Six-to-One Powder

Six-to-One Powder

Talcum (Hua Shi) 6 liang (180g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao) 1 liang (30g)

Grind the medicinals into a fine powder. Mix one dose of the formula (3 qian/9g) with water and a little honey, or mix one dose of the formula with water only. Take one dose per day in three increments. For patients who prefer cold drinks, mix one dose of the formula with fresh well water. (Modern use: grind the medicinals into fine powder. Decoct one dose of the formula (9-18g) while wrapped, or mix it with warm water. Take two or three doses per day. The medicinals can be decocted with other formulas as well.)

Clears summerheat and drains dampness.

This formula is indicated for summerheat-dampness. The symptoms are fever with vexation and thirst, inhibited urination, and diarrhea.

This is a fundamental formula for the pattern of summerheat-dampness. The causes are exterior summerheat and interior summerheat-dampness. Summerheat is a yang pathogen and communicates with the heart, which causes fever and vexation. Summerheat damages the fluids, causing thirst. Summerheat is often coupled with dampness, and internal dampness obstruction disturbs qi transformation of the bladder, which inhibits urination. Dampness pours down to the large intestine, which leads to diarrhea. Therefore, the therapeutic method is to clear summerheat and drain dampness.

1. Essential pattern differentiation Liu Yi San is a fundamental formula used for inhibited urination caused by summerheat with damp-heat. This clinical pattern is marked by fever with vexation, thirst, inhibited urination. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of damp-heat: cystitis and urethritis. 3. Cautions and contraindications Do not use the formula for patients without damp-heat, nor for patients with yin deficiency or those who have long voiding of clear urine.

1. Yi Yuan San (Original Qi-Boosting Powder 益元散)