小青龙汤

Name

Minor Decoction of Green Dragon

The Prescription of 小青龙汤

Source

The book Shang Han Lun

Ingredients

• Ma Huang (Herba Ephedrae) 9 g,
• Shao Yao (Radix Paeoniae) 9 g,
• Xi Xin (Herba Asari) 9 g,
• Gan Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) 9 g,
• Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata) 9 g,
• Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) 9 g,
• Wu Wei Zi (Fructus Schisandrae) 9 g,
• Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae) 9 g.

Explanation

Ma Huang and Gui Zhi: The principal drugs, inducing diaphoresis to relieve exterior syndrome, facilitating the flow of the lung-Qi to relieve asthma.

Gan Jiang and Xi Xin: Warming the lung to reduce watery phlegm, assisting Ma Huang and Gui Zhi in relieving exterior syndrome.

Wu Wei Zi: Astringing Qi.

Shao Yao: Nourishing blood.

Ban Xia: Lowering the adverse flow of Qi by means of removing phlegm and regulating the stomach.

Zhi Gan Cao: Supplementing Qi and regulating the stomach, tempering the actions of all the other ingredients.

The Effect of 小青龙汤

Effect

Inducing diaphoresis to reduce watery phlegm, relieving cough and asthma.

Indications

Syndrome due to the stagnation of wind-cold pathogens in the exterior and water retention in the interior, marked by aversion to cold, fever, no sweat, dyspnea, cough, profuse thin sputum, difficulty in lying down, or general pain and heavy sensation, swelling of face and limbs, whitish slippery tongue coating and floating pulse; including such diseases with
the above symptoms as chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, senile emphysema, etc.

Administrations

Decocted in water for oral dose to be taken 3 times.

Contraindication

Drugs in this prescription are pungent in flavor and dry in nature, so this prescription is contraindicated for syndromes marked by cough without sputum or with yellowish thick sputum and dryness of the mouth and throat.