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Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang (Gui Zhi Ma Huang Ge Ban Tang): a traditional Chinese medicine prescription that promotes sweating, relieves exterior symptoms, and harmonizes nutrition and defense

Writer's picture: Hongji MedicalHongji Medical

Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang, also known as Guima Ban Tang, comes from "Treatise on Febrile Diseases", a medical work written by Zhang Zhongjing, a famous physician in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang is composed of cinnamon twig, peony root, ginger, licorice, jujube, ephedra, and almond. It is a prescription made by combining Guizhi Tang and Mahuang Tang in half.


"Treatise on Febrile Diseases" is one of the important classics of traditional Chinese medicine. It systematically discusses the method of syndrome differentiation and treatment of exogenous febrile diseases. Article 23 of the book describes a disease between typhoid fever and stroke . After eight or nine days of illness, the patient develops symptoms similar to malaria, such as fever, chills, more heat and less cold. The patient does not vomit, and urination and defecation are normal, but the pulse is weak, the face is flushed, and the skin is itchy. These symptoms indicate that the external evil has not been eliminated and needs to be relieved by sweating.


Gui Ma Half Soup
桂麻各半湯

Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang Recipe Explanation


The ingredients of Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang can be divided into groups according to the principle of monarch, minister, assistant and envoy:

  • Main drugs : cinnamon twig and ephedra. Cinnamon twig has the effects of sweating, relieving exterior symptoms, warming the meridians and promoting yang, while ephedra has the effects of sweating, relieving exterior symptoms, and promoting lung function and relieving asthma. The combination of the two can effectively relieve exterior symptoms and dispel cold.

  • Assistant drugs : peony and ginger. Peony has the effect of nourishing blood and tonifying yin, relieving pain, while ginger has the effect of dispelling cold, warming the middle and stopping vomiting. Both of them assist the main drug and enhance the effect of dispelling cold.

  • Adjuvants : Licorice and jujube. Licorice has the effect of harmonizing various drugs and relieving pain, while jujube has the effect of replenishing the middle qi and harmonizing the nutrient and defensive systems. The two harmonize various drugs and alleviate the harsh nature of the drugs.

  • Assistant drug : Apricot kernel. Apricot kernel has the effects of relieving cough and asthma, moistening the intestines and facilitating bowel movements. It can guide the drugs to the affected area and enhance the efficacy.


Pathogenesis of Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang


The pathogenesis of Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang is mainly due to the fact that the external pathogens have not been resolved, which leads to the obstruction of the body's Yang Qi and prevents it from functioning normally. Patients may show symptoms of solar typhoid fever in the early stages of the disease, such as fever, chills, headaches, etc., but as time goes by, these symptoms gradually become atypical, with no obvious chills and no sweating. In this case, the pathogenic factors are neither completely typhoid fever nor completely stroke, but a disease between the two.


Under this pathogenesis, the patient's Yang Qi is blocked and cannot be eliminated through normal sweating, resulting in symptoms such as flushed face and itchy skin. The flushed face is because the Yang Qi is stagnant on the body surface and cannot be dispersed normally, while the itchy skin is caused by poor sweating, the dampness in the body cannot be discharged through sweat and accumulates on the skin surface. These symptoms indicate that the external evil has not been eliminated and needs to be eliminated through sweating.


Gui Ma Half Soup
桂麻各半湯

Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang is a recipe that combines Guizhi Tang and Ma huang Tang in half to effectively induce sweating and dispel the exterior symptoms, and harmonize the Ying and Wei. Guizhi has the effect of warming the meridians and promoting yang, while Mahuang has the effect of inducing sweating and dispelling the exterior symptoms, and promoting lung function and relieving asthma. The combination of the two can dispel the exterior pathogens and relieve symptoms such as fever, chills, and headaches. At the same time, the herbs such as peony, ginger, licorice, and jujube in the recipe assist the main herbs, enhance the effect of dispelling the exterior symptoms, harmonize the herbs, and alleviate the harshness of the herbs, thereby achieving the effect of inducing sweating and dispelling the exterior symptoms, and harmonizing the Ying and Wei.


