Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang, also known as Notopterygium Dampness-Drying Decoction, comes from "Spleen and Stomach Theory" written by Li Dongyuan, one of the four great doctors of the Jin and Yuan dynasties. This book is a classic work in Chinese medicine and has a profound impact on the theory and practice of Chinese medicine in later generations.Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang is described in detail in "Spleen and Stomach Theory" and has been widely cited and applied in many later medical books, such as "Ji Yang Gang Mu" and "Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng Mi Bing".

Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang Explanation
Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang is composed of: Qianghuo, Duhuo each 1 qian (6g each), Ligusticum chuanxiong, Fangfeng, Zhigancao each 5 fen (3g each), Manjingzi 3 fen (2g), Chuanxiong 2 fen (1.5g). These drugs are grouped according to the principle of monarch, minister, assistant and envoy to achieve the best therapeutic effect.
Main drugs : Qianghuo and Duhuo. Qianghuo tends to move upward, dispersing wind, cold and dampness in the upper part of the body; Duhuo tends to move downward, dispersing wind, cold and dampness in the lower part of the body. The two herbs can be used together to treat wind and dampness in the whole body.
Assistant drugs : Ligusticum chuanxiong and Saposhnikovia divaricata. Ligusticum chuanxiong enters the bladder meridian, is good at treating pain in the top of the head and vertex, and can dispel wind and cold. Saposhnikovia divaricata can dispel wind and relieve exterior symptoms, overcome dampness and relieve pain. It is the emollient among wind-clearing drugs and can assist Notopterygium and Angelica dahurica in eliminating wind and dampness in the body.
Adjuvants : Chuanxiong and Manjingzi. Chuanxiong promotes qi and blood circulation, dispels wind and relieves pain. Its nature is upward, which can lead the medicine to the head and clear the meridians. Manjingzi dispels wind and heat, and clears the head.
Assistant drug : Roasted Licorice Root. Roasted Licorice Root can harmonize the other drugs and relieve pain.

The efficacy of Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang
The main effects of Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang are to dispel wind and dampness, promote menstruation and relieve pain. Its therapeutic principle can be analyzed from its drug composition and efficacy:
Expelling wind and dampness, dispelling cold and relieving pain : Qianghuo and Duhuo are the main drugs, both of which enter the bladder meridian, are good at dispelling wind and dampness, unblocking meridians, and relieving pain. Ligusticum chuanxiong and Saposhnikovia divaricata are the assistant drugs, assisting the main drugs in dispelling wind and cold.
Promoting qi and blood circulation, dredging meridians and relieving pain : Chuanxiong is an adjuvant drug, which can promote qi and blood circulation, dispel wind and relieve pain. Its nature is upward, which can lead the medicine to the head and dredge the meridians.
Clearing away dampness and heat : In the method of addition and subtraction, for cases with strong dampness and heat, Radix Scutellariae and Radix Phellodendri are added to clear away heat and dry up dampness. For cases with heavy dampness, especially lower limb swelling and pain, Radix Stephaniae Stephaniae is added to promote diuresis and reduce swelling.
Harmonize the properties of various drugs and relieve pain : Roasted licorice is used as a guiding drug to harmonize various drugs and relieve pain.
Dispel wind and evil, clear the head and relieve constipation : Manjingzi dispels wind-heat, clears the head and relieves constipation.

Pathogenesis of Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang
Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang is mainly used to treat rheumatism in the exterior, including the following types of symptoms:
Exogenous wind-dampness, blocked meridians : such as pain in the spine, stiff neck, waist feeling like it is broken, neck feeling like it is pulled, headache, pain all over the body, and blocked foot Taiyang meridian.
Dampness on the surface : such as headache, heaviness of the head, or heavy pain in the waist and spine, pain all over the body, slight fever and drowsiness, bladder meridian qi obstruction, rheumatism and stagnation, and shoulder and back pain.
If you have shoulder and back pain, don’t look back : If you have shoulder and back pain, don’t look back.
If you are damp and depressed, your shoulders and back will be strong, and your waist will feel like it is broken. If you are damp and depressed , your shoulders and back will be strong, and your waist will feel like it is broken.
Symptoms related to dampness and heat : If the body feels heavy and the waist feels sinking, it is due to dampness and heat in the meridians.
Wind-dampness, blood deficiency and heat : For example, a woman is obese, has heat, has early menstruation, suffers from gout, has slight swelling in the lower body, and if the pain is severe, she will urinate frequently, feel heavy and have a slow pulse.
Diseases related to the liver and gallbladder : If you are often startled when lying down, the problem lies in the liver and gallbladder; if you are often startled and have frequent urination when lying down, the problem lies in the Shaoyang and Jueyin meridians.

