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
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
- Lung Meridian Channel only
- 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.