【Source】

“Treatise on Cold Damage”

 【Composition】

Ephedra, Aconite, Licorice
(3)

 【Classification】

<Tonifying Spleen and Middle Yang>: Licorice

<Releasing the Exterior with Acrid Warmth>: Ephedra

<Warming the Interior>: Aconite

【Formula Analysis】

“Shen Zhu Jin Gui Yao Lue” says: Ephedra and Aconite Decoction uses Aconite to protect the Yang of the exterior and interior, and to assist Ephedra. Licorice opens the Yang and disperses the pathogen. This allows the pathogen to exit while the true Yang remains, which is a variation of the “opening the gate of ghosts” method… Ephedra and Aconite, one disperses and one tonifies, solidifying the root and opening the Yang, so the disease is eliminated without harming the Yang Qi. “Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng. Shang Han” says: Ephedra and Licorice, with their sweetness, disperse exterior cold; Aconite, with its acridity, warms the cold Qi. “Jin Jian” says: This is a Tai Yin pulse with exterior heat, so Aconite is added to the exterior formula to preemptively solidify the Yang, indicating exterior heat with declining Yang. If there is fever without sweating in the exterior of Tai Yang, and a deep pulse with somnolence in the interior of Shao Yin, using Ephedra to open the pores and Asarum to disperse superficial heat, without Aconite to solidify the original Yang, the subtle Yang of Tai Yang would be lost externally. Only when Aconite is used together with Ephedra, the cold pathogen is dispersed and the Yang is not lost. This is when the interior disease affects the exterior, the pulse is deep, and sweating is indicated, which is different from when the disease is in the exterior, the pulse is floating, and sweating is indicated. If the exterior has slight heat, the cold is also light, so Licorice is used instead of Asarum to slightly induce sweating. The use of sweetness to moderate and acridity to disperse is also slightly different.

 【Function】

Warms the channels and releases the exterior.

 【Indications】

Yang deficiency constitution, feeling of wind-cold, chills, no fever or slight fever, white tongue coating, deep pulse; kidney Yang deficiency, invasion of wind-dampness, generalized edema.

 【Mnemonic】

Formula name.