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San Zi Yang Qin Tang: A classic recipe for warming the lungs, resolving phlegm, lowering qi and promoting digestion

Writer's picture: Hongji MedicalHongji Medical

San Zi Yang Qin Tang originated from Han's Medical Encyclopedia written by Han 𢘅 (Zi 𢘅), one of the Four Great Masters of Jin and Yuan Dynasties. It is a classic Chinese medicine prescription for treating phlegm stagnation, qi stagnation, cough and wheezing. The prescription only uses three herbs: white mustard seeds, perilla seeds, and radish seeds . With its simple combination and exquisite therapeutic effects, it is widely used in clinical practice, especially for the treatment of phlegm stagnation, qi stagnation, cough and wheezing, and poor digestion in the elderly . It has excellent therapeutic effects and is highly praised by later generations of doctors.


Three Sons' Parenting Soup
韓𢘅(字子𢘅)所著的《韓氏醫通》

San Zi Yang Qin Tang is not only a classic prescription for treating phlegm and qi stagnation, cough and wheezing, but also embodies the humanistic care of traditional Chinese medicine. The word "Yangqin" in the name of the prescription implies filial piety and care for parents. In ancient times, children often sought good prescriptions for their elderly parents to relieve their pain. San Zi Yang Qin Tang can not only treat diseases, but also express children's filial piety to their parents.


Composition of San Zi Yang Qin Tang Recipe


In the recipe, white mustard seeds warm the lungs and resolve phlegm, perilla seeds lower qi and relieve cough, and radish seeds help digestion and relieve bloating. The combination of the three herbs can effectively resolve phlegm, lower qi, and help digestion . Other classics such as "Yi Fang Ji Jie", "Yi Fang Kao" and "Cheng Fang Fang Du" also mentioned that San Zi Yang Qin Tang can promote qi and resolve phlegm, and is particularly suitable for patients with qi stagnation and phlegm. It has a significant therapeutic effect on phlegm and qi stagnation caused by food accumulation.


Three Sons' Parenting Soup
三子養親湯
  • White mustard seeds: It has the effects of warming the lungs and resolving phlegm, promoting qi and dispersing stagnation, and clearing the meridians and relieving pain. White mustard seeds are good at warming the lungs and resolving phlegm, especially for cold phlegm and stubborn phlegm that stagnate in the lungs, or flow in the meridians and outside the skin and membranes. Ancient books record that white mustard seeds "clear the meridians, warm the middle and stimulate the appetite, induce sweating and dispel cold, promote qi and resolve phlegm, eliminate swelling and relieve pain", and "phlegm in the lower abdomen and outside the skin and membranes cannot be cleared without this."

  • Perilla seeds: It has the effects of lowering qi and resolving phlegm, relieving cough and asthma, and moistening the intestines and relieving constipation. Perilla seeds are good at lowering qi, which can make the upward lung qi descend, thereby playing the role of relieving cough and asthma. At the same time, it also has the function of moistening the intestines and relieving constipation, which is especially suitable for those with stagnation of lung qi and constipation.

  • Radish seeds: It has the effects of digesting food and eliminating bloating, lowering qi and resolving phlegm. Radish seeds can not only digest food and eliminate bloating, but also lower qi and resolve phlegm. It has a good therapeutic effect on cough, sputum, chest tightness and fullness caused by food stagnation and qi stagnation, and phlegm in the lungs.


The efficacy and pathogenesis of San Zi Yang Qin Tang


San Zi Yang Qin Tang uses white mustard seeds as the main ingredient to warm the lungs and resolve phlegm, promote qi and dissipate stagnation; Perilla seeds are used as the auxiliary ingredient to lower qi and resolve phlegm, relieve cough and asthma; Radish seeds are used as the adjuvant ingredient to help digestion and eliminate swelling, lower qi and resolve phlegm. The three herbs are used together to treat both the symptoms and the root cause, and together they have the effect of warming the lungs and resolving phlegm, lowering qi and digesting food .


San Zi Yang Qin Tang is mainly used to treat common problems in the elderly such as excessive phlegm, asthma, cough, chest tightness, and poor appetite .


Three Sons' Parenting Soup
三子養親湯:脾肺氣虛

These symptoms are usually due to the deficiency of Qi in the elderly and the weakening of digestive function, which causes food to accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract and produce phlegm. If this phlegm cannot be discharged in time, it will accumulate in the lungs, affecting respiratory function and causing coughing and wheezing.


