming meridian.
Application
1. It is used for the superficial syndrome due to wind and cold whether the syndrome is asthenic or sthenic. For the wind-cold syndrome with spontaneous perspiration due to superficial deficiency, it is often combined with Baishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba), etc., such as Guizhi Tang (Decoction) to keep the actions of yingqi and weiqi in balance. It is combined with Mahuang (Herba Ephedrae) to treat sthenia-syndrome of the superficies with anhidrosis.
2. It is used for pains due to blood stagnancy due to stagnation of cold. It is often combined with Zhishi ( Fructus Aurantii Immaturus ), Xiebai (Allii Macrostemi), etc., such as Gualou Xiebai Guizhi Tang (Decoction) for the treatment of the weakness of thoracic yang, the obstruction in heart channel and thoracic pain due to thoracic obstruction; combined with Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata), such as Guizhi Fuzi Tang (Decoction) for the treatment of arthralgia due to stagnation of wind-cold-damp; combined with Taoren ( Semen Persicae ) , Mudanpi ( Cortex Moutan Radicis ), etc., such as Guizhi Fuling Wan (Pill) for the treatment of irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea or abdominal mass due to blood stagnation caused by invasion of cold.
3. It is combined with Puling (Poria), Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae ), etc., such as Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang (Decoction) for the treatment of palpitation, dizziness and fullness in the chest due to retention of fluids; combined with Zhuling ( Polyporus ), Zexie (Rhizoma Alismatis ), etc., such as Wuling San (Powder) for dysuria and edema.
Usage and Dosage 3 -9 g is used in decoction for oral use.
Notes Since it is pungent and warm in nature and easily damages yin and blood, it is contraindicated for the syndromes such as exuberant heat impairing yin in season-al febrile disease, hyperactivity of yang due to yin-deficiency in miscellaneous diseases and bleeding due to blood-heat, and must be used with caution in pregnant women.
Explanation Both Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) and Mahuang (Herba Ephedrae) are diaphoretics for dispersing wind-cold, whereas Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) is moderate in action and weaker than Mahuang (Herba Ephedrae) in inducing sweating. It can be used for spontaneous perspiration due to superficial deficiency and can be combined with Baishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) to warm the meridians, activate yang, resolve fluid retention and induce diuresis, etc.. Since Mahuang (Her-ba Ephedrae) is a medicinal herb mainly attributive to the lung meridian and has the strong action of perspiration, it is often used for exterior sthenia syndrome with anhidrosis due to wind and cold and can disperse the lung and relieve asthma, promote diuresis to relieve edema.
