【Chinese Name】 |
羚角鉤藤湯
|
【Phonetic】 |
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
|
【English Name】 |
Antelope Horn and Uncaria Decoction |
【Classification】 |
Wind-calming formulas |
【Source】 |
《Popular Guide to the ‘Treatise on Cold Damage’》Tong Su Shang Han Lun《通俗傷寒論》 |
【Combination】 |
Saigae Tataricae Cornu (Ling Yang Jiao) 1.5 qian (4.5g), Mori Folium (Shuang Sang Ye) 2 qian (6g), Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus (Jing Bei Mu) 4 qian (12g), Rehmanniae Radix (Xian Sheng Di) 5 qian (15g), Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis (Shuang Gou Teng) 3 qian (9g), Chrysanthemi Flos (Chu Ju Hua) 3 qian (9g), Poria (Fu Shen Mu) 3 qian (9g), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Sheng Bai Shao) 3 qian (9g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Sheng Gao Cao) 0.8 qian (2.4g), Bambusae Caulis in Taenias (Dan Zhu Ru) 5 qian (15g) |
【Method】 |
Prepare the ingredients as a decoction for oral use. |
【Action】 |
Cools the liver and extinguishes wind, and increases fluids to relax the sinews. |
【Indication】 |
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang is indicated for a pattern of exuberant heat stirring wind. The symptoms are persistent high fever, irritability, restlessness, twitching and spasms of the extremities, convulsions, coma, a dark red tongue body with a dry tongue coating, or a burnt tongue with prickles, and a wiry, rapid pulse. |
【Pathogenesis】 |
This pattern is caused by warm pathogens entering jueyin causing excessive liver heat generating wind. Excessive heat in liver channel causes refractory high fever and excessive heat that generates wind and flares fire. Moreover, the excessive heat exhausts fluids and the sinews and vessels cannot be properly nourished. Twitching and spasms of the extremities, and even convulsive syncope occur. When the pathogenic heat concentrates fluids into phlegm, the phlegm-heat harasses the heart-spirit and leads to restlessness, irritability, or even coma. A crimson colored dry tongue, or scorched and spotted tongue with a wiry and rapid pulse are indications of excessive liver heat damaging yin. The therapeutic principle is primarily to clear heat, cool the liver, extinguish wind by nourishing yin, supplement fluids and relax the sinews. |
【Application】 |
1. Essential pattern differentiation Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang serves as the common formula used to treat excessive liver heat generating wind. This clinical pattern is marked by high fever, irritability, twitching and spasms of the extremities, crimson colored dry tongue, wiry, rapid pulse. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of headache, dizziness and convulsions due to exuberant heat in the liver channel, excessive heat generating wind, or upward reversal of wind yang due to liver heat: epidemic encephalitis B, epilepsy during pregnancy, and hypertension. 3. Cautions and contraindications This formula is not applicable for the late stages of warm disease with the symptoms of relieved fever, exhausted yin-fluids, and internal stirring of deficient wind. |
【Additonal formulae】 |
Gou Teng Yin (Uncaria Beverage 钩藤饮) [Source]《Golden Mirror of the Medical Tradition》Yi Zong Jin Jian《医宗金鉴》 [Ingredients] Ren shen 3g, quan xie 1g, ling yang jiao 0.5g, tian ma 6g, zhi gan cao 1.5g, gou teng 9g [Preparation and Administration] Prepare it as a decoction. [Actions] Clears heat and extinguishes wind, boosts qi and relieves convulsions. [Applicable Patterns] Pediatric convulsions due to liver heat generating wind. Symptoms include: high fever, palpitations due to fright, lockjaw, twitching and spasms of the extremities, upward-facing head and eyes. |
【Remark】 |
Saiga (Saiga tatarica) is listed as "Critically endangered" in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Also, it is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endang |
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