【Chinese Name】 |
黃連解毒湯
|
【Phonetic】 |
Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
|
【English Name】 |
Coptis Toxin-Resolving Decoction |
【Classification】 |
Heat-clearing formulas |
【Source】 |
《Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies》Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang《肘後備急方》 |
【Combination】 |
Coptidis Rhizoma (Huang Lian) 3 liang (9g), Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin) 2 liang (6g), Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex (Huang Bai) 2 liang (6g), Gardeniae Fructus (Zhi Zi) 14 pcs (9g) |
【Method】 |
Grind the medicinals into crude powder. Decoct one dose of the formula with six sheng (1200 ml) water, and boil it until the volume shrinks to about two sheng (400 ml). Take one dose per day in two times. (Modern application: use water to decoct the medicinals.) |
【Action】 |
Drains fire and resolves toxins. |
【Indication】 |
This formula is indicated for fire toxins in the sanjiao. The symptoms are fever, vexation, delirious speech, sleeplessness, dry mouth and throat, dark urine, spitting of blood, nosebleed, rashes, fever with dysentery, jaundice caused by epidemic toxins, rashes, abscesses, ulcers, boils, a red tongue with yellow coating, and a forceful rapid pulse. |
【Pathogenesis】 |
This is a pattern of fire toxins in the sanjiao. The intense fire toxin harasses the mind, which causes fever, vexation, delirious speech, and sleeplessness. Fire consumes fluids, which causes a dry mouth and throat. Fire forces the blood to ascend causing spitting of blood and nose bleeding. Fire burns vessels and forces the blood to flow out of vessels to the skin to produce rashes. Fire toxins distress the large intestine to cause a fever with dysentery. Epidemic toxins distress the liver and gallbladder and force the bile to flow to the skin causing jaundice. Fire toxins accumulate in the skin causing abscesses, ulcers, and boils. A red tongue body with a yellow coating and a forceful rapid pulse are signs of intense fire toxins. The characteristic feature of this pattern’s pathogenesis is rampant fire toxin in the sanjiao. Therefore, the therapeutic method is to clear fire toxins from the sanjiao with bitter-cold medicinals. |
【Application】 |
1. Essential pattern differentiation Huang Lian Jie Du Tang is a common formula used for the method of direct repulsion with bitter-cold medicinals, and a fundamental formula for draining fire and resolving toxins. This clinical pattern is marked by fever and vexation, dry mouth and throat red tongue body with yellow coating, and a rapid and forceful pulse. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of fire toxin: blood poisoning, pyemia, acute icteric hepatitis, acute bacillary dysentery, pneumonia, acute urinary tract infection, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, epidemic type B encephalitis, and other infectious diseases. 3. Cautions and contraindications Since this formula includes many bitter-cold medicinals, the spleen and stomach can be damaged from long-term use or an overdose of the formula. Do not prescribe this formula for patients who do not have intense fire pathology. |
【Additonal formulae】 |
1. Xie Xin Tang (Heart-Draining Decoction, 瀉心湯) [Source]《Essentials from the Golden Cabinet》Jin Gui Yao Lue《金匱要略》 [Ingredients] Da huang 2 liang (6g), huang lian 1 liang (3g), huang qin 1 liang (3g) [Preparation and Administration] Prepare it as a decoction. [Actions] Drains fire and disperses pi. [Applicable Patterns] Accumulation of pathogenic heat in the epigastrium and obstruction of qi movement. Symptoms include: soft pi and fullness of the epigastrium, vexation, thirst, dark urine, constipation, ungratifying defecation, spitting of blood, nosebleed, a red tongue with a thin yellow coating, and a rapid pulse. 2. Zhi Zi Jin Hua Tang (Cape Jasmine Metal Flower Decotion, 梔子金花湯) [Source]《Golden Mirror of the Medical Tradition》Yi Zong Jin Jian《醫宗金鑒》 [Ingredients] Huang Lian Jie Du Tang with additional da huang. [Preparation and Administration] Prepare it as a decoction. [Actions] Drains fire and resolves toxins. [Applicable Patterns] Huang Lian Jie Du Tang pattern coupled with: constipation, yang type sores, abscesses, and ulcers. 3. Qing Wen Bai Du Yin (Epidemic-Clearing Toxin-Resolving Beverage, 清瘟敗毒飲) [Source]《Achievements in the Treatment of Epidemic Rashes》Yi Zhen Yi De《疫疹一得》 [Ingredients] Shi gao [high dose: 6-8 liang (180-240g), middle dose: 2-4 liang (60-120g), low dose: 8 qian to 1.2 liang (24-36g) ] , sheng di [high dose: 6 qian to 1 liang (18-30g), middle dose: 3-5 qian (9-15g), low dose: 2-4 qian (6-12g) ] , xi jiao/ shui niu jiao [high dose: 6-8 liang (180-240g), middle dose: 3-5 liang (90-150g), low dose: 2-4 liang (60-120g) ] , chuan huang lian [high dose: 4-6 qian (12-18g), middle dose: 2-4 qian (6-12g), low dose: 1-1.5 qian (3-4.5g) ] , zhi zi, jie geng, huang qin, zhi mu, chi shao, xuan shen, gan cao, mu dan pi, zhu ye, lian qiao (each 6-9g) [Preparation and Administration] Decoct shi gao first. Add the remained medicinals and boil them together. [Actions] Clears heat, resolves toxins, cools the blood, and drains fire. [Applicable Patterns] Epidemic heat toxins, and blazing of both qi and blood. Symptoms include: high-grade fever, severe headache, belching, agitation and mania, unconsciousness, delirious speech, eruption of macules, spitting of blood, nosebleed, reversal counterflow cold or convulsion of the limbs, a deep rapid pulse, deep thready rapid pulse, or floating large rapid pulse, dry lips, and a crimson colored tongue. |
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