Ephedra, Apricot Kernel, Licorice and Gypsum Decoction

Ephedra, Apricot Kernel, Licorice and Gypsum Decoction

Ephedrae Herba (Ma Huang) 4 liang (9g), Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Xing Ren) 50 pieces (9g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Zhi Gan Cao) 2 liang (6g), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shi Gao) 0.5 jin (18g)

Prepare it as a decoction. It should be taken warm.

Acrid-cool to scatter the exterior, clear heat, and calm labored breathing.

This formula is indicated for patterns of externally contracted wind causing pathogenic heat to obstruct the lung. Signs and symptoms include continuous fever, cough with rapid qi counterflow or even flaring of nostrils, thirst, presence or absence of sweat, a thin white or yellowish tongue coating, and a superficial and rapid pulse.

This pattern is caused by exterior pathogens that penetrate the interior and transform into heat. The heat obstructs the lung which then fails to diffuse. When external wind-heat invades the exterior and is not released, thereby constrained, wind-cold transforms into heat that penetrates the interior. Consequently, both the exterior and interior heat up and cause the symptoms of continuous fever, sweating, thirst, yellow tongue coating, and a rapid pulse. With heat obstructing the lung, the lung fails to diffuse and descend. This causes cough, rapid qi counterflow, and even flaring of the nostrils. The absence of sweating, a thin white coating, and a superficial pulse are signs of residual exterior pathogens. The correct treatment method is to use acrid-cool medicinals to vent the pathogen, clear the lung, and calm panting.

1. Essential pattern differentiation Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang is used to treat patterns of unresolved external pathogens complicated by pathogenic heat obstructing the lung with labored breathing and cough. Due to the fact that shi gao is double the dosage of ma huang, its action is more on clearing heat and diffusing the lung, and much less on inducing sweat. This clinical pattern is marked by fever, coughing and labored breathing, thin and yellow tongue coating, and rapid pulse 2. Modern applications The formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders showing signs and symptoms of unresolved external pathogens complicated by pathogenic heat obstructing the lung: common cold, upper respiratory infection, acute bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, lobar pneumonia, bronchial asthma, and measles complicated by pneumonia. 3. Cautions and contraindications This formula is not appropriate for cough and labored breathing caused by wind-cold with phlegm-heat obstruction.

Yue Bi Tang (Maidservant From Yue Decoction, 越婢湯)