Ginseng, Poria and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder

Ginseng, Poria and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder

Nelumbinis Semen (Lian Zi Xin) 1 jin (500g), Coicis Semen (Yi Yi Ren) 1 jin (500g), Amomi Fructus (Sha Ren) 1 jin (500g), Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng dried fried) 1 jin (500g), Lablab Semen Album (Bai Bian Dou dried fried) 1.5 jin (750g), Poria (Fu Ling) 2 jin (1000g), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen) 2 jin (1000g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao dry-fried) 2 jin (1000g), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Bai Zhu) 2 jin (1000g), Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shan Yao) 2 jin (1000g)

Grind the medicinals into a thin powder. Take 6g each time with Da Zao Tang (Jujube Decoction). The proper dosage for children is related to their age. (Modern use: prepare as a decoction, reduce the dose of each medicinal by adhering to the ratio from the original formula.)

Boosts qi and fortifies the spleen, drains dampness and arrests diarrhea.

Shen Ling Bai Zhu San is indicated for patterns of spleen deficiency with excessive dampness accumulation marked by epigastric bloating or stuffiness, borborygmus, diarrhea, lack of strength in the four limbs, thin body, and lusterless yellow facial complexion. The tongue is pale with a white, greasy coating and the pulse is moderate and deficient.

The stomach governs the reception of food, while the spleen governs its transportation and transformation. If the spleen and stomach are deficient, there is not enough energy to support the reception of food; therefore, the food ingested can hardly be digested. A deficient stomach-spleen can barely separate the clear from the turbid, leading to borborygmus and diarrhea. Excessive dampness accumulates in the middle jiao. This causes the qi to move in disorder resulting in chest and epigastric bloating and stuffiness. When the production of qi and blood is reduced, it fails to provide enough nutrition to the body. The four limbs lack strength, weight is lost, and the facial complexion becomes withered-yellow. So the necessary treatment is to supplement and boost the spleen-stomach and percolate dampness.

There are three reasons for the use of jie geng. First, it opens the lung qi so that the essence can spread all over the body. Second, it can free and regulate the water passageways. An open and smooth waterway is good for the elimination of dampness. Third, it carries all of the spleen-supplements upwards to the lung, so that essence transformed by spleen can be sent to the lung, referred to as “banking up earth to generate metal.”

1. Essential pattern differentiation This formula has a mild nature. It is warm, but not dry. Besides the basic spleen-stomach qi deficiency symptoms, the key points that differentiate this pattern include diarrhea, white greasy tongue coating, and a deficient, moderate pulse. 2. Modern applications Shen Ling Bai Zhu San is frequently used for chronic gastritis or enteritis, anemia, chronic bronchitis, nephritis, and leucorrhea that manifest with spleen deficiency and excessive dampness signs.

Qi Wei Bai Zhu San (Seven Ingredients Atractylodes Macrocephalae Powder 七味白朮散)

Ginseng ( Panax ginseng ) is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II. Its trade is allowed but subject to licensing controls.