Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang: A Time-Honored Remedy for Cooling, Hydrating, and Restoring Vital Balance
Hongji Medical- Mar 9
- 6 min read
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang originates from the Han Dynasty's "Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases" by Zhang Zhongjing. This prescription primarily aims to "clear heat, generate body fluids, replenish qi, and harmonize the stomach."
It is commonly used to address residual heat following febrile illnesses, febrile diseases, heatstroke, and the associated symptoms of qi and body fluid depletion. The formulation of Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Decoction was intended to manage conditions of lingering heat, weakened qi and body fluids, and stomach qi disharmony during the recovery phase of a fever.
In the Treatise on Febrile Diseases, Zhang Zhongjing noted, "Post-recovery from febrile illnesses, when a patient is weak, with low qi, experiencing qi reversal and vomiting, Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang is the primary treatment." This underscores the prescription's application in managing the late-stage fever recovery, particularly in patients with symptoms like fever and sweating, chest tightness, qi reversal and vomiting, dry mouth and lips, and insomnia due to weakness.
Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction
Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction consists of seven herbs: bamboo leaf, gypsum, pinellia, ophiopogon, ginseng, licorice, and japonica rice. These herbs are blended according to the principles of monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy to achieve optimal therapeutic effects.
Main Ingredient: Gypsum effectively clears heat, alleviates fire, reduces restlessness, and quenches thirst. It acts internally to clear heat from the lungs and stomach while relieving external heat from the skin, promoting fluid production and alleviating thirst. It is particularly beneficial for addressing residual heat during the late stages of a fever.
Assistant Ingredient: Bamboo leaves work to dispel heat, reduce restlessness, encourage fluid production, and promote urination, helping to alleviate thirst and restlessness in the late stages of febrile illness.
Auxiliary Ingredients:
Ginseng is essential for replenishing vital energy, promoting fluid production, and quenching thirst, while ophiopogon moistens the lungs, nourishes yin, supports the stomach, promotes fluid generation, clears heat from the heart, and reduces restlessness. Together, they effectively replenish qi and body fluids.
Pinellia helps relieve nausea and vomiting, dries dampness, resolves phlegm, and addresses stomach disharmony and vomiting caused by qi reflux.
Polished rice nourishes the stomach and generates body fluids, while licorice harmonizes the various ingredients, replenishes qi, balances the stomach, and regulates any disharmony in stomach qi.
Pathogenesis of Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang (Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction)
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang, or Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction, is primarily used to address residual heat in the later stages of febrile diseases, accompanied by deficiencies in Qi and body fluids. The main symptoms include persistent fever, excessive sweating, chest tightness, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth and lips, and insomnia.
Lingering heat within the body triggers symptoms such as fever, sweating, dry mouth, and chest discomfort. This pathogenic heat also depletes body fluids and consumes Qi, leading to a dual deficiency of Qi and Yin. As a result, patients may experience fatigue, low energy, irritability, and sleeplessness.
Additionally, in the later stages of febrile illness, disharmony of stomach Qi often contributes to the pathogenesis of Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang. Residual heat disrupts the stomach, causing an upward rebellion of stomach Qi, which manifests as vomiting, thirst, and loss of appetite. Treatment focuses on regulating stomach Qi and alleviating vomiting by clearing heat, promoting fluid production, and strengthening Qi to restore stomach harmony.
The pathological hallmarks of Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang are the persistence of residual heat in the lungs and stomach, which impairs both Qi and Yin and disrupts stomach Qi harmony. Effective treatment requires a dual approach: clearing residual heat while simultaneously replenishing Qi and fluids. By clearing heat, promoting fluid production, and harmonizing stomach Qi, the decoction restores balance, alleviates symptoms, and supports recovery.
