"Zhimu Wan (Anemarrhena Pill)" and "Zhimu Fuling Tang (Anemarrhena and Poria Decoction)" That Tonify the Lung and Clear Heat
"Zhimu Wan (Anemarrhena Pill)" is recorded in the Prescriptions from the Universal Benefit Bureau (Puji Fang). Its composition is: Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Chuanbeimu (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus), Tinglizi (Descurainiae Semen, stir-fried until yellow), and Xingren (Armeniacae Semen, peeled), in equal parts. The above herbs are ground into fine powder, steamed seven times in a steamer with maltose, then mixed with the herb powder and formed into pills the size of peas. Take 30 pills each time, washed down with light ginger decoction or honey water.
The main effect of "Zhimu Wan" is to clear heat and drain lung fire, resolve phlegm and stop cough. It is indicated for both recent and chronic cough with inability to sleep or lie down.
"Zhimu Fuling Tang (Anemarrhena and Poria Decoction)" is recorded in the Illustrative Treatise on Disorders (Xuanming Lunfang). Its composition is: Fuling (Poria) and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix), 1 liang each (30 g); Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus), Renshen (Ginseng), Bohe (Menthae Herba), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, washed seven times), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Kuandonghua (Farfarae Flos), Jiegeng (Platycodi Radix), Maimendong (Ophiopogonis Radix), and Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), 5 qian each (15 g); Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), 3 qian (9 g); Ejiao (Asini Corii Colla), 3 qian (9 g, stir-fried). The above herbs are ground into fine powder. Take 3 qian (9 g) each time, add 225 ml water and 10 slices of Shengjiang (fresh ginger), decoct together to 160 ml, and strain out the dregs.
The main effect of "Zhimu Fuling Tang" is to tonify the lung and clear heat, resolve phlegm and stop cough. It is indicated for lung wilting (fei wei), incessant cough and panting, alternating chills and fever, and spontaneous sweating.
In these two formulas, the composition contains both ingredients that clear heat, drain the lung, stop cough and calm panting, and ingredients that expel fluid and resolve phlegm, such as Tinglizi and Fuling. Among them, "Zhimu Fuling Tang" even incorporates the ingredients of Shengmai San (Pulse-Generating Powder), so the formula has the effect of both supporting zheng qi and expelling pathogen.
The above two formulas are both prescriptions for treating cough and panting due to lung heat; the second is more complex. But the actual effects of the two are quite similar.