Benefits of Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang


The main effect of Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang is to induce sweating and relieve the symptoms, and to harmonize the Ying and Wei. This means that it can relieve the evil qi on the body surface by promoting sweating, thereby relieving symptoms such as fever, chills, and headaches. Guizhi has the effect of warming the meridians and promoting yang, which can help the body restore the normal circulation of yang qi, while ephedra has the effect of inducing sweating and relieving the symptoms, and promoting lung function and relieving asthma. The combination of the two can effectively relieve the evil qi on the body surface and restore the body to health.




The decoction of half cinnamon twig and half ephedra can also harmonize the nutrient and defensive systems and enhance the body's resistance. The herbs such as peony, ginger, licorice, and jujube in the prescription assist the main herbs, enhance the effect of dispelling the exterior pathogens, harmonize the various herbs, and alleviate the harshness of the herbs. This can not only effectively dispel the exterior pathogens, but also harmonize the body's internal and external balance, enhance the body's resistance, and thus achieve the effect of preventing and treating diseases.


In addition, the half-and-half cassia twig and half-ephedra decoction also has the effects of relieving itching, cough and asthma. For skin problems such as itchy skin, cold urticaria, insect bites, eczema, etc., it can eliminate moisture in the body through sweating, thereby relieving itching symptoms. At the same time, the almonds in the recipe have the effect of relieving cough and asthma, which can effectively relieve respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing, making patients feel comfortable.




Modern Application of Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang


Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang is widely used in modern medicine to treat various skin diseases and respiratory diseases. For skin problems such as urticaria, pruritus, eczema, dermatitis, etc., Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang eliminates moisture in the body through sweating, thereby relieving itching symptoms and improving skin conditions. In addition, it is also used to treat cold urticaria, insect bites, eczema and other skin problems, showing good therapeutic effects.


In terms of respiratory diseases, Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang is also used to treat colds, coughs, rubella, measles and other diseases. It can relieve fever, chills, headaches and other symptoms by sweating and relieving symptoms. At the same time, the almonds in the recipe have the effect of relieving cough and asthma, which can effectively relieve respiratory symptoms such as cough and wheezing. This makes Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang an effective choice for treating these common respiratory diseases.




In addition, Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang is also used to enhance the body's resistance and harmonize the body's defense system. Modern research shows that the herbs in the prescription, such as peony, ginger, licorice, and jujube, assist the main herbs, enhance the effect of dispelling the exterior pathogens, harmonize the various herbs, and alleviate the harshness of the herbs. This can not only effectively eliminate the exterior pathogens, but also harmonize the body's internal and external balance, enhance the body's resistance, and thus achieve the effect of preventing and treating diseases. This makes Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang have a broad application prospect in modern medicine.




Notes


When using Guizhi Mahuang Ban Tang, you need to pay attention to the following points:

  1. Use with caution for those with weak constitution : A decoction of half cinnamon twig and half ephedra has a diaphoretic effect, so those with weak constitution should use it with caution to avoid excessive sweating that may lead to physical exhaustion.

  2. Avoid overdose : Overdose may cause excessive sweating and damage body fluids. Use according to doctor's instructions.

  3. Pay attention to drug interactions : When using half a decoction of cinnamon twig and ephedra, be careful to avoid using it at the same time with other drugs that have a diaphoretic effect, so as not to aggravate the diaphoretic effect.

  4. Observe changes in condition : During use, the patient should closely observe changes in condition. If any discomfort occurs, the medication should be stopped and medical attention should be sought immediately.



Conclusion


Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription from "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" that has the effects of sweating, relieving exterior pathogens, and harmonizing nutrition and defense. It is suitable for people with moderate or slightly weak physical strength, especially those with symptoms such as colds, coughs, and itchy skin. In modern medicine, it is widely used to treat various skin diseases and respiratory diseases. When using it, it is necessary to pay attention to the use of caution for those with weak constitutions, avoid overdose, pay attention to drug interactions, and observe changes in the condition. Through correct use, Gui zhi Ma huang Ge Ban Tang can effectively eliminate exterior pathogens, relieve symptoms, and improve the quality of life of patients.

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