【Source】

《Collection of Medical Formulas (Yī Fāng Jí Jiě)》

 【Ingredients】

Xiang Ru (Elsholtzia), Jiang Hou Po (Magnolia Bark prepared with ginger), Chao Bian Dou (Stir-fried Hyacinth Bean), Jiang Huang Lian (Coptis prepared with ginger)
(4)

 【Ingredient Categories】

<Invigorating Spleen and Qi>: Stir-fried Hyacinth Bean

<Clearing Heat and Drying Dampness>: Coptis prepared with ginger

<Releasing the Exterior with Pungent-Warm Herbs>: Elsholtzia

<Aromatic Herbs for Transforming Dampness>: Magnolia Bark prepared with ginger

【Formula’s Medicinal Principles】

According to 《Collection of Medical Formulas》: These are medicines affecting the Hand Shaoyin, Hand and Foot Taiyin, and Foot Yangming meridians. (1)Xiang Ru (Elsholtzia): Pungent, warm, and aromatically dispersing, it enters the Spleen and Lung Qi divisions, promotes the diffusion of Yang Qi to dispel the steaming heat from the skin. (2)Hou Po (Magnolia Bark): Bitter and warm, it eliminates dampness and disperses fullness, resolving stagnation in the chest and abdomen. (3) Bian Dou (Hyacinth Bean): Sweet and bland, it dispels summer-dampness from the Spleen and Stomach, descends turbidity and ascends clarity. (4)Huang Lian (Coptis): Bitter and cold, it enters the Heart and Spleen to clear heat and alleviate vexation.

 【Functions】

Clears summer-heat and resolves heat.

 【Indications】

External contraction of summer-heat, with steaming heat on the skin, headache with a heavy sensation, spontaneous sweating and limb fatigue, or vexation and thirst, or vomiting and diarrhea. Yin summer-heat with cough and severe fever. According to 《Collection of Medical Formulas》: All cases of summer-heat common cold, steaming heat on the skin, headache with a heavy sensation, spontaneous sweating and limb fatigue, or vexation and thirst, or vomiting and diarrhea.

 【Mnemonic】

(1) ‘Four people want to drink like an ox’ (sì wèi xiǎng niú yǐn), a phonetic similarity to ‘Four-Ingredient Elsholtzia Decoction’ (sì wèi xiāng rú yǐn). The result is ‘a face flat like a monkey’ (liǎn biǎn rú hóu), phonetically linked to the ingredients: Lian (Huang Lian), Bian (Bian Dou), Ru (Xiang Ru), Hou (Hou Po). (2) Another mnemonic: ‘A-Bian needs thick skin’ (ā biǎn xū hòu liǎnpí), phonetically linked to Bian (Bian Dou), Ru (Xiang Ru), Hou (Hou Po), Lian (Huang Lian).