Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Atractylodes Macrocephala and Licorice Decoction

Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Atractylodes Macrocephala and Licorice Decoction

Poria (Fu Ling) 4 liang (12g), Cinnamomi Ramulus (Gui Zhi) 3 liang (9g), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Bai Zhu) 2 liang (6g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle (Zhi Gan Cao) 2 liang (6g)

Prepare as a decoction and drink it warm.

Warms yang and dissolves rheum, fortifies the spleen and drains dampness.

Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang is indicated for phlegm-rheum due to deficiency of the middle-yang. The symptoms are distention and fullness of chest and rib-side, dizzy vision, palpitations, shortness of breath, and cough. The tongue coating is white and glossy. The pulse is either wiry and slippery or deep and tight.

This formula is applied to patterns of phlegm-rheum caused by deficiency of middle-yang and the failure of the transformation and transportation of the spleen which leads to disorder of qi transformation and the retention of water and dampness. The spleen lies in the middle jiao and governs qi transformation. It acts as an axis of qi ascension and descending; therefore, when the spleen yang is deficient, its transformation and transportation is affected. The result is dampness accumulation which further develops into phlegm-rheum. Phlegm and rheum ascend and descend as qi moves. Consequently, they can exist anywhere. When they accumulate in chest and rib-side, distention and fullness of chest and rib-side may be seen. When they block the middle jiao and cause a disorder of clear yang ascension, dizziness and vertigo may be seen. When they invade the heart and lung, palpitations, shortness of breath, and cough might be seen. A white and glossy tongue coating, wiry and slippery pulse, and deep and tight pulse are all signs of retention of phlegm-rheum.

1. Essential pattern differentiation This formula is the representative formula for treating phlegm-rheum due to middle yang deficiency. This clinical pattern is marked by distention and fullness of chest and rib-side, dizziness and vertigo, palpitations, white and glossy coating. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of water and fluid retention in the middle jiao: chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, cardiac edema, edema in chronic glomerulonephritis, Meniere's disease, and neurosis. 3. Cautions and contraindications It is not applicable for patients with phlegm transformed into heat marked by cough with sticky sputum.

Gan Cao Gan Jiang Fu Ling Bai Zhu Tang (Licorice, Dried Ginger, Poria and Atractylodes Macrocephalae Decoction 甘草乾薑茯苓白朮湯)