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Huang Lian Jie Du Tang: Clears away heat and relieves fire, a good detoxification recipe

Writer's picture: Hongji MedicalHongji Medical

Huang Lian Jie Du Tang, also known as Coptis Toxin-Resolving Decoction, is a classic prescription from traditional Chinese medicine. It was first seen in the "Wai Tai Mi Yao" compiled by Wang Yu, a doctor in the Tang Dynasty. However, the prototype of the prescription was already recorded in Ge Hong's "Zuo Hou Bei Ji Fang", but it was not named at the time. The composition and efficacy of Huang Lian Jie Du Tanghave been continuously improved in the practice of doctors of all generations, and it has become a representative prescription among heat-clearing agents.


Huanglian Detoxification Soup
王燾編撰《外台秘要》

Explanation of the recipe of Huang Lian Jie Du Tang


Huang Lian Jie Du Tang is made up of four main herbs: Coptis chinensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Phellodendron amurense and Fructus lilii. According to the theory of “monarch, minister, assistant and envoy” in traditional Chinese medicine, each of these four herbs plays a different role.

  • Main drug: Coptis chinensis , the main function is to relieve heart fire. Coptis chinensis is bitter and cold in nature, and has strong effects of clearing heat, purging fire, detoxifying and killing insects. It can directly suppress heart fire, thereby calming the heat of other meridians.

  • Assistant drug: Scutellaria baicalensis , the main function is to clear the fire in the upper part of the body. Scutellaria baicalensis is also bitter and cold in nature, and has the effects of clearing heat and drying dampness, purging fire and detoxifying. It can assist Coptis chinensis to purge the fire in the upper part of the body, especially for lung heat and upper respiratory tract infection.

  • Adjuvant: Phellodendron chinense , mainly functions to clear the fire in the lower part of the body. Phellodendron chinense is bitter and cold in nature, and has the effects of clearing away heat, drying dampness, purging fire and detoxifying. It can assist Coptis chinensis and Scutellaria baicalensis to purge the fire in the lower part of the body, especially for damp-heat and heat toxins in the lower part of the body.

  • Assistant drug: 梔子, the main function is to purge the fire of the three burners. 梔子 is bitter and cold in nature, and has the effects of purging fire and relieving restlessness, clearing heat and promoting diuresis. It can assist the main and auxiliary drugs to purge the fire of the three burners and make the heat go away from below.


Huanglian Detoxification Soup
黃連解毒湯

Effects and pathogenesis of Huang Lian Jie Du Tang


effect


The main effect of Huang Lian Jie Du Tang is to clear away heat and detoxify, and it is mainly used to treat triple-burner fire toxicity . Its applicable symptoms include high fever and irritability, insomnia, dry mouth and throat, yellow and red urine, vomiting blood due to fever, epistaxis, fever and rashes, fever and diarrhea, jaundice due to epidemic toxins, and surgical ulcers and furuncles. These symptoms are all caused by fire toxicity filling the triple burner, and Huanglian Jiedu Decoction can relieve these symptoms by clearing away heat and clearing away fire, detoxifying and killing insects.


Huang Lian Jie Du Tang is often used in clinical practice to treat a variety of diseases caused by heat and toxins , such as sepsis, purulent blood disease, acute icteric hepatitis, acute bacillary dysentery, pneumonia, acute urinary tract infection, etc. In addition, it has been shown to have a therapeutic effect on allergic dermatitis, inhibit the allergic reaction of T cells, and alleviate the symptoms of skin allergies.


Huanglian Detoxification Soup
黃連解毒湯

However, due to its bitter and cold nature, Huang Lian Jie Du Tang should not be used for a long time. Long-term use or excessive intake can easily damage the spleen and stomach, so it is not suitable for people who do not have excessive internal heat. Pregnant women and people with weak constitutions should use this prescription with caution, and the dosage should be adjusted according to the specific condition to achieve the best therapeutic effect.


Pathogenesis


The main working principle of Huang Lian Jie Du Tang is to remove the "fire poison" in the body, which is a harmful substance in traditional Chinese medicine theory that will affect the health of the human body. Traditional Chinese medicine divides the human body into three parts: upper, middle and lower, called "three burners". When the fire poison accumulates too much in these three parts, it will cause various problems.