When phlegm accumulates in the lungs, it blocks the normal respiratory function of the lungs and causes qi reversal, that is, qi rushing upward, causing coughing and wheezing.

Three Sons' Parenting Soup
三子養親湯

At the same time, phlegm can also affect gastrointestinal function, leading to loss of appetite and indigestion, further aggravating physical discomfort. This situation is especially common among the elderly because their digestive and respiratory system functions weaken with age.


San Zi Yang Qin Tang helps to clear the phlegm in the lungs and restore normal respiratory function by warming the lungs and resolving phlegm , lowering qi and promoting digestion, while promoting digestion and improving appetite, thereby relieving these symptoms. The three herbs in this prescription - white mustard seeds, perilla seeds and radish seeds - each play the role of warming the lungs and resolving phlegm, lowering qi and relieving cough, and calming asthma and promoting digestion, and they work together to achieve a therapeutic effect.


Modern Application of San Zi Yang Qin Tang


Modern medical research has found that the three herbs in San Zi Yang Qin Tang each have unique pharmacological effects, working together to achieve the effects of warming the lungs and resolving phlegm, lowering qi and promoting digestion.




White mustard contains sinapines and myrosinase, which can be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and expectorant. It can also inhibit inflammatory reactions and relieve cough symptoms. Perilla seeds are rich in fatty oil and perilla aldehyde, which can relieve asthma, relieve cough and moisten the intestines and relieve constipation. They are especially suitable for patients with pulmonary qi stagnation and constipation. Radish seeds contain radix arachidin and fatty oil, which can help digestion and eliminate bloating, reduce qi and resolve phlegm, promote gastrointestinal motility, enhance digestive function and reduce inflammatory reactions.


Three Sons' Parenting Soup
三子養親湯

In addition, modern clinical research has confirmed that San Zi Yang Qin Tang has significant therapeutic effects in the treatment of stubborn cough, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, cor pulmonale, etc., providing a scientific basis for its modern application.


Modern preparation research also shows that San Zi Yang Qin Tang can be made into a variety of dosage forms, such as granules, tablets, capsules, etc., which are convenient for patients to take. These modern dosage forms not only retain the therapeutic efficacy of traditional prescriptions, but also improve patient compliance and convenience.




In modern clinical practice, San Zi Yang Qin Tang is often used to treat patients with phlegm, qi stagnation, and food stagnation such as chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and cor pulmonale. These diseases are more common in the elderly and are often accompanied by cough with a lot of phlegm, chest tightness, and poor digestion. San Zi Yang Qin Tang can effectively relieve these symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life with its effects of warming the lungs and resolving phlegm, lowering qi, and digesting food.


Notes

  1. Processing requirements : The original book requires the preparation of the three herbs in the prescription to be "lightly stir-fried and crushed", which can prevent the pungent taste from consuming qi and reduce the adverse stimulation of the pungent taste to the throat, lungs and stomach. It can especially change the nature of radish seeds from raising qi when used raw to one that lowers qi; crushing it is conducive to decocting the effective ingredients.

  2. Dosage and administration : Each dose costs no more than three cents. Wrap it in a cloth and simmer it slightly. Take it frequently instead of tea to slow down the effect of the medicine.

  3. Contraindications : People with weak Qi should not use this prescription, or may need to take Qi-boosting medicines in combination.


Summary


As a classic Chinese medicine prescription, San Zi Yang Qin Tang has become a classic prescription for treating phlegm, qi stagnation, cough and wheezing with its simple combination and exquisite therapeutic effects.




Its effects of warming the lungs and resolving phlegm, lowering qi and digesting food, as well as its implication of "raising one's parents", embody the profoundness and humanistic care of traditional Chinese medicine. In clinical application, it should be treated according to the patient's specific condition, with flexible additions and subtractions, in order to achieve good therapeutic effects. At the same time, it should be noted that this prescription is mainly suitable for those with excessive qi and phlegm, and should be used with caution for those with qi deficiency.


Through an in-depth understanding of San Zi Yang Qin Tang, we can not only better grasp its clinical application, but also better understand the essence of Chinese medicine and humanistic care. I hope this article can help everyone better understand Sanzi Yangqin Decoction and flexibly apply it in clinical practice to bring good news to more patients.

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