The Thirst-Quenching Formula Lianhua Yin (Lotus Drink)

In Youke Fahui there is a thirst-quenching formula called Lianhua Yin. Its composition is: Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Lianhuaxu (Nelumbinis Stamen), Lianzi (Nelumbinis Semen), Tianhuafen (Trichosanthinis Radix), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Gegen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), Baifuling (Poria), Shengdihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), and Zhuye (Lophatheri Herba), each in appropriate amounts; boil in water, strain the dregs, and take warm, twice daily.

This is a formula that clears the heart and moistens the lung, engenders fluids and stops thirst. It treats the "upper wasting" of xiao ke (diabetes-like wasting-thirst), presenting with reckless heart fire transferring heat to the lung, thirsting for tea and water, and still being thirsty after drinking.

This formula has a strong thirst-quenching effect and has some efficacy for intractable thirst caused by radiotherapy, diabetes, Sjögren syndrome, and so on.

Zhimu, Tianhuafen, and Gegen in this formula also have a certain blood-sugar-lowering effect. It may be used to relieve intractable thirst caused by diabetes, but its glucose-lowering effect is limited; diabetic patients using this formula to relieve symptoms should not lightly stop their glucose-lowering medication.

This formula may also be used for thirst caused by infectious diseases, most often seen in pediatric pneumonia. If the patient still has fever and other symptoms, Banlangen (Isatidis Radix), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), and Daqingye (Isatidis Folium) may be appropriately added to clear heat, resolve toxin, release the exterior, and reduce fever.

Thirst caused by radiotherapy is usually intractable; its cause differs from that of thirst due to infectious disease, but the symptoms are similar—the patient is endlessly thirsty and cannot be relieved even by heavy drinking, making it a relatively thorny clinical problem. Patients with such radiotherapy after-effects may mix the herbs in this formula in equal parts to make teabags; each time take 5-10 g, steep in boiling water, and drink as tea, with an appropriate amount of Wumei (Mume Fructus) steeped together. The course of post-radiotherapy thirst is very long and requires persistent long-term use.