When there is too much fire poison, it will affect the heart and lung function of the upper part of the body, causing difficulty breathing and irritability; the spleen and stomach function of the middle part of the body will be affected, causing indigestion and abdominal distension; the liver and kidney function of the lower part of the body will also be damaged, causing urination problems and fatigue. These problems will not only make people feel hot and irritable, but also affect the normal circulation of qi and blood, causing a series of health problems.


Huanglian Detoxification Soup
黃連解毒湯

When there is too much fire poison, it will affect the heart and lung function of the upper part of the body, causing difficulty breathing and irritability; the spleen and stomach function of the middle part of the body will be affected, causing indigestion and abdominal distension; the liver and kidney function of the lower part of the body will also be damaged, causing urination problems and fatigue. These problems will not only make people feel hot and irritable, but also affect the normal circulation of qi and blood, causing a series of health problems.


The specific manifestations of excessive fire poison include fever, irritability, insomnia, dry mouth, yellow urine, etc. These symptoms are because the fire poison disturbs the nervous system, causing water loss in the body and blood to flow upward due to heat. In addition, the fire poison can damage blood vessels, causing erythema on the skin; if the fire poison accumulates in the muscles, it can also form ulcers.




These problems are all caused by excessive fire poison, and need to be treated by clearing away heat, purging fire, detoxifying and killing insects. The coptis root, scutellaria root, phellodendron chinense and jasmine in the Huanglian Jiedu Decoction target the fire poisons in the heart, upper jiao, lower jiao and the whole body respectively, and by clearing these fire poisons, the effect of purging fire and detoxifying is achieved. This treatment method can not only relieve the various symptoms caused by fire poison, but also regulate the functions of the three jiaos, restore the body's balance, and achieve the purpose of curing the disease.


Modern Application of Huang Lian Jie Du Tang


Modern medical research shows that Huang Lian Jie Du Tang has significant effects in the treatment of many diseases. For example, diseases caused by fire poison, such as septicemia, pyotoxemia, acute icteric hepatitis, acute bacillary dysentery, pneumonia, acute urinary tract infection, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, and epidemic encephalitis B, can all be treated with Huanglian Jiedu Decoction.




In addition, Huang Lian Jie Du Tang has been shown to have a therapeutic effect on allergic dermatitis. A study by Meijo University showed that Huang Lian Jie Du Tang can inhibit the allergic reaction of T cells, thereby reducing the symptoms of skin allergies.


Modern pharmacological research shows that Huanglian Jiedu Decoction has multiple pharmacological effects:

  • Antibacterial : Huanglian Jiedu Decoction has inhibitory effects on many bacteria, especially Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella dysenteriae.

  • Antiviral : Huanglian Jiedu Decoction has an inhibitory effect on various types of influenza viruses and fowl plague viruses.

  • Lowering ammonia and promoting bile secretion : Huanglian Jiedu Decoction can lower serum transaminase in toxic hepatitis and has a bile secretion effect.

  • Antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory : Huanglian Jiedu Decoction has antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

  • Relieve pain, induce sleep, and prevent seizures : Huanglian Jiedu Decoction can relieve pain, induce sleep, and prevent seizures.

  • Lowering blood pressure, stopping bleeding, and increasing cerebral blood flow : Huanglian Jiedu Decoction has the effects of lowering blood pressure, stopping bleeding, and increasing cerebral blood flow.


Notes


Although Huang Lian Jie Du Tang has significant effects, it is not suitable for long-term use due to its bitter and cold nature. Long-term use or excessive intake can easily damage the spleen and stomach, so it is not suitable for people who do not have excessive internal heat. In addition, pregnant women and people with weak constitutions should use this prescription with caution. When using Huang Lian Jie Du Tang, the dosage should be adjusted according to the specific condition to achieve the best therapeutic effect.


Summary


Huang Lian Jie Du Tang is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription with a long history, which has the remarkable effects of clearing away heat, purging fire, detoxifying and killing insects. The coptis root, scutellaria, phellodendron and lily of the valley in its composition each play the role of monarch, minister, assistant and envoy, and work together to purge the fire of the three burners, detoxify and kill insects.


Modern medical research has confirmed the effectiveness of Huang Lian Jie Du Tangin the treatment of various diseases, especially in terms of antibacterial, antiviral, antipyretic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, due to its bitter and cold nature, it should be used with caution and should not be taken for a long time. The modern application and pharmacological research of Huang Lian Jie Du Tangprovide a new perspective for the development of traditional Chinese medicine and demonstrate the potential and value of traditional Chinese medicine in modern medicine.

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