Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang, also known as Ma Huang Xing Ren Gan Cao Shi Gao Tang, is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription originated from Shang Han Lun, which has a long history and wide application. This article will introduce the composition, efficacy, indications, modern application and precautions of Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang in detail, aiming to provide readers with a comprehensive and in-depth understanding.
Composition and usage of Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang prescription
Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang is composed of the following four herbs:
Ephedra : 4 liang (9 g)
Almonds : 50 (9 grams)
Roasted licorice root : 2 liang (6 g)
Gypsum : half a pound (18 grams)

Compatibility analysis
Ephedra : Pungent and warm, opens the lung qi to relieve asthma, opens the pores and relieves exterior symptoms to disperse pathogenic factors.
Gypsum : pungent, sweet and extremely cold, clears lung heat to produce body fluid, disperses and relaxes muscles to expel pathogens. One of the two medicines is pungent and warm, the other is pungent and cold; one is mainly used to promote lung function, the other is mainly used to clear the lungs.
Apricot kernel : It tastes bitter, can lower lung qi and relieve asthma and cough. When paired with ephedra, it has the effect of both descending and promoting qi; when paired with gypsum, it has the effect of both clearing and soothing qi.
Roasted Licorice : It can not only replenish Qi and harmonize the stomach, but also combine with gypsum to produce body fluids and quench thirst, and it can also harmonize the cold and heat and promote the downward movement.
Mechanism of action
The four herbs are used together to relieve the exterior symptoms and clear the lungs, with clearing being the main focus, and to promote lung function and lower the qi, with promoting function being the main focus. Together, they have the effects of relieving the exterior symptoms, clearing the lungs and relieving asthma.

Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang's efficacy and indications
effect
The main effect of Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang is to help the body dissipate heat and clear the lungs, thereby achieving the effect of relieving asthma.
Simply put, this prescription is like a "heat sink". It can eliminate wind evil on the body surface by sweating and dissipating heat, and at the same time it can clear the heat evil in the lungs and restore the lungs to normal respiratory function.
This will not only make the body less hot, but also make breathing smoother and reduce symptoms of coughing and wheezing.
Indications
This prescription is mainly used to treat exogenous wind evil and evil heat blocking the lungs. Exogenous wind evil is when the wind evil invades the surface of the body, causing a series of uncomfortable symptoms.

Evil heat blocking the lungs is when the wind evil enters the body and turns into heat evil. These heat evils will block the lungs and affect the normal functioning of the lungs. Typical symptoms include:
Persistent fever : The body always feels hot and the fever is not easy to reduce.
Coughing and shortness of breath : The coughing continues and the breathing becomes rapid.
Nasal flaring : Due to rapid breathing, the wings of the nostrils will flare constantly.
Thirst : Feeling dry mouth and always wanting to drink water.
Sweating varies : some people sweat a lot, while others sweat very little.
Changes in tongue coating : The coating on the tongue may become thin, white or yellow.
Pulse and Rate : The pulse may feel pulsating and beat faster.

Pathogenesis Analysis
The pathogenesis of Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang syndrome is that the external pathogen enters the interior and turns into heat, which is blocked in the lungs, causing the lungs to fail to descend. The specific manifestations are:
Wind-heat attacks the exterior, and the exterior evil cannot be eliminated and enters the interior, or the wind-cold evil is trapped and turns into heat and enters the interior. The evil heat fills the inside and outside, so the body is hot and cannot be eliminated, sweating, thirst, yellow tongue coating, and rapid pulse.
Heat accumulates in the lungs, causing the lungs to fail to descend, resulting in coughing, shortness of breath, and even nasal flaring.
No sweat, thin white tongue coating, and floating pulse are signs that the external evil has not been completely eliminated.

The pathogenesis of Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang syndrome can be understood as wind evil entering the body and turning into heat evil, which will block the lungs and cause the lungs to not work properly. Specifically, after the wind evil attacks the body surface, if it is not relieved in time, it will enter the body and turn into heat evil, which will fill the body and cause symptoms such as persistent fever, sweating, thirst, yellow tongue coating, and rapid pulse.
Heat evil is blocked in the lungs, which prevents the lungs from dispersing and descending qi normally, causing symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and flaring of the nasal wings. If the external evil has not been completely eliminated, there may also be symptoms such as no sweating, thin white tongue coating, and floating pulse.
At this time, the key to treatment is to use pungent and cool medicines to disperse the evil spirits, while clearing the lungs and relieving asthma, so that the lungs can resume normal function.
Modern Applications
Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang has demonstrated multiple effects in modern pharmacological research.
Ephedra relieves fever by inducing sweat, while gypsum inhibits the heat-producing center, and together they help lower body temperature. Ephedra relieves bronchial smooth muscle spasms, almonds inhibit the excitation of the respiratory center, and the glycyrrhetinic acid contained in licorice has the effect of expectoration and cough relief. The three work synergistically to effectively improve respiratory symptoms.
Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang also has anti-inflammatory effects, mainly from gypsum. Gypsum can reduce vascular permeability, reduce inflammatory reactions and tissue swelling, and thus play an anti-inflammatory role.
Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang is widely used in modern medicine to treat a variety of diseases, mainly including:
Respiratory diseases : colds, upper respiratory tract infections, acute bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, lobar pneumonia, bronchial asthma, measles combined with pneumonia, etc.
Dermatological diseases : urticaria, rosacea, etc.
ENT diseases : sinusitis, etc.
Urological diseases : urinary dysfunction, urinary tract infection, etc.
Precautions and side effects
Wind-cold, cough and asthma : Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang is not suitable for wind-cold, cough and asthma.
Excessive phlegm-heat congestion : This prescription is not suitable for those with excessive phlegm-heat congestion.
Conclusion
As a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang has the effects of relieving exterior symptoms, clearing the lungs and relieving asthma, and is widely used in the treatment of various diseases.
In modern medicine, the application scope of Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang is constantly expanding, showing its potential in treating respiratory diseases, dermatological diseases, ENT diseases and urological diseases. However, when using this prescription, attention should be paid to its indications and contraindications to ensure efficacy and safety. By combining diet therapy and moderate exercise, patients can better restore their health.