【Source】

“Yimen Falu” (Medical Laws, 1658), “Yizong Jinjian” (Golden Mirror of Medicine, 1742) Vol. 4.

 【Ingredients】

Mulberry Leaf (Sang Ye), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shi Gao), Licorice Root (Gan Cao), Black Sesame Seed (Hu Ma Ren), Donkey-hide Gelatin (E Jiao), Ophiopogon Root (Mai Men Dong), Apricot Kernel (Xing Ren), Ginseng (Ren Shen), Loquat Leaf (Pi Pa Ye)
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 【Categories】

<Blood Tonifying>: Donkey-hide Gelatin (E Jiao)

<Yin Tonifying/Nourishing Yin>: Ophiopogon Root (Mai Men Dong)

<Tonifying Liver and Kidney>: Black Sesame Seed (Hu Ma Ren)

<Tonifying Spleen/Middle Jiao>: Licorice Root (Gan Cao)

<Acrid-Cool Exterior-Releasing>: Mulberry Leaf (Sang Ye)

<Qi Tonifying>: Ginseng (Ren Shen)

<Clearing Heat/Purging Fire>: Gypsum Fibrosum (Shi Gao)

<Relieving Cough/Calming Asthma>: Apricot Kernel (Xing Ren), Loquat Leaf (Pi Pa Ye)

【Formula Explanation】

According to “Shan Bu”: “Those whose Lung is damaged should have their Qi tonified, as the Lung governs all Qi.” However, fire and primal Qi cannot coexist. Therefore, Ginseng and Licorice Root, sweet and warm, are used to tonify Qi. When Qi is strong, fire naturally subsides; this is the method of generating Qi with moderate fire. If fire-dryness obstructs and stagnates in the Lung, without the aid of sweet, cold, and fluid-rich substances, it is insufficient to moisten Lung dryness, and the Lung Qi would instead be consumed by the strong fire, further exacerbating the dryness. Hence, Gypsum Fibrosum, Ophiopogon Root, Mulberry Leaf, Donkey-hide Gelatin, Black Sesame Seed, and similar herbs are used as assistants to promote the clear and descending function, allowing the strong fire to also transform with Qi. The classic states: “When the Lung suffers from rebellious Qi, urgently consume bitter substances to descend it.” Therefore, Apricot Kernel and Loquat Leaf, which are bitter, are used to descend Qi. When Qi descends, fire also descends, allowing for proper regulation; when Qi flows, there is no stagnation, and various symptoms of weakness, asthma, and vomiting will naturally subside. It is important to realize that in cases of severe Lung Qi stagnation and obstruction, Lung Qi is certainly very deficient. If one adheres to the idea that Lung heat damages the Lung and thus avoids Ginseng, the stagnation will not resolve, and the fire will become more intense, leading to skin wrinkling, hair loss, incessant coughing and wheezing, and ultimately death. This formula is named “Rescue the Lung” because it cools while also tonifying. If one were to consider it as excess fire to be purged and continually administer Coptis and Scutellaria, the bitter taste would transform into fire, leading to imminent collapse. From “Cheng Fang Bian Du”: This condition is definitely caused by external invasion of fire pathogens, injuring the Lung, coupled with pre-existing deficiency of Lung fluids, which are then further consumed by the fire. This manifests as symptoms of Qi stagnation and obstruction, along with asthma and vomiting. However, external fire cannot be cured simply by clearing and descending. The classics state, “When fire is stagnant, release it.” Thus, Mulberry Leaf, which is light and disperses to the exterior, is used to resolve external pathogens. Furthermore, this herb, embodying the Qi of Metal, is soft, moist, and does not wither, hence it is chosen as the sovereign herb. Gypsum Fibrosum, sweet and cold with a white color, directly clears fire from the Lung region, embodying the clear and descending Qi of the West, thus treating the main disease. The Lung and Large Intestine are exterior-interiorly related; when fire consumes fluids, Lung dryness also leads to Large Intestine dryness. Therefore, Apricot Kernel and Black Sesame Seed descend Lung Qi and moisten the intestines. Donkey-hide Gelatin and Ophiopogon Root preserve Lung fluids. Ginseng and Licorice Root tonify the mother Qi of the Lung. Loquat Leaf, bitter and neutral, descends Qi, clears heat, and resolves phlegm, allowing the Metal Qi to descend properly. With this, all symptoms of Qi stagnation, obstruction, asthma, and vomiting can be resolved.

