Ma Huang Tang, also known as Ephedra Decoction, is one of the classic prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine. It comes from the Treatise on Febrile Diseases and is a kind of antipyretic. It is mainly used to treat the symptoms of exogenous wind-cold, and has the effects of sweating, relieving the symptoms, and clearing the lungs and relieving asthma. This article will introduce in detail the composition, usage, efficacy, main indications, pathogenesis, application, additional prescriptions of Ma Huang Tang and its application in modern medicine, and explore its methods of combining diet therapy with auxiliary treatment.
Composition and usage of Ma huang Tang
Composition
Ma Huang Tang is composed of the following four Chinese herbs:
Ephedra 32g (9g)
6g cinnamon twig
70 almonds (6g)
Roasted Licorice Root 1 liang (3g)
usage
Boil ephedra first and remove the foam.
Add all the herbs and boil them in water.
Take it warm and cover to induce slight sweating.
Ephedra Soup Recipe Explanation:
Main drug: Ephedra . Ephedra is pungent and warm in nature, and has the effects of sweating and relieving exterior symptoms, and clearing the lungs and relieving asthma. In Ephedra Decoction, the main function of Ephedra is to sweat and relieve exterior symptoms, and to relieve the symptoms of wind-cold by sweating. The pungent and warm nature of Ephedra enables it to effectively dispel wind-cold, thereby achieving the purpose of relieving exterior symptoms.
Auxiliary drug: Cinnamon twig . Cinnamon twig is pungent, sweet and warm in nature, and has the effects of promoting yang and relieving exterior symptoms, warming the meridians and unblocking the blood vessels. In Mahuang Decoction, the main function of cinnamon twig is to help Mahuang induce sweating and relieve exterior symptoms, and warm the meridians and unblock the blood vessels. The pungent, sweet and warm nature of cinnamon twig enables it to enhance the sweating effect of Mahuang, while warming and unblocking the meridians, relieving the blockage of the meridians caused by the cold evil binding the exterior symptoms.
Adjuvant: almond. Almond is bitter and slightly warm in nature, and has the effects of relieving cough and asthma, and moistening the intestines and relieving constipation. In Mahuang Decoction, the main function of almond is to clear the lungs, relieve cough and relieve asthma. The bitter and slightly warm nature of almond enables it to assist Mahuang in clearing the lung qi, thereby achieving the effect of relieving cough and relieving asthma. In addition, almond can also moisten the intestines and relieve constipation, relieving constipation caused by stagnation of lung qi.
Assistant drug: Roasted Licorice. Roasted Licorice is sweet and mild in nature, and has the effects of tonifying the spleen and replenishing Qi, relieving pain, and harmonizing various drugs. In Mahuang Decoction, the main function of Roasted Licorice is to harmonize various drugs, alleviate the pungent and warm nature of ephedra and cinnamon twigs, and avoid excessive sweating that damages the vital energy. The sweet and mild nature of Roasted Licorice enables it to harmonize various drugs, making the effect of the prescription more coordinated and mild.
Pathogenesis Analysis
Mahuang Tang treats the symptoms of wheezing without sweating. When you have a cold, you experience wheezing without sweating because the pathogenic cold is binding the surface of the body and the lung qi is not flowing freely. Mahuang Tang can relieve the pathogenic cold by inducing sweating, and flow freely through the lung qi, thus relieving the symptoms of wheezing without sweating.
The applicable symptoms of Ma Huang Tang also include thin white tongue coating and floating and tight pulse. Thin white tongue coating indicates that the pathogenic cold is on the surface, while floating and tight pulse is a sign that the pathogenic cold has bound the surface.
These are typical manifestations of exogenous wind-cold. Ephedra decoction can relieve these symptoms by inducing sweat and relieving lung function and relieving asthma, thereby achieving the effect of treating the symptoms of exogenous wind-cold.
Ma Huang Tang helps the body eliminate cold pathogens and relieve the discomfort caused by colds by inducing sweat, relieving exterior symptoms, and clearing the lungs and relieving asthma.
