Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang, a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, comes from Li Dongyuan's Lanshi Mizang and is known as the "holy medicine for treating diarrhoea". It is a heat-clearing agent with the effects of clearing away deficiency heat, nourishing yin and purging fire, and consolidating the surface and stopping sweating. It is mainly used to treat diarrhoea caused by yin deficiency and excessive fire.
The book "Lanshi Mizang" is one of the important classics of Chinese medicine, which records many effective prescriptions. Li Dongyuan is one of the four great doctors of Jin and Yuan dynasties. He made great contributions to Chinese medicine, especially in the field of prescriptions. This article will introduce the origin and background of Danggui Liuhuang Tang, the explanation of the prescription, indications, efficacy, modern application and precautions in detail.
Explanation of the recipe of Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang
The ingredients of Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang include angelica root, raw rehmannia root, cooked rehmannia root, coptis root, scutellaria root, phellodendron chinense and astragalus root. These herbs are combined according to the principle of monarch, minister, assistant and envoy:
Main medicine : Angelica, Radix Rehmanniae, and Radix Rehmanniae. These three herbs are mainly used to nourish blood and increase fluid, nourish yin and clear heat. Angelica nourishes blood and activates blood circulation, regulates menstruation and relieves pain; Radix Rehmanniae nourishes yin and cools blood, nourishes the heart and calms the mind; Radix Rehmanniae nourishes yin and replenishes the kidney, and strengthens the tendons and bones.
Assistant drugs : Coptis chinensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Phellodendron chinense. These three drugs are mainly used to clear away heat, relieve fire, and relieve restlessness. Coptis chinensis clears heat, detoxifies, relieves inflammation and stops dysentery; Scutellaria baicalensis clears heat, dries dampness, relieves toxins and relieves inflammation; Phellodendron chinense clears heat, dries dampness, and relieves deficiency fire.
Adjuvant : Astragalus. Astragalus can invigorate Qi and strengthen the exterior, strengthen the body and eliminate evil. It can not only strengthen the defense of the skin surface and prevent sweat leakage, but also can be combined with Angelica to invigorate Qi and generate blood, so that Qi and blood can fill the pores and prevent sweat leakage.
Indications of Dang gui Liu huang Tang
Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang is mainly used to treat dysphoria caused by yin deficiency and excessive fire. Its main symptoms include fever and dysphoria, red face and irritability, dry mouth and lips, dry stool, yellow urine, red tongue with yellow fur, and rapid pulse.
The pathogenesis of Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang is mainly due to insufficient "yin fluid" in the body, which leads to strong "virtual fire" . Yin fluid is like water in the body, which can moisturize and cool the body, while virtual fire is caused by insufficient water, so the fire burns particularly vigorously. When the fire is too strong, it will force the water in the body out, which is why some people sweat a lot when they sleep. This situation is called " stealing sweat ".
Specifically, the sweating treated by Danggui Liuhuang Decoction is caused by insufficient water in the kidneys, which cannot cool down the heart fire . When the heart fire is too strong, people will feel flushed, upset, and even sweat a lot when sleeping . At the same time, insufficient water in the body will also make people feel dry mouth and lips, dry stools, and yellow urine . These are all because the fire is too strong, burning away the water in the body.
The efficacy of Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang
The function of Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang is to replenish the body's moisture and cool down the overactive fire. The Danggui, Shengdi and Shudi in the recipe can moisturize the body and replenish moisture; Huanglian, Huangbai and Huangqin can clear away heat and relieve fire, making the fire less intense; Huangqi can enhance the body's resistance and prevent water loss again. In this way, the water is sufficient, the fire is not so intense, and the problem of sweating can be solved.
Secondly, Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang can also "solidify the exterior and stop sweating", that is, it can enhance the body's resistance and prevent water loss. When the fire in the body is too strong, water will be forced out, forming sweat. Dangguiliuhuangtang can effectively stop sweating, especially when you are sleeping, by enhancing the body's resistance and preventing water from being lost easily.
Finally, Danggui Liuhuang Tang can also "harmonize the liver and lungs", that is, regulate the functions of the liver and lungs. The liver is responsible for storing blood, and the lungs are responsible for regulating qi and blood. Danggui Liuhuang Tang balances the qi and blood in the body by regulating the functions of these two organs, thereby achieving better therapeutic effects. In this way, it can not only stop sweating, but also make people feel more comfortable and healthy.
Modern Application of Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang
In modern medicine,Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang is widely used to treat hyperthyroidism, tuberculosis, diabetes, menopausal syndrome and other diseases that are caused by Yin deficiency and excessive fire . These diseases have a common pathogenesis, that is, Yin deficiency and excessive fire, which leads to internal heat, insufficient Yin fluid, and internal heat. Angelica Root and Six Yellow Decoction can effectively relieve these symptoms by nourishing Yin, purging fire, consolidating the surface and stopping sweating.
Notes
Danggui Liuhuang Tang is cold in nature, so it should be used with caution by people with spleen and stomach deficiency and coldness . The causes of diaphoresis are complex, and treatment should be based on syndrome differentiation, not generalized. During the period of taking this prescription, you should pay attention to eating a light diet and avoid spicy and stimulating foods. In addition, this prescription should not be used by people with yin deficiency and weak fire, or weak spleen and stomach with reduced appetite and loose stools.
Conclusion
As a classic prescription for treating Yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire with sweating, Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang has a rigorous formula and remarkable curative effect. Through in-depth analysis of ancient books and literature, we can have a more comprehensive understanding of its treatment principles and clinical applications. In actual application, it should be treated according to the specific conditions of the patient, with flexible additions and subtractions to achieve the best curative effect.
The uniqueness of Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang is that it can not only nourish yin and purge fire, but also consolidate the surface and stop sweating, which makes it effective in treating diaphoresis. Whether in ancient times or modern times, Danggui Liuhuang Tang has been widely used in clinical practice, proving its important position in traditional Chinese medicine. I hope this article can help readers better understand and apply Danggui Liuhuang Tang, and contribute to the development and application of traditional Chinese medicine.
