"Shuihuo Jiji Wan" for Treating Thirst

The Desheng Tang Fang contains a prescription named "Shuihuo Jiji Wan" (Water-Fire-Link Pill), which was cited in the Puji Fang. Shuihuo Jiji Wan is composed of huanglian (coptis rhizome) and bailing (white poria), in equal parts. Preparation: grind the two herbs into a fine powder, decoct tianhuafen (trichosanthes root) in water, use the decoction to make a flour paste, and form into pills the size of a parasol tree seed (about the size of a soybean). Take 50 pills each time, washed down with warm water, regardless of before or after meals, twice daily.

Traditional TCM holds that this formula has the actions of clearing the heart and draining fire, and of engendering fluids and stopping thirst. It is indicated for excess above and deficiency below, with heart fire flaring and drying, and kidney water exhausted, so that water and fire cannot mutually support each other and produce the thirst syndrome. The thirst syndrome mostly corresponds to diabetes in modern medicine.

Both huanglian and tianhuafen used in this formula have a blood-sugar-lowering effect, and both can stop thirst. But these two herbs both belong to the heat-clearing category and have a certain irritating effect on the stomach; long-term use may cause diarrhea. From the standpoint of modern medicine, these two herbs also have a certain liver-injuring effect. Therefore fu ling is used as an auxiliary: for one thing, fu ling belongs to the spleen-fortifying and dampness-draining herbs; for another, fu ling has a liver-protecting effect, and fu ling can also stop thirst. Thus, when the three are used together, the side effects are reduced and the therapeutic effect is enhanced.