Efficacy and indications of Ephedra Soup
The composition of Mahuang Tang is very exquisite. The main drug Mahuang is responsible for sweating and relieving the symptoms of the exterior syndrome, the auxiliary drug Guizhi helps it sweat and warms the meridians, the auxiliary drug Xingren clears the lungs, stops coughing and relieves asthma, and the auxiliary drug Zhigancao harmonizes the other drugs. This composition makes Mahuang Tang have a significant therapeutic effect in treating wind-cold syndrome.
effect
Diaphoresis
Clear the lungs and relieve asthma
Its main symptoms include:
Chills and fever
Headache and body pain
Panting without sweat
Thin white tongue coating
Tight pulse
Indications
Mahuang Tang is mainly used to treat symptoms of exogenous wind-cold. Its main effects are to induce sweating and relieve symptoms of cold. In simple terms, Mahuang Tang can help the body eliminate external cold pathogens through sweating, thereby relieving the symptoms of cold.
Mahuang Tang can effectively induce sweating and relieve symptoms. When we catch a cold, we often feel cold and feverish because the evil cold has invaded our body surface. The ephedra and cinnamon twigs in Mahuang Tang can promote sweating and expel the evil cold from the body through sweat, thereby relieving the symptoms of chills and fever.
Secondly, Mahuang Tang has the effect of clearing the lungs and relieving asthma. When catching a cold, many people will experience symptoms of coughing and asthma, which is because the cold evil affects the normal operation of the lung qi. The ephedra and almonds in Mahuang Tang can clear the lung qi and help the lungs restore normal respiratory function, thereby relieving coughing and asthma.
Mahuang Tang can also relieve symptoms of headaches and body aches. When the cold pathogen invades the body surface, it will cause the meridians to be blocked, thus causing headaches and body aches. The ephedra and cinnamon twigs in Mahuang Tang can warm the meridians and promote blood circulation, thereby relieving symptoms of headaches and body aches.
Uses of Ephedra Soup
Key points of diagnosis
This prescription is a representative and basic prescription for treating exogenous wind-cold syndrome. The clinical diagnosis is based on chills and fever, no sweating and wheezing, and a floating and tight pulse.
Modern use
This prescription is often used for colds, influenza, upper respiratory tract infections, acute bronchitis, bronchial asthma, rhinitis and other diseases diagnosed as wind-cold exterior syndrome.
Diet therapy combined with adjunctive therapy
When using Ma Huang Tang to treat exogenous wind-cold, appropriate dietary therapy can play a supporting role. The following are some recommended dietary therapy methods:
1. Ginger soup
Ingredients : 5 slices of ginger, 5 red dates, some water
Method : Put ginger and red dates into a pot, add water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, filter and drink.
Efficacy : Ginger has the effects of inducing sweating and relieving exterior symptoms, warming the middle and stopping vomiting, while red dates have the effect of replenishing the middle and invigorating qi, and are suitable for the auxiliary treatment of colds caused by wind and cold.
2. Scallion Porridge
Ingredients : 3 scallions, 5 slices of ginger, 50g rice, some water
Method : Cut the scallions into sections, wash the rice, add ginger slices into a pot, add water and cook into porridge, add the scallions and cook for another 5 minutes.
Efficacy : Scallion has the effects of inducing sweating, relieving exterior symptoms, promoting yang and dispersing cold, and is suitable for the auxiliary treatment of colds caused by wind and cold.
3. Ginger Syrup
Ingredients : 10g ginger, some brown sugar
Method : Slice the ginger, put it into a pot, add water and boil it, add brown sugar and stir evenly, cook for 5 minutes and drink.
Efficacy : Ginger has the effects of inducing sweating and relieving exterior symptoms, warming the middle and stopping vomiting, while brown sugar has the effect of replenishing the middle and invigorating qi, and is suitable for the auxiliary treatment of colds.
Notes
This prescription is a strong pungent and warm diaphoretic, so it should not be taken excessively to avoid wasting Qi and damaging body fluid. It is not suitable for wind-cold exterior deficiency syndrome, wind-heat exterior syndrome, and wind-cold exogenous wind deficiency syndrome.
Conclusion
As a classic Chinese medicine prescription for treating exogenous wind-cold, Mahuang Tang has the effects of sweating, relieving the symptoms, and promoting lung function to relieve asthma. It helps the body eliminate cold pathogens and relieve the discomfort caused by colds by sweating, relieving the symptoms, and promoting lung function to relieve asthma.