Shen Mi Tang: A Folk Remedy for Cough and Asthma Relief
Hongji Medical- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Shen Mi Tang, recorded in The Complete Book of Folk Secret Formulas, is a traditional folk remedy whose name suggests its mysterious origins. As it comes from non-standard medical texts, its exact creation date and originator are unknown.
This formula is mainly used to treat cough and asthma caused by external wind-cold. Its core effects include opening the lungs, calming breathing, dissolving phlegm, and relieving asthma, helping to ease cough, wheezing, and chest tightness through dispersing wind-cold, clearing lung qi, and removing phlegm.
Formula Explanation of Shen Mi Tang
Since different practitioners record Shen Mi Tang’s ingredients slightly differently, we’ll analyze the version from The Complete Book of Folk Secret Formulas:
Monarch Herb: Ma Huang. Bitter, pungent, and warm, Ma Huang opens the lungs, calms asthma, promotes sweating, and clears surface pathogens, serving as the main herb for treating cough and asthma.
Supporting Herbs: Xing Ren, Hou Po. Xing Ren regulates lung qi and stops cough, enhancing Ma Huang’s asthma-relieving effects; Hou Po calms breathing, promotes qi flow, dries dampness, and dissolves phlegm, working with Xing Ren to further clear phlegm and ease cough.
Assistant Herbs: Zi Su Ye, Chai Hu, Chen Pi. Zi Su Ye, pungent and warm, disperses cold and clears surface pathogens; Chai Hu, slightly bitter and cold, clears heat and supports Ma Huang in expelling pathogens; Chen Pi dries dampness, dissolves phlegm, and strengthens the spleen, aiding Xing Ren in phlegm clearance.
Envoy Herb: Gan Cao. Sweet and neutral, Gan Cao boosts qi and harmonizes the formula.
Some historical records of Shen Mi Tang include Jie Geng and Wu Wei Zi. Jie Geng opens the lungs and clears phlegm, while Wu Wei Zi consolidates, boosts qi, generates fluids, and calms the heart and kidneys.
Pathogenesis Analysis of Shen Mi Tang: Lung Qi Stagnation and External Wind-Cold
Shen Mi Tang targets cough and asthma caused by external wind-cold, with the core pathogenesis being wind-cold obstructing the surface, lung qi stagnation, and internal phlegm accumulation. These factors interact, causing breathing difficulties and cough.
Wind-Cold Obstructing the Surface
Wind-cold pathogens enter through the skin, blocking surface yang qi and closing pores, which impairs the protective wei qi (defensive energy). This disrupts lung qi, affecting breathing function.
Lung Qi Stagnation
The lungs govern qi and respiration, facilitating smooth qi movement. Wind-cold invading the lungs causes lung qi stagnation, leading to poor qi flow, wheezing, and chest tightness. Stagnation also disrupts fluid metabolism, creating conditions for phlegm formation.
Internal Phlegm Accumulation
Lung qi stagnation impairs fluid metabolism, causing fluids to condense into phlegm. Phlegm blocks airways, triggering cough and worsening lung qi obstruction, creating a vicious cycle that intensifies cough and asthma.
In summary, Shen Mi Tang addresses the pathological state of wind-cold disrupting lung qi movement, with phlegm accumulation worsening breathing difficulties. It restores lung function by dispersing wind-cold, clearing phlegm, and calming asthma.
Main Effects of Shen Mi Tang
Shen Mi Tang is primarily used to treat cough and asthma caused by wind-cold and impaired lung function. Specific symptoms include:
Cough and wheezing
Thin, clear, white phlegm
Fever, chills, and no sweating
Thin, white tongue coating
Tight, floating pulse
It is suitable for asthma and cough with clear wind-cold surface symptoms.
The formula offers the following key effects:
Opening the Lungs and Calming Breathing: Restores normal lung qi flow.
Stopping Cough and Asthma: Relieves cough and wheezing.
Promoting Sweating to Clear Surface Pathogens: Expels wind-cold from the body.
Dissolving Phlegm: Clears phlegm from the airways.
Shen Mi Tang mainly treats asthma, especially with symptoms like cough, chest tightness, and phlegm accumulation due to fluid retention in the lungs.
Its treatment principles include:
Opening the lungs, dissolving phlegm, and calming asthma
Regulating qi, strengthening the spleen, and clearing phlegm
Supporting vitality and addressing deficiency
Modern Applications
Modern research shows Shen Mi Tang’s value in supporting treatment of:
Bronchial asthma
Chronic bronchitis
Emphysema
Chronic asthma
Cough
Precautions
When using Shen Mi Tang, keep the following in mind:
Pattern Differentiation: Chinese medicine emphasizes pattern-based treatment. Consult a practitioner to confirm suitability for wind-cold and lung qi stagnation patterns, marked by cough, thin white phlegm, fever, chills, no sweating, white tongue coating, and tight pulse.
Contraindications: Avoid in patients with spontaneous sweating, yin-yang deficiency, or qi-blood deficiency.
Professional Guidance: Due to variations in Shen Mi Tang’s composition and effects across sources, consult a qualified Chinese medicine practitioner before use.
Conclusion
Shen Mi Tang, a folk remedy from The Complete Book of Folk Secret Formulas, remains valuable for treating wind-cold-induced cough and asthma. Its ability to open the lungs, clear phlegm, and calm breathing makes it effective for respiratory relief, showcasing the practical wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine.
