Ophiopogon Decoction

Ophiopogon Decoction

Ophiopogonis Radix (Mai Dong) 7 sheng (42g), Pinelliae Rhizoma (Ban Xia) 1 sheng (6g), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen) 3 liang (9g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao) 2 liang (6g), Oryza Sativa L. (Jing Mi) 3 he (3g), Jujubae Fructus (Da Zao) 4 pieces

The source text advises to cook the ingredients with 1 dou and 7 sheng of water until the liquid is reduced to 6 sheng. Take one sheng of the warm, strained decoction 3 times during the day and once at night. (Modern use: prepare it as a decoction).

Clears and nourishes the lung and stomach, directs counterflow downward and lowers qi.

Mai Men Dong Tang is indicated for lung wei (lung atrophy) due to deficiency-heat. The symptoms are coughing, labored breathing, throat discomfort, sputum that is difficult to expectorate, coughing up or spitting saliva, dry mouth and throat, feverish feeling in the palms and soles. The tongue is red with scanty tongue coating, and the pulse is deficient and rapid.

This formula treats lung wei due to deficiency-heat which is caused by lung and stomach yin deficiency with upward reversal of qi and fire. Although the symptoms are primarily related to the lung, the condition is actually caused by the heat from stomach yin deficiency. The earth is the mother of metal and the stomach governs the body fluids. Stomach fluid deficiency causes lung fluid deficiency which further develops into both lung and stomach yin-fluid deficiency. In the condition of lung and stomach yin deficiency, fluids are scorched by deficiency-fire creating sputum and there is a failure of lung qi to purify. This manifests a cough with ascending counterflow qi and spitting up saliva. Since the throat is the portal of the lung and stomach, lung and stomach yin deficiency often results in fluid failing to flow upwards; and as a result, patients experience a dry mouth and throat as well as a feverish feeling in the palms and soles due to exuberant internal deficiency-heat. Stomach yin deficiency may lead to reversal qi flowing upwards causing vomiting. The red tongue body with scanty tongue coating and a deficient, rapid pulse are typical signs of yin deficiency with internal heat. The appropriate therapeutic methods are to clear and nourish the lung and stomach, direct counterflow downward, and lower qi.

1. Essential pattern differentiation Mai Men Dong Tang treats coughing or vomiting caused by lung and stomach yin deficiency with counterflow of the qi dynamic. This clinical pattern is marked by coughing or spitting saliva, shortness of breath, labored breathing with rapid and short breath, thirst, vomiting, dry, red tongue body with scanty coating, deficient and rapid pulse. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of lung and stomach yin deficiency with counterflow of fire and qi: chronic bronchitis, bronchodilation, chronic pharyngitis, acute silicosis, tuberculosis; also used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of stomach yin insufficiency, vomiting due to qi counterflow: gastroduodenal ulcer, chronic atrophic gastritis, vomiting during pregnancy.

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.