"Beimu Gualou San": A Powder for Resolving Phlegm and Stopping Cough

In Yixue Xinwu (Medical Learnings, by Cheng Guopeng) there is a small formula named "Beimu Gualou San." Its composition is: Beimu (fritillary bulb) 1 qian 5 fen (4.5 g), Gualou (Trichosanthes Fructus, snakegourd fruit) 1 qian (3 g), Tianhuafen (Trichosanthes Radix, trichosanthes root), Fuling (Poria, poria), Juhong (Citri Exocarpium Rubrum, red tangerine peel), and Jiegeng (Platycodi Radix, platycodon) 8 fen each (2.4 g). Decoct in water, strain, and take warm, twice daily.

The main effect of this small formula is to moisten the lung and resolve phlegm. It is indicated for dryness-heat damaging yin, with cough and yellow sputum difficult to expectorate, dry and painful throat. It is now often used to treat asthma, pleurisy, tracheitis, and lung cancer presenting with the syndrome of lung-heat with yin injury.

All the herbs in this formula are commonly used phlegm-resolving, cough-stopping medicines. The Beimu used is usually Chuanbeimu (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus, Sichuan fritillary bulb), which clears heat, moistens the lung, resolves phlegm, stops cough, dissipates nodules and disperses abscesses. The Gualou used here is Gualoupi (Trichosanthes Pericarpium, snakegourd peel), which clears heat, drains phlegm, loosens the chest and dissipates nodules; if constipation is also present, Gualouren (Trichosanthes Semen, snakegourd seed) may be used, which not only has the effects of the peel but also moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movement. Tianhuafen is the root of the trichosanthes plant; its effects are similar but not identical to Gualoupi—it clears heat, drains fire, generates fluids, quenches thirst, reduces swelling and discharges pus. Fuling strengthens the spleen, drains dampness, calms the heart and settles the spirit. Juhong resolves phlegm, moves qi, loosens the middle and dissipates nodules. Jiegeng diffuses the lung, benefits the throat, expels phlegm and discharges pus. Used together, these herbs provide symptomatic relief for the lung-dryness type of cough and asthma caused by dryness-heat damaging yin, presenting with yellow sputum that is difficult to expectorate.

Every herb in this formula has some degree of antitumor activity, so this combination is also used to treat lung cancer or pulmonary metastases. However, used alone, these herbs have limited effect against lung cancer and should be combined with other antitumor medicines.