Classic Famous Formula ⁽²⁰⁵⁾

Pingwei San is an ancient formula composed of four herbs—Cangzhu (Atractylodes lancea), Houpo (Magnolia bark), Chenpi (tangerine peel), and Chao Gancao (stir-fried Glycyrrhiza)—in a ratio of 4:3:2:1. The herbs are ground together into a fine powder to make a powder preparation; each time, take 1–2…

During the hot summer season, people are most susceptible to summerheat evil and various externally contracted diseases. Patients may present with feverish body and flushed face, vexation and thirst with a desire to drink, fatigue and profuse sweating, scanty dark urine, and even debility and…

Qiongyu Gao comes from the Hong Shi Jiyan Fang. The original formula is: Sino-Korean ginseng (Xinluo Renshen) twenty-four liang (750 g), raw rehmannia (Sheng Dihuang) sixteen jin (8 kg), white Poria (Bai Fuling) forty-nine liang (1.5 kg), and white crystallized honey (Baisha Mi) ten jin…

The Wenbing Tiaobian (Systematic Identification of Warm Diseases) contains a formula called Huangqin Huashi Tang, composed of "Scutellaria (Huangqin) three qian, talc (Huashi) three qian, Poria peel (Fulingpi) three qian, areca peel (Dafupi) two qian, white cardamom seed (Baikouren) one qian, Tetrapanax pith (Tongcao) one…

In the chapter on formulas for goiter and tumors in volume two of Waike Zhengzong (Orthodox External Medicine), there is an internal pellet formula called Hupo Heilong Dan (Amber Black-Dragon Pellet), used to treat "the five goiters and six tumors, regardless of whether new or…

Dingyu Lizhong Tang comes from the Yizong Jinjian. It is built on the Lizhong Wan formula of the Shanghan Lun by adding dingxiang (Clove) and wuzhuyu (Evodia), and changing the pill to a decoction. It consists of six herbs—dingxiang, wuzhuyu, dangshen (Codonopsis), chao baizhu (fried…

I previously introduced my experience treating a breast-cancer patient in Tianjin with lung and bone metastases (for details, see the article Experience Treating a Patient with Breast Cancer and Lung and Bone Metastases Using Modified Maxing Shigan Tang Combined with Wuling San). In that article…

What TCM calls “xiere li” (concurrent-heat diarrhea) refers to a condition in which an exterior pattern (fever and aversion to cold) coexists with diarrhea. The Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage) contains this passage: “In a taiyang disease of the guizhi presentation, if the doctor…

In Volume 2 of the Revised Yan’s Formulas to Aid the Living (Chongding Yan’s Jisheng Fang) there is a formula called “Simo Tang” (Four-Ground Decoction), the representative TCM formula for treating qi stagnation with abdominal distension. It is composed of equal parts of Renshen (Ginseng),…

Shashen Maidong Tang comes from the Wenbing Tiaobian; it generates fluids, nourishes the stomach, moistens dryness, and stops cough. Original: Shashen three qian (15 g), Yuzhu (Polygonatum odoratum) two qian (10 g), raw Gancao (licorice) one qian (5 g), winter Sangye (mullein) one qian five…