Efficacy of Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang (Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction)
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang, or Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction, is a traditional herbal formula designed to clear residual heat and restore body fluids, particularly in the later stages of febrile illnesses. Its key ingredients, gypsum and bamboo leaves, work to reduce heat in the lungs and stomach, soothe irritability, and alleviate thirst.
By addressing both internal heat and external symptoms like feverish skin, the decoction promotes hydration and relieves discomfort, making it highly effective for lingering heat after a fever.
The formula also strengthens Qi (vital energy) and balances stomach function. Ingredients like ginseng and Ophiopogon japonicus replenish energy, hydrate the body, nourish Yin (the body's cooling and moistening aspects), and calm the mind.
These components help repair the damage to Qi and body fluids often seen in prolonged fevers. Additionally, Pinellia ternata helps settle the stomach by reducing nausea, clearing phlegm, and addressing digestive upset caused by disrupted stomach Qi.
Another benefit of Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang is its ability to regulate stomach Qi, easing symptoms like vomiting and excessive thirst. Polished rice and licorice in the formula support digestion, promote fluid production, and ensure the harmonious action of all ingredients.
This makes the decoction particularly effective for restoring stomach balance in the later stages of fever, where digestive disharmony is common. Together, these herbs clear heat, restore energy and hydration, and stabilize digestion without aggravating existing conditions.
The decoction is also relevant for a range of modern medical conditions that involve residual heat and depleted Qi and fluids, such as heat stroke, bronchitis, chronic laryngitis, diabetes, conjunctivitis, and certain infections like whooping cough or malaria.
By clearing heat, hydrating the body, boosting energy, and calming the stomach, Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang alleviates discomfort and supports recovery in these conditions, especially when symptoms linger after a fever.
Modern Applications of Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang (Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction)
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang, also known as Lophatherum and Gypsum Decoction, is widely used in modern medicine to treat conditions involving lingering heat, depleted Qi (vital energy), and reduced body fluids.
This herbal formula is particularly effective for ailments such as heat stroke, summer fevers, late-stage epidemic encephalitis, and post-surgical vomiting (e.g., after bile duct surgery). These conditions often stem from residual heat, weakened Qi, diminished body fluids, and digestive imbalances, all of which the decoction addresses by clearing heat, restoring energy, and harmonizing the stomach.
The formula is also beneficial for managing excessive thirst and fluid intake in diabetic patients, where stomach heat and damage to Qi and Yin (the body’s cooling and moistening aspects) are common. By cooling the stomach and nourishing Yin, Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang helps alleviate these symptoms.
Additionally, the decoction is well-suited for supporting recovery in the later stages of febrile illnesses. For symptoms like persistent low-grade fever, chronic cough, poor appetite, and excessive sweating, it clears residual heat, nourishes Yin, and strengthens the body.
This makes it especially effective for individuals affected by summer heat or other conditions that cause prolonged fever and deplete both Qi and body fluids, improving overall health and comfort.
Notes
When using Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang, you need to pay attention to the following points:
People with internal phlegm or yang deficiency and fever should not use it : Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Soup is cool and moist. People with internal phlegm or yang deficiency and fever should avoid using it to avoid aggravating their condition.
It is not suitable for those with high fever and undamaged qi and yin : Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Soup is mainly used for those in the late stage of fever with residual heat and damaged qi and body fluid. It is not suitable for those with high fever and undamaged qi and yin.
Drug compatibility : The gypsum and bamboo leaves in the bamboo leaf and gypsum soup have the effect of clearing away heat and purging fire. For patients with weak constitution or other special conditions, it should be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Conclusion
As an ancient Chinese medicine prescription, Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang still has important application value in modern medicine with its unique formula and remarkable efficacy. Through a deep understanding of its composition, efficacy and modern application, we can better utilize this traditional prescription to provide effective treatment for patients.
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang has the effects of clearing away heat, promoting body fluid, invigorating qi and harmonizing the stomach, which makes it play an important role in the conditioning of the late stage of febrile disease and provides an effective treatment plan for patients.
