How to analyses the therapeutic functions of the various decoctions part twenty three

Hey, I'm back to discuss today's new subject in the discrimination between She Gan Ma Huang Tang and Xiao Qing Long Tang.   

Both decoctions are  suitably formulated for:

• Flu invasion with Cold phlegm trapped deeply and

Each has its way to:

•  Relief Cough and Ease Asthmatic Condition

This is how to analyse the therapeutic functions of the various decoctions. (part 23)  

These are the individual herbs constituting the decoction;

• She Gan Ma Huang Tang

leaving Xiao Qing Long  Tang to be discussed in the next blog:

• She Gan
• Ma Huang
• Sheng Jiang
• Xi Xin
• Zi Wan
• Kuan Dong Hua
• Da Zao
• Fa Ban Xia
• Wu Wei Zi

Today I'll be touching on the Monarch's herbs and they are:

Monarch's Herbs - She Gan and Ma Huang

The scientific name for these 2 herbs are:

She Gan - is better known as Belamcanda Chinensis and only the horizontal underground stem(rhizome) is used.  

Ma Huang - please refer to my previous blog on the analysis,

and I'll touch on the topic of Cold phlegm trapped deeply, especially in the Lung.

Association to the Specific Meridian Channel

She Gan is associated with:

•  Lung Meridian Channel only

and Ma Huang is associated with:

• Bladder Meridian Channel
• Lung Meridian Channel

Specific Taste

The specific taste of both herbs are as follow:

• She Gan -  bitter 
• Ma Huang -  slightly bitter

Specific Property

The specific property of both She Gan is

• Cold

and Ma Huang is 

• warm

Primarily,  She Gan is noted with the capability to dissolve deeply trapped phlegm, especially with phlegm wheezing sound on diagnostic observation as a single herb application.  It is the opposite effect of Ma Huang, against She Gan, which has the perspiring and relieving properties*** to raise the Yang Qi meaning it is sufficiently warm to soften the sticky phlegm.  As a result, the combination would warm the cold sticky phlegm and remove it.  Although the specific property of  She Gan is cold it would necessarily combine with the minister's herb to complete the phlegm removal objective.

I'll discuss the individual relevant treatment of the minister's and messenger's herbs on their natural cure for relieving the cough and easing the asthmatic condition in my next blog.

Finally, I've to introduce one new terminology here as it is a very common TCM question on whether the formula selected is suitable for treating the root causes or just keeping the superficial symptoms down and there would be a possible relapse in due course.  (See diagram for the new terminology)

The former is

• root treatment 

and the latter is 

• subsiding superficial symptoms.

I'll leave you now and hope that you can digest this blog easily.

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There are so many other blogs out there but none teach you why, when and where to use the relevant herbs, only I give the reasons for 3 W; why, when and where

Best of all,

Xiong

***Reference:

( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)