Bupleurum and Pueraria Muscle-Resolving Decoction

Bupleurum and Pueraria Muscle-Resolving Decoction

Bupleuri Radix (Chai Hu) 6g, Puerariae Lobatae Radix (Gan Ge) 9g, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao) 3g, Scutellariae Radix (Huang Qin) 6g, Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix (Qiang Huo) 3g, Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Bai Zhi) 3g, Paeoniae Radix Alba (Shao Yao) 6g, Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng) 3g, Gypsum Fibrosum (Shi Gao) 3g

Add three slices of sheng jiang and two whole pieces of da zao to the rest of the formula and prepare it as a decoction. It should be taken warm.

Releases the flesh and clears heat.

Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang is indicated for externally contracted wind-cold that has become constrained and transforms into a heat pattern. The signs and symptoms include gradually reducing aversion to cold and increasing body heat, absence of sweat, headache, eye pain, dryness of the nose, vexation, insomnia, dry throat, impaired hearing, orbit pain, a thin yellow tongue coating, and a superficial, slightly surging pulse.

This pattern is the result of unresolved wind-cold constrained within taiyang that has transformed into heat. It then transmits to yangming, spreads further to shaoyang, and eventually affects all three yang channels. Aversion to cold, absence of sweat, and headache are due to unresolved wind-cold constrained in the taiyang. The pathogen, after penetrating into the interior, heats up and attacks the yangming and shaoyang. It causes eye pain, nose dryness, orbit pain, dry throat, and impaired hearing. These symptoms are related to how the two channels transverse: Yangming originates from both sides of the nose, goes up to the root of nose, passes through the orbits, and travels down. Shaoyang winds its way behind the ears, enters, comes out in front of them, passes through the cheeks and reaches the infra-orbital area. In addition, the superficial and slightly surging pulse is evidence of the exterior pathogen and excessive interior heat. The appropriate treatment is to release the flesh with acrid-cool medicinals and clear interior heat.

1. Essential pattern differentiation Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang is commonly applied to treat the pattern of unresolved taiyang wind-cold that has entered the interior and transformed into heat attacking the yangming in its early stages or when all three yang channels are affected. This clinical pattern is marked by high fever, mild aversion to cold, headache and orbit pain 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of the constrained externally contracted wind-cold that has transformed into internal heat: common cold, flu, gingivitis, and acute conjunctivitis. 3. Cautions and contraindications This formula is inappropriate for patterns where an exterior taiyang pathogen has penetrated into the interior, because it may guide the pathogen deeper. It is also not appropriate for patterns of internal heat from yangming bowel excess, i.e., dry, constipated, and blocked stool.

Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang (Bupleurum and Pueraria Muscle-Resolving Decoction, 柴葛解肌湯)