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Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang: A classic recipe for relieving muscle and clearing away heat

Writer's picture: Hongji MedicalHongji Medical

Chaige Jieji Tang, also known as Bupleurum and Pueraria Muscle-Resolving Decoction, is derived from the "Six Books on Cold Damage". This prescription is mainly used to treat exogenous wind-cold and depression-heat syndrome, and has the effect of relieving muscles and clearing heat. This article will introduce the composition, usage, efficacy, indications, modern application and precautions of Chaige Jieji Decoction in detail.


Prescription composition and usage

Composition

The main ingredients of Chaige Jieji Decoction include: Bupleurum (6g), Dry Ge (9g), Licorice (3g), Scutellaria (6g), Notopterygium (3g), Angelica dahurica (3g), Paeonia lactiflora (6g), Platycodon (3g) and Gypsum (3g).


Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang
柴葛解肌湯

Junyao

The main drug in a prescription is responsible for treating the main disease or main symptom. In Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang, the main drugs are Bupleurum and Pueraria.

  • Bupleurum is pungent in taste and cold in nature. It has the effects of dispelling cold from the exterior, soothing the liver and relieving depression. It is mainly used to dispel the exterior evil of the Taiyang meridian.

  • Pueraria root is pungent in taste and cool in nature. It has the effects of relieving muscles and reducing fever, promoting fluid production and quenching thirst. It is mainly used to relieve heat evil in the Yangming meridian.

These two herbs work together to effectively relieve exterior symptoms and clear away heat, and are the core herbs in the prescription.


Minister medicine

Assistant drugs are drugs that assist the main drugs to enhance the therapeutic effect. In Chaige Jieji Decoction, the assistant drugs are Scutellaria baicalensis and Notopterygium incisum.

  • Scutellaria baicalensis is bitter and cold in nature. It has the effects of clearing away heat and dampness, purging fire and detoxifying. It is mainly used to clear the heat evil in the Shaoyang Meridian.

  • Qianghuo is pungent in taste and warm in nature. It has the effects of dispelling cold, expelling wind and relieving pain. It is mainly used to dispel external evils in the Taiyang meridian.

These two herbs complement the main herb and enhance the effect of clearing away exterior heat.


Adjuvant

Adjuvant drugs are drugs that assist the main and auxiliary drugs in treating concurrent symptoms or relieve the toxic side effects of the main and auxiliary drugs. In Chaige Jieji Decoction, the adjuvant drugs are Angelica dahurica, Paeonia lactiflora, Platycodon grandiflorum and Gypsum.

  • Angelica dahurica is pungent and warm in nature. It has the effects of dispelling wind and cold, clearing the meridians and relieving pain. It is mainly used to relieve headaches and nasal congestion.

  • Peony is bitter, sour and slightly cold in nature. It has the effects of nourishing blood, nourishing yin, softening the liver and relieving pain. It is mainly used to relieve muscle pain and harmonize the Ying and Wei.

  • Platycodon grandiflorum tastes bitter and pungent in nature, and has the effects of clearing the lungs and relieving throat, removing phlegm and pus, and is mainly used to relieve sore throat and cough.

  • Gypsum tastes spicy, sweet and very cold in nature. It has the effects of clearing away heat, purging fire, relieving restlessness and quenching thirst. It is mainly used to clear away heat, purge fire, and relieve high fever and irritability.


Drug

The assistant drug is a drug that guides the other drugs to reach the affected area or harmonizes the other drugs. In Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang, the assistant drugs are licorice, ginger and jujube.

  • Licorice is sweet and neutral in nature. It has the functions of harmonizing various medicines, relieving pain, clearing away heat and detoxifying. It is mainly used to harmonize various medicines and alleviate the toxic side effects of drugs.

  • Ginger is pungent and warm in nature. It has the effects of inducing sweat and relieving exterior symptoms, as well as warming the middle and stopping nausea. It is mainly used to induce sweat and relieve exterior symptoms, and to enhance the exterior-relieving effect of the monarch and ministerial drugs.

  • Jujube is sweet and warm in nature. It has the effects of tonifying the middle and replenishing Qi, and harmonizing the Ying and Wei. It is mainly used to harmonize the Ying and Wei and enhance the body's immunity.


Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang's efficacy and indications


effect

The main effect of Chaige Jieji Decoction is to relieve muscles and clear away heat. In simple terms, this prescription can help the body dissipate the cold evil on the surface and clear the heat evil inside the body, thereby achieving the purpose of treating related diseases.


It is like a key that opens the door to the body's self-regulation, balancing cold and heat and restoring health.


Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang
柴葛解肌湯

Indications


Chaige Jieji Decoction is mainly used to treat exogenous wind-cold, depression and heat syndrome. This means that when you catch a cold, the initial symptom is fear of cold, but if you don't treat it in time, the cold evil will accumulate in the body and eventually turn into heat evil.


