Drain the White Powder
Chinese Prescription: Xie Bai San
English Translation: Drain the White Powder
Formula Type: Clear Heat from the Organs
Actions: Drains heat from the Lungs & calms wheezing.
Indications: Coughing, wheezing, & fever with skin that feels hot to the touch, all of which worsen in the late afternoon. There is also a dry mouth, little or difficult to expectorate sputum, a thin, rapid pulse, & a red tongue with yellow coating.
Contraindications: This formula is often modified to protect the Spleen from injury by the cold natured herbs in the formula. It is contraindicated for coughing & wheezing due to wind-cold, wind-heat, or damp-phlegm.
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Sang Bai Pi / Mulberry Root Bark |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Cold • Category: Tranform Phlegm & Stop Coughing • Sub Category: Relieve Coughing & Wheezing |
Dosage6-15g, honey-fried when used to stop coughing & wheezing |
Actions1. Stops coughing & wheezing & drains heat from the Lungs: for coughing & wheezing due to Lung heat.
2. Promotes urination & reduces edema: used in disorders where Lung heat obstructs the downward movement of Lung qi, preventing water from moving & cutting off perspiration. This manifests as floating edema, facial edema, swelling of the extremities, fever & thirst, difficulty in urination, & a floating pulse.
3. Also recently used for hypertension. |
MeridiansLung, Spleen |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of excessive urination, & for cough due to wind-cold. |
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Di Gu Pi / Lycium Root Bark, Wolfberry Cortex |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Clear Def. Heat |
Dosage6-15g |
Actions1. Drains fire from yin deficiency: for such symptoms as night sweats, steaming bone disorder with sweating, chronic low-grade fevers, irritability, & thirst.
2. Clears heat & stops coughing: for Lung heat cough or wheezing.
3. Clears heat & cools the blood: for nosebleed, vomiting of blood, & bloody urine due to the reckless movement of hot blood.
4. Drains floating fire in the Kidney channel: for toothache due to fire from deficiency. |
MeridiansLung, Liver, Kidney |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of Stomach & Spleen cold from deficiency with loose stools, & in exterior disorders. |
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Zhi Gan Cao / Licorice Root, honey-baked |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Qi |
Dosage2-12g |
Actions1. Tonifies the Spleen & augments the qi: commonly used for Spleen deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude, & loose stools. Also for qi or blood deficiency patterns with an irregular or intermittent pulse & /or palpitations.
2. Moistens the Lungs & stops coughing: for coughing & wheezing. Because of its neutral properties, it can be used for either heat or cold in the Lungs.
3. Clears heat & relieves fire toxicity: used raw for carbuncles, sores, or sore throat due to fire toxin. For this purpose, it can be taken internally or applied topically.
4. Moderates spasms & alleviates pain: for painful spasms of the abdomen or legs.
5. Moderates & harmonizes the characteristics of other herbs: by virtue of its sweet, neutral, & moderating properties, this herb moderates hot & cold herbs, & mitigates the violent properties of other herbs. Since it is said to enter all 12 primary channels, it can lead & conduct other herbs into the channels.
6. Used as an antidote for a variety of toxic substances, both internally & topically.
7. The raw root clears heat & relieves toxicity, the honey-fried tonifies the middle & moderates spasms. |
MeridiansAll 12 channels (principally the Heart, Lung, Spleen, & Stomach) |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of excess dampness, nausea, or vomiting. May be in compatible with jing da ji, yuan hua, gan sui, & hai zao, & may antagonize yuan zhi. The toxicity of gan cao is very low, but if taken long-term it may cause hypertension &/or edema. Glycyrrhetinic acid has been reported to cause a reduction in the activity of the thyroid & a reducation in the basal metabolic rate. |
Dosage information not currently available