【Source】

“Wen Bing Tiao Bian Fang”

 【Composition】

Apricot Kernel, Talc, White Medulla of Juncus, Bai Dou Ren (Round Cardamom Seed), Bamboo Leaf, Magnolia Bark, Raw (Coix) Seed, Pinellia Tuber
(8)

 【Classification】

<Aromatic Dampness Resolution>: Magnolia Bark, Bai Dou Ren (Round Cardamom Seed)

<Phlegm Resolution>: Pinellia Tuber

<Clearing Heat and Purging Fire>: Bamboo Leaf

<Diuresis and Dampness Permeation>: White Medulla of Juncus, Coix Seed, Talc

<Cough and Asthma Relief>: Apricot Kernel

【Formula Rationale】

“Wen Bing” states: Dampness is an Yin evil that comes from the late summer. It arrives gradually and its nature is sticky and viscous. It is unlike exterior cold evil that can be resolved with sweating, nor heat evil that recedes with cooling. Therefore, it is difficult to resolve quickly. Common physicians do not recognize it as damp-warm disease. Seeing its headache, aversion to cold, heavy body, and pain, they mistake it for damage from cold and induce sweating. Sweating damages the heart’s Yang. Dampness, along with warming and exterior-releasing herbs, ascends and rebels. It internally obstructs the heart orifices, leading to delirium; it externally obstructs the clear orifices, causing deafness, blindness, and muteness. Seeing its fullness and lack of appetite, they mistake it for stagnation and administer strong purgatives. Wrongful purgation damages Yin and further suppresses the spleen’s Yang for ascending. Spleen Qi transforms into a sinking state, and damp evil takes advantage to permeate internally, leading to diarrhea. Seeing its afternoon fever, they mistake it for Yin deficiency and use soft, moistening herbs. Dampness is a sticky Yin evil. Adding more soft and moistening Yin herbs, the two Yin energies combine and seek each other out, forming a binding state that is difficult to resolve. Only with San Ren Tang can the upper Jiao’s lung Qi be lightly opened. This is because the lung governs the Qi of the entire body. When Qi transforms, dampness also transforms. “Zhong Yi Re Bing Lun” states: This formula uses Apricot Kernel to diffuse the lung and benefit Qi to resolve dampness; cardamom seed, Magnolia Bark, and Pinellia Tuber to aromatically resolve and regulate Qi to dry dampness; Medulla of Juncus, coix seed, and Talc to lightly permeate and resolve dampness; and bamboo leaf to lead heat to the exterior. Together, they work to promote the smooth flow of Qi and clear heat and resolve dampness.

 【Functions】

Clears and resolves damp-heat, diffuses and promotes the flow of Qi in the three Jiao.

 【Indications】

Early stage of damp-warm disease, evil lingering in the Qi aspect, not yet transformed into dryness, dampness predominating over slight heat, as well as summer-warm disease with dampness, characterized by headache, aversion to cold, heavy and painful limbs, sallow complexion, chest oppression, lack of appetite, afternoon fever, white tongue coating, thirstlessness, and a fine and soggy pulse.

 【Applications】

Enteritis, gastroenteritis, acute glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, acute catarrhal otitis media, pregnancy vomiting, scarlet fever, whooping cough, etc.

 【Mnemonic】

Three people are lucky enough, Hua Xia is not accessible → San Ren (Bamboo, Cardamom, Apricot, Coix), (Talc, Pinellia, Magnolia, Medulla). : Cardamom, Magnolia, Talc, Medulla, Coix; : Pinellia, Apricot.

 【Modifications】

(1) If accompanied by symptoms of the Wei aspect, add Agastache and Elsholtzia to release the exterior and resolve dampness. (2) If there is alternating chills and fever, add Artemisia Annua and Fructus Tsao-Kuo to reduce chills and fever. (3) If contaminated with foulness, add Eupatorium and Stone Acorus Gramineus to resolve foulness and repel evil. (4) If dampness is heavy, add Atractylodes Lancea to dry dampness and strengthen the spleen. (5) Remove Talc and bamboo leaf from this formula, and add Agastache, Red Poria, Poria Cocos, Fermented Black Soybean, and Alisma Orientalis, to form Huo Pu Xia Ling Tang from “Wai Gan Zheng Ji Yao”. Its function is to release the exterior and resolve dampness, and it is indicated for early stage damp-warm disease, with fever and aversion to cold, tired limbs, chest oppression, sticky mouth, thin white tongue coating, and a soggy and slow pulse.

 【Pharmacology】

It has antibacterial, antipyretic, cough-relieving, anti-emetic, and diuretic effects.