Important Formula for Painful Diarrhea

Important Formula for Painful Diarrhea

Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Bai Zhu dry-fried) 3 liang (90g), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Bai Shao dry-fried) 2 liang (60g), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chen Pi dry-fried) 1.5 liang (45g), Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fang Feng) 1 liang (30g)

Prepare as a decoction.

Supplements the spleen and softens the liver, dispels dampness and arrests diarrhea.

Painful diarrhea due to a deficient spleen and a vigorous liver, characterized by borborygmus, abdominal pain, diarrhea with abdominal pain, pain that is relieved after diarrhea, the guan pulses of both hands not in harmony (a wiry pulse on the left hand and a moderate pulse on the right).

Painful diarrhea is due to wood over-restricting the earth, liver-spleen disharmony, and the spleen failing to transport. As mentioned in《Investigations of Medical Formulas》, “diarrhea is caused by the spleen deficiency while the pain is due to liver excess. A deficient spleen and a vigorous liver may result painful diarrhea.” The methods of supplementing the spleen and inhibiting the liver, dispelling dampness, and arresting diarrhea are appropriate to use because there is diarrhea and abdominal pain.

1. Essential pattern differentiation Tong Xie Yao Fang is a commonly used formula for painful diarrhea due to liver-spleen disharmony. This clinical pattern is marked byborborygmus, abdominal pain, diarrhea with abdominal pain, pain relieved after diarrhea, wiry pulse on the left guan, a moderate pulse on the right guan, and disharmony between both guan. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of a deficient spleen and a vigorous liver: acute enteritis, chronic colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.