bubble_chart Preparation and Dosage

Grind the medicinal herbs into small pieces. Take 12g (approximately four qianbi) per dose, boil with 230ml (about one and a half cups) of water until reduced to 160ml (about eight tenths of a cup). Strain the decoction and take it warm. Mild sweating may occur; avoid wind exposure.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Releasing the exterior, dispelling dampness, and promoting the flow of lung qi.

bubble_chart Indications

The syndrome/pattern of wind-dampness attacking the exterior. Generalized body pain, arthralgia, severe cases may result in inability to flex or extend, fever, worsening in the late afternoon, tongue coating is yellow and slightly greasy, pulse is slippery and rapid.

bubble_chart Formula Principles

The disease cause of this formula is due to sweating in the wind or excessive indulgence in coolness after labor, thus leading to common cold wind-dampness, forming an exterior excess syndrome/pattern characterized by generalized body pain and fever without sweating. Wind-dampness fever is different from dampness fever in patients. The heat in patients with dampness does not vary significantly between morning and evening, while the heat in wind-dampness is more severe in the late afternoon. In the formula, Ephedra, which releases the exterior and diffuses the lung, is a key medicinal for treating water-dampness in the exterior and emetic therapy. Water-dampness in the upper part should be resolved by sweating. Bitter Apricot Seed promotes the descent of lung qi; Coix Seed invigorates the spleen and drains dampness. The combination of these three medicinals diffuses and resolves wind-dampness in the exterior with mild medicinals; Liquorice Root harmonizes the various medicinals. Together, they form a formula that disperses wind, eliminates dampness, and relieves pain. This formula is actually derived from Ephedra Decoction by replacing Cinnamon Twig with Coix Seed, thus transforming the formula from releasing the exterior with pungent-warm medicinals to releasing the exterior with pungent-neutral medicinals. Additionally, the dosage is lighter compared to Ephedra Decoction, resulting in a weaker sweating effect, which aligns with the principle of "mild sweating" for wind-dampness.

bubble_chart Syndrome Differentiation

1. wind-dampness joint swelling and pain.
2. fever worsens in the late afternoon.
3. yellow and greasy tongue coating.
4. floating, slippery, and rapid pulse.

bubble_chart Formula Modification

1. Difficulty in urination: add Akebia Stem, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root.
2. Joint pain: add Notopterygium, Pubescent Angelica.
3. Cutaneous pruritus: add Lonicera, Forsythia.
4. Plantar callus or corn: add Achyranthes Root.

bubble_chart Modern Application

Bronchitis, rhinitis, wind-dampness arthritis, flat warts, corns, calluses, urticaria, joint pain, eczema, muscle wind-dampness, frostbite disease, white ringworm.