Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction

Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction

Lophatheri Herba (Zhu Ye) 2 ba (6g), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shi Gao) 1 jin (50g), Pinelliae Rhizoma (Ban Xia) 0.5 sheng (9g), Ophiopogonis Radix (Mai Dong) (Ban Xia) 1 sheng (20g), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen) 2 liang (6g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Zhi Gan Cao) 2 liang (6g), Semen Oryza Sativa (Jing Mi) 0.5 sheng (10g)

Use one dou of water to decoct the seven medicinals down to six sheng. Filter then put the jing mi into the decoction. After the rice is cooked, filter and drink one sheng warm, three doses a day. (Modern method: use water to decoct the medicinals with the jing mi. After the rice is ready, filter and drink warm.)

Clears heat and generates fluids, boosts qi and harmonizes the stomach.

Cold damage, warm disease, summerheat disease with residual heat, and damage of both qi and fluid. The signs include body fever, profuse sweating, chest distress and restlessness, nausea, dry mouth and polydipsia, low spirits and weak breathing, dry throat and lips, poor appetite, cough and choking, insomnia, a red tongue with little coating, and a weak and rapid pulse.

In the late stage of a febrile disease, even though the high fever is eliminated, the residual heat stays in the qi level with fever, profuse sweating, dry mouth, and polydipsia. The heat disturbs the heart spirit, so there appears palpitations, restlessness, and insomnia. The heat damages the qi and yin, so there appears fatigue, shortness of breath, dry throat and lips, a red tongue with little coating, and a rapid and deficient pulse. In the late stage of a febrile disease with stomach qi damage, there is a bland taste in the mouth and a poor appetite. The residual heat disturbs internally to produce counterflow lung and stomach qi, leading to nausea, or cough. The characteristic of the formula and pattern is residual heat staying in the lung and stomach with damage of qi and yin and disharmony of the stomach qi.

1. Essential pattern differentiation Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang is commonly used for residual heat with both qi and yin consumption, and damage and disharmony of the stomach qi in the later stage of a febrile disease pattern. This clinical pattern is marked by body fever and profuse sweating, dry throat and thirst, fatigue and shortness of breath, poor appetite, counterflow qi and nausea, red tongue body with little coating, and a rapid, deficient pulse. 2. Modern applications The formula can be applied for summerheat-strike, febrile disease in the summer, epidemic encephalitis B, meningococcal meningitis, late period of pneumonia, vomiting after the surgical operation of the biliary tract due to both qi and yin damage and disharmony of the stomach qi with residual heat; as well as the thirst and polydipsia of diabetes due to stomach heat with both qi and yin damage. 3. Cautions and contraindications This formula has a cool property and function to clear heat and moisturize. It should not be used for patients with internal phlegm-dampness or fever due to yang deficiency.

Ginseng ( Panax ginseng ) is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II. Its trade is allowed but subject to licensing controls.