Modern Application of Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang
Modern studies have shown that this prescription has a significant effect in relieving pain, especially for rheumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bone hyperplasia and other rheumatism syndromes. In addition, Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction is also used to treat migraines, headaches caused by hypertension, and colds. These research results support the application of this prescription in modern medicine and prove its efficacy in a variety of diseases.
In modern applications, the ingredients of Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang, such as Qianghuo, Duhuo, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Fangfeng, etc., have been shown to have a variety of pharmacological effects. For example, Qianghuo and Duhuo have strong wind-dispelling, cold-dispelling, damp-removing and analgesic effects, and are particularly suitable for treating muscle and joint pain caused by wind-cold symptoms and dampness. Chuanxiong has the effects of promoting qi and blood circulation, dispersing wind and cold, and can effectively relieve pain and inflammation caused by wind, cold and dampness. The synergistic effect of these drugs enables Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang to achieve the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, promoting menstruation and relieving pain in clinical applications.
In modern medicine, Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang is widely used to treat a variety of rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bone hyperplasia, ankylosing spondylitis, etc. These diseases belong to the category of wind and rheumatism in the exterior in traditional Chinese medicine differentiation. Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang can effectively relieve the symptoms of patients through its effects of dispelling wind and dampness, promoting menstruation and relieving pain.
Notes
However, you still need to pay attention to its side effects and contraindications when using Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang. Excessive or improper use may cause side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort and allergic reactions. In addition, pregnant women, people with Yin deficiency and excessive fire, and people with Yin blood deficiency should use this prescription with caution. Therefore, when using Qianghuo Shengshi Tang, it should be added or subtracted according to the specific situation of the patient, and used under the guidance of a professional Chinese medicine practitioner to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Although Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang has significant therapeutic effects in treating rheumatic diseases, the following points should still be noted when using it:
Treatment based on syndrome differentiation : Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes treatment based on syndrome differentiation. When using Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction, it is necessary to add or subtract ingredients according to the individual conditions of the patient and use it flexibly to achieve the best therapeutic effect.
Add or subtract drugs : According to the specific symptoms of the patient, drugs can be appropriately added or subtracted. For example, for patients with heavy waist and legs, Hanfangji, Fuzi, Chuanwu, etc. can be added to enhance the effect of promoting diuresis, warming yang, and dispelling cold; for patients with red face, sore throat, swollen jaw, and obvious damp heat, Huangqin, Huangbai, Platycodon, etc. can be added to clear heat and dry dampness, detoxify and relieve sore throat; for patients who lie down and are often startled, Bupleurum, Ginseng, Astragalus, Poria, etc. can be added to soothe the liver and relieve depression, and replenish qi and calm the mind.
Contraindications : For patients with certain physical conditions or diseases, such as those with yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire, Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction should be used with caution or prohibited to avoid aggravating the condition.
Side effects : Although Qianghuo Shengshi Decoction contains mostly commonly used Chinese medicines, it may still cause certain side effects, such as allergic reactions, gastrointestinal discomfort, etc. When using it, it is necessary to closely observe the patient's reaction and adjust the dosage or stop the drug in time.
Summary
Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang is a classic prescription for dispelling wind and dampness, which is widely used and has a precise curative effect. Through the comprehensive analysis of many ancient books, we can have a deeper understanding of its main efficacy and treatment principles, and provide a more comprehensive reference for clinical application. However, Chinese medicine emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment, and the specific application still needs to be flexible according to the individual situation of the patient to achieve the best therapeutic effect. I hope this article can help readers better understand and apply Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang, and contribute to the inheritance and development of Chinese medicine.