Chaige Jieji Decoction: Syndrome of exogenous wind-cold depression and heat transformation
柴葛解肌湯:外感風寒 鬱而化熱證

At this point, you will feel your body getting hotter, but the initial chills will gradually subside. Specific symptoms include:


  • Chills gradually ease, body heat increases : At first you feel cold, but then your body gets hotter and hotter.

  • Anhidrotic headache : Headache without sweating.

  • Eye pain and dry nose : eye pain and dry nose.

  • Restless and insomniac : feeling restless and having trouble falling asleep.

  • Dry throat and deafness : dry throat and difficulty hearing.

  • Orbital pain : pain around the eye.

  • The tongue coating is thin and yellow, and the pulse is floating and slightly surging : There is a thin yellow coating on the tongue, and the pulse is floating and slightly surging.




Analysis of the pathogenesis of Chaige Jieji Decoction


The syndrome treated by Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang is that the wind-cold in the Taiyang meridian has not been resolved, which is depressed and turns into heat, gradually spreads to the Yangming meridian, and affects the three Yang combined diseases of Shaoyang. In simple terms, the cold evil is not cleared in time, resulting in the accumulation of heat evil in the body, affecting multiple meridians.


  • Taiyang wind-cold has not been resolved : The cold evil initially invades the Taiyang meridian, causing symptoms such as fear of cold, no sweating, and headache.

  • Yangming Meridian : The Yangming Meridian starts from the sides of the nose, goes up to the root of the nose, and goes down through the eye sockets. When heat evil invades the Yangming Meridian, it will cause symptoms such as eye pain and dry nose.

  • Shaoyang Meridian : The Shaoyang Meridian runs behind the ear, enters the ear, exits in front of the ear, and runs to the cheek and reaches the lower part of the orbit. When heat evil invades the Shaoyang Meridian, it will cause symptoms such as ear pain and deafness.


A floating and slightly surging pulse is a typical symptom of external pathogens and internal heat pathogens. Treatment should focus on using pungent and cool herbs to relieve muscle pain and clear internal heat.


Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang
柴葛解肌湯、葛根湯、麻黃湯、柴胡湯

Clinical application


Key points of diagnosis

This prescription is a commonly used prescription for treating the unresolved wind-cold of the Taiyang meridian, which turns into heat in the interior, the initial attack of Yangming or the combined disease of the three Yang meridians. The clinical application is based on the diagnosis of severe fever, mild aversion to cold, headache, orbital pain, dry nose, and floating and slightly surging pulse.




Modern pharmacology research and application


Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the ingredients in Chaige Jieji Decoction have multiple pharmacological effects:

  • Bupleurum, Pueraria root and Notopterygium root : induce sweating, relieve fever and clear rash.

  • Gypsum and Scutellaria baicalensis : anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and antibacterial.

  • Angelica dahurica, Notopterygium wilfordii, White Peony Root : relieve spasms and pain.

  • Platycodon grandiflorum and licorice : anti-inflammatory and expectorant.

  • Ginger and jujube : nourishing the stomach.

These ingredients work together to make Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang an effective diaphoretic, antipyretic and analgesic .


Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang is widely used in modern clinical practice to treat a variety of diseases, including:

  • Colds : especially those accompanied by a high fever.

  • Influenza : It is very effective for high fever and body aches caused by influenza.

  • Gum inflammation : It can relieve gum swelling and pain.

  • Acute conjunctivitis : It can improve red and painful eyes and increased secretions.

  • Insomnia : It is helpful for insomnia caused by heat evil disturbing the heart.

  • Enterovirus : It can relieve fever and general discomfort caused by enterovirus.


Notes

  • If the Taiyang exterior evil has not yet entered the interior, this prescription should not be used for fear that it may lead the evil into the interior.

  • It is also not suitable for patients with internal heat and Yangming Fu Shi syndrome (constipation).


Conclusion


Chaige Jieji Decoction is a classic Chinese medicine prescription that has the effect of relieving muscles and clearing away heat. It is mainly used to treat exogenous wind-cold and depression-induced heat syndrome. This prescription is widely used in the treatment of many diseases in modern clinical practice and has achieved good results.


However, when using this prescription, attention should be paid to syndrome differentiation and treatment to avoid improper use. Through reasonable diet therapy and auxiliary treatment methods, the efficacy of Chaige Jieji Decoction can be further enhanced to help patients recover as soon as possible.


The meridian pattern of Chaige Jieji Decoction was discovered from a large amount of meridian data of modern people. It was found that the energy of Shaoyang Meridian and Yangming Meridian is highly interconnected. The ancients also discovered this. Therefore, "Chaige Jieji Decoction" is a key prescription specifically designed to relieve colds and typhoid fever, enter Taiyang, and then turn to Yangming and Shaoyang to transform into heat. It is very effective in clinical application.

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