 【Functions】

Clears dryness and moistens the lungs.

 【Indications】

“Shan Bu”: Various symptoms of Lung Qi stagnation/fullness, general weakness, asthma, and vomiting.

 【Contraindications】

Use with caution in individuals with a weak stomach. Avoid pungent and drying foods during medication.

 【Mnemonic】

清早起救肺，爸媽叫人炒桑杏賣膠糕 (Qīng zǎo qǐ jiù fèi, bàmā jiào rén chǎo sāng xìng mài jiāo gāo). This mnemonic uses phonetic resemblances to help remember the ingredients: Pi (枇杷葉, Loquat Leaf), Ma (胡麻仁, Black Sesame Seed), Ren (人參, Ginseng), Cao (甘草, Licorice Root), Sang (桑葉, Mulberry Leaf), Xing (杏仁, Apricot Kernel), Mai (麥門冬, Ophiopogon Root), Jiao (阿膠, Donkey-hide Gelatin), Gao (石膏, Gypsum Fibrosum).

 【Modifications】

(1) For excessive phlegm, add Fritillaria Bulb (Bei Mu) and Trichosanthes Fruit (Gua Lou).

(2) For blood deficiency, add Rehmannia Root (Sheng Di Huang).

(3) For severe heat, add Rhinoceros Horn (Xi Jiao), Antelope Horn (Ling Yang Jiao), or Ox Bezoar (Niu Huang). If yin deficiency with blood heat leading to hemoptysis, add Oriental Arborvitae Leaf (Ce Bai Ye) and Hairy Antler (Xian He Cao) to stop bleeding.

(4) If heat pathogen is mild, remove Gypsum Fibrosum; if heat pathogen is severe, add Water Buffalo Horn (Shui Niu Jiao) to clear heat and cool blood.

(5) For intractable cough due to pulmonary tuberculosis, dry cough with little phlegm, or phlegm with blood streaks, add Stemona Root (Bai Bu), Sichuan Fritillaria Bulb (Chuan Bei Mu), Fresh Lotus Rhizome Node (Sheng Ou Jie), Stir-fried Perilla Fruit (Chao Su Zi), and Hairy Antler (Xian He Cao) to relieve cough, resolve phlegm, and stop bleeding.

(6) For night sweats, add Calcined Dragon Bone (Duan Long Gu), Calcined Oyster Shell (Duan Mu Li), and Floating Wheat (Fu Xiao Mai) to subdue Yang, astringe, and stop sweating.

(7) If Gypsum Fibrosum, Ginseng, Black Sesame Seed, Donkey-hide Gelatin, Loquat Leaf, and Apricot Kernel are removed from this formula, and Adenophora Root (Sha Shen), Polygonatum Odoratum Rhizome (Yu Zhu), Hyacinth Bean (Bian Dou), Trichosanthes Root (Hua Fen) are added, it becomes Shashen Maidong Tang (Adenophora and Ophiopogon Decoction) from “Wen Bing Tiao Bian” (Treatise on Warm-febrile Diseases). Its functions are to clear and nourish Lung and Stomach, generate fluids and moisten dryness, treating dryness injuring Lung and Stomach Yin, with symptoms like dry throat, dry mouth, fever, or dry cough, red tongue with scanty coating, and thready rapid pulse.

(8) For acute exacerbation of chronic rhinitis, add Schizonepeta (Jing Jie) 10g, Apricot Kernel (Xing Ren) 10g, and increase Scutellaria Root (Huang Qin) to 15g. For early stage allergic rhinitis, add Cicada Slough (Chan Yi) 10g, Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu) 10g, Gentian (Dan Cao) 10g, Cynanchum Stauntonii Rhizome (Bai Qian) 10g. For atrophic rhinitis, add Gentiana Root (Long Dan Cao) 12g, Agastache (Huo Xiang) 10g, Apricot Kernel (Xing Ren) 10g, Houttuynia (Yu Xing Cao) 20g.

 【Pharmacology】

The individual ingredients of this formula possess antipyretic, blood-tonifying, moistening dryness, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antitussive, expectorant, and anti-allergic effects.