Classic Famous Formula ⁽²⁰⁵⁾

Bulaowan (Ageless Pill) comes from volume 5 of the Wei Shi Jia Cang Fang (Wei Family’s Secret Prescriptions). This book was compiled by the Song-dynasty physician Wei Xian, who gathered medical prescriptions from three generations—his grandfather, his father, and himself—and it contains many proven, effective…

Xingpi Yiwei Tang is from "Waike Zhengzong" (Orthodox External Medicine), by Chen Shigong. It was used for spleen-stomach weakness and failure of transportation arising after a sore or ulcer has ruptured and the patient has over-eaten raw and cold foods. Clinically, its indications are fullness…

Craniocerebral trauma and intracranial tumor compression can both cause headache, dizziness, lethargy/unconsciousness, nausea, and vomiting. Because ordinary drugs cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, ordinary formulas have poor effect on the headache, dizziness, vomiting, and coma caused by craniocerebral trauma and intracranial tumors; one must use…

Gualou Powder (Trichosanthes Powder) comes from Collected Tested Prescriptions for Abscesses (Ji Yu Bei Ju Fang). It is composed of gualou (Trichosanthes fruit, also called kelou), danggui (Angelica sinensis), moyao (Myrrh), ruxiang (Frankincense), and gancao (Licorice root). When decocting, equal parts yellow wine and water…

Taoren Honghua Decoction ("Peach Kernel and Safflower Decoction") comes from Supplemental Commentary on Chen Su'an's Gynecology, Volume 1, by Chen Yi (courtesy name Su'an), a palace physician of the Southern Song dynasty. (The formula is also recorded in Su'an's Medical Cases, compiled and published by…

Zhuangyao Jianshen Decoction ("Lumbar-Strengthening and Kidney-Fortifying Decoction") is from Chinese Orthopedics and Traumatology. Its composition is: shudihuang (Prepared Rehmannia) 12g, duzhong (Eucommia bark) 12g, shanzhuyu (Cornus fruit) 9g, gouqizi (Lycium fruit) 9g, buguzhi (Psoralea fruit) 9g, roucongrong (Cistanche) 9g, tusizi (Cuscuta seed) 9g, danggui (Angelica…

Yangwei Zengye Decoction ("Stomach-Nourishing and Fluid-Engendering Decoction") is an empirical formula in contemporary TCM pediatrics. Its composition is: shihu (Dendrobium stem) 12g, wumei (Smoked Mume fruit) 12g, baishao (White Peony root) 12g, beishashen (Glehnia root) 15g, yuzhu (Polygonatum odoratum rhizome) 10g, gancao (Licorice root) 5g.

Daoism and TCM have deep roots; in China, the Yellow Emperor and Laozi are often spoken of together, and the TCM classic Huangdi Neijing is also an important Daoist scripture. Through every dynasty there have been no shortage of alchemical Daoists; these priests relied on…

Baitouweng Tang (Pulsatilla Decoction) comes from the Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage). The Shanghan Lun mentions Baitouweng Tang in two entries. The first is Article 370: "For hot diarrhea with tenesmus, Baitouweng Tang governs." The second is Article 372: "For diarrhea with a desire…

A powder composed mainly of indigo naturalis (qingdai) and realgar (xionghuang) is called Qing Huang Powder. The ratio of indigo naturalis to realgar varies—there are versions at 9:1, 8:2 and 7:3. Qing Huang Powder is the dedicated TCM formula for treating leukemia; a large number…