Duhuo Jisheng Tang (Wan) for Low Back and Leg Pain
Duhuo Jisheng Tang comes from the Beiji Qianjin Yaofang (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies). The Qianjin Yaofang says: for treating low back and back pain, use Duhuo Jisheng Tang. Low back and back pain generally arise from kidney-qi deficiency and weakness, lying on cold damp ground and exposure to wind; if not treated promptly, it tends to flow down into the feet and knees, causing hemiplegia-like cold impediment with flaccidity, weakness, aching and heaviness, or low back pain with contracture and heavy impediment of the feet; this formula should be taken without delay.Duhuo Jisheng Tang is composed of: Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) 3 qian (9 g); Sangjisheng (Taxilli Herba), Xixin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma), Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Qinjiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), Renshen (Ginseng), Fuling (Poria), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix), Gandihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix), Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), Guixin (Cinnamomi Cortex), Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex), and Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), each 2 qian (6 g). Decoct in water; take one dose daily, divided into two portions.Duhuo Jisheng Tang is a historically famous formula for low back and back pain, and it is still widely used today for chronic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic sciatica, lumbar muscle strain, bone hyperplasia, poliomyelitis, and other overuse or degenerative diseases that cause low back and back pain—provided TCM pattern differentiation identifies long-standing wind-cold-damp impediment with deficiency of righteous qi.Because so many physicians across the ages have used this formula and its clinical effect is fairly clear, Duhuo Jisheng Tang has also been made into a pill. Many patent-medicine factories produce Duhuo Jisheng Wan; pills are convenient to take and are better suited to patients with chronic disease. However, this formula contains Xixin (Asarum), a plant of the Aristolochiaceae family; long-term use of Asarum may cause liver cancer, so patients with hepatitis, cirrhosis, or other precancerous liver conditions should not take either Duhuo Jisheng Tang or Duhuo Jisheng Wan.Duhuo Jisheng Tang treats both branch and root. It uses righteous-supporting, root-consolidating herbs such as Renshen, Dihuang, Guixin, Danggui, Sangjisheng, and Gancao, together with branch-treating herbs for low back pain such as Duhuo, Xixin, Fangfeng, Qinjiao, Shaoyao, Duzhong, and Niuxi. Strictly speaking, Sangjisheng, Duzhong, Niuxi, and Shaoyao each both support the righteous and consolidate the root and relieve low back and back pain.