A Commonly Used Formula for Gallbladder-Liver and Throat Disorders: Chaihu Qinggan Tang (Bupleurum Liver-Clearing Decoction)

Chaihu Qinggan Tang (Bupleurum Liver-Clearing Decoction) comes from the Ming-dynasty famous surgeon Chen Shigong's "Waike Zhengzong" (Orthodox External Medicine). Its composition is 3 g each of Ligusticum chuanxiong (Chuanxiong), Angelica sinensis (Danggui), white peony (Baishao), rehmannia raw (Shengdi), bupleurum (Chaihu), scutellaria (Huangqin), gardenia (Zhizi), Trichosanthes root (Tianhuafen), saposhnikovia (Fangfeng), burdock seed (Niubangzi), forsythia (Lianqiao), and licorice (Gancao).

Chaihu Qinggan Tang's actions are to disperse wind and activate blood, dissipate nodules, and reduce swelling. It is used for early-stage, unformed-pus disorders such as beard-area abscess (bin yong) and rib-side abscess (lei yong) caused by wind-heat in the liver, gallbladder, and triple burner. Signs include local redness, swelling, heat, and pain, a bitter taste in the mouth, rib-side pain, dizziness and vertigo, a red tongue with thin coating, and a wiry rapid pulse. Clinically, a bitter taste and rib-side pain, dizziness and vertigo, a red tongue with thin yellow coating, and a wiry rapid pulse are the basis for using this formula.

Modern pharmacological research proves this formula has liver-protecting, gallbladder-promoting, antibacterial, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory actions, and can be used for wind-heat-pattern pharyngolaryngitis, chronic tonsillitis, cervical lymphadenitis, and hepatobiliary diseases.