HERB FORMULAS

MA HUANG TANG - 麻黃湯 - EPHEDRA DECOCTION

English: Ephedra Decoction
Also Known As: Ma Huang Combination

HERBS AND ACTIONS

Pharmaceutical Latin
Pin Yin
Dosage
Actions
Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang 5-9g Strongly promotes diaphoresis, relieves the Exterior, disperses Lung Qi, promotes urination and expels Cold.
 With Gui Zhi, for Wind-Cold Excess with fever, chills and anhidrosis and Wind-Cold-Damp Bi.
With Xing Ren, for cough and wheezing due to Wind-Cold Attacks the Lungs.
Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi 4-9g Promotes diaphoresis, warms the channels, disperses Cold, releases the exterior, assists the Yang, adjusts the Ying and Wei, warms and facilitates the flow of Qi through the channels and collaterals and Blood through the vessels and releases the muscle layer.
With Zhi Gan Cao, for palpitations and shortness of breath due to injured Yang of the chest.
Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren 5-12g Disperses Lung Qi, resolves Phlegm and stops cough and wheezing.
With Ma Huang and Zhi Gan Cao, for cough with profuse sputum, nasal obstruction and a hoarse voice.
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata Zhi Gan Cao 1-6g Tonifies Qi, resolves Phlegm, stops cough and moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs.
 With Ma Huang and Xing Ren, for Wind-Cold Attacks the Lungs with coughing and/or wheezing.

FORMULA ACTIONS

  • Disperses Wind-Cold
  • Stops Asthma
  • Clears the Lungs

SYNDROMES

  • Wind-Cold Attacks the Lungs
  • Tai Yang Shang Han
  • Wind-Cold Bi - Initial Stage

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

  • Itching or tickling in the throat
  • Wheezing
  • Sneezing
  • Gasping
  • Cough with expectoration of thin, watery or frothy white sputum
  • General body aches
  • No thirst
  • Dyspnea
  • Headache
  • Chills with low grade fever
  • Maybe asthma
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Anhidrosis
  • Blocked and/or runny nose with watery nasal discharge
  • Chest discomfort
  • Neck stiffness
  • T: Pink
  • C: Thin, white and moist
  • P: Superficial and tight

TREATS

CONTRAINDICATIONS AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Lin Syndrome.
  • Contraindicated for those with Yin Deficiency bleeding.
  • Contraindicated for those with bacterial infections (Heat).
  • Contraindicated for those with skin infections.
  • Contraindicated for those with Wind-Heat.
  • Contraindicated for those with a weak pulse.
  • Contraindicated for those with debility.
  • Contraindicated for those with copious urination.
  • Use caution for those with hypertension.
  • Avoid profuse perspiration.
  • Use only for short periods of time.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • This formula may reduce the adverse effects of interferon in hepatitis C patients.

NOTES

MODIFICATIONS

For Dampness: For early stage Wind-Damp-Cold Bi:
+ Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu + Rz Atractylodes Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
For concurrent Yang Deficiency:
For sore throat:
+ Rx. Astragali Huang Qi - Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
For wheezing, chest tightness and expectoration of white, watery sputum:
 + Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen
+ Fr. Perillae Zi Su Zi + Rz. Belamcandae She Gan
+ Per Citri Reticulatae Chen Pi
For pediatric psoriasis:
+ Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi
+ Four Things Decoction
Si Wu Tang
+ Poria Fu Ling
For asthma and cough with profuse, clear sputum, mild chills, fever, body aches and headache:
For severe Wind-Damp-Cold Bi:
 - Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
+ Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu + Rx. Peucedani Qian Hu
+ Rx. Gentianae Qin Jiao
For Interior Heat:
+ Caul. Lonicerae Ren Dong Teng + Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao
For concurrent Qi and Blood Deficiencies:
or
+ Rx. Astragali Huang Qi + Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao
+ Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen + Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu
+ Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Shu Di Huang
or
For a Wind-Cold Invasion accompanied by Dampness:
+ Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao
+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng + Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin
+ Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
For traumatic injury accompanied by Wind-Cold:
+ Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu + Sm. Persicae Tao Ren
For muscle aches and pains due to a Wind-Cold-Damp Attack:
+ Flos Carthami Hong Hua
+ Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu
For only slight Cold:
+ Sm. Coicis Yi Yi Ren - Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
For concurrent Interior Heat with vexatious thirst and a higher fever:
For coughing and/or panting:
- Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
+ 20g Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao + 9g Fr. Perillae Zi Su Zi
For cough:
+ 9g Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi
+ Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye
For cough with profuse sputum:
For cough with yellow, sticky sputum:
+ Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye
+ Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye + Arisaema cum Bile Dan Nan Xing
+ Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin + Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia
+ Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao
For cough with hoarseness and a sore throat:
For cough with thick, sticky, difficult-to-expectorate sputum, and a red tongue with a thin coat:
+ Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye
+ Fr. Chebulae He Zi + Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye
+ Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen + Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen
For cough with fatigue and profuse perspiration:
+ Rx. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong
+ Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye + Rx. Glehniae/ Adenophorae Sha Shen
+ Rx. Astragali Huang Qi
+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng
For peripheral neuropathy:
For enuresis:
- Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren
- Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren + Vascular Citri Reticulatae Ju Luo
For enuresis in the summer:
- Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren
For enuresis in the winter:
+ Less Rx. Ephedrae Ma Huang - Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren
For enuresis with Qi Deficiency:
+ More Rx. Ephedrae Ma Huang
- Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren
For enuresis with Yang Deficiency:
+ Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen - Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren
For mastitis:
+ Rx. Morindae Officinalis Ba Ji Tian
+ Hb Taraxaci Pu Gong Ying
+ Flos Lonicerae Jin Yin Hua + Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Yi Zhi Ren
For mastitis with obstruction of breast milk:
For severe wheezing and hasty panting:
+ Hb Taraxaci Pu Gong Ying + 9g Fr. Perillae Zi Su Zi
+ Flos Lonicerae Jin Yin Hua + 9g Rx. Peucedani Qian Hu
+ Rx. Rhapontici Lou Lu
For chest oppression:
For lack of External signs:
+ 9g Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng
- Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi + 9g Fr. Aurantii Zhi Ke
- Rx. Ephedrae Ma Huang
For copious white, watery sputum:
+ Honey-fried Rx. Ephedrae Zhi Ma Huang
+ two or three of the following
9g Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia
For severe fullness and stuffiness of the chest:
+ 9g Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng 6g Per. Citri Reticulatae Chen Pi
+ 9g Fr. Aurantii Zhi Ke 6g Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum Zhi Tian Nan Xing
+ 9g Ram. Perillae Zi Su Geng
For neck pain and stiffness:
 6g Sm. Sinapis Bai Jie Zi
+ Rx. Puerariae Ge Gen
For whole body pain:
For whole body pain with sweating:
 + 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
- Rx. Ephedrae Ma Huang
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo + 10g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
+ 10g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
For whole body pain with a headache:
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
+ 10g Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao
+ 10g Rz. Zingiberis Recens Sheng Jiang + 10g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
+ 10g Fr. Jujube Da Zao + 10g Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong
For whole body pain with a stiff neck:
 + 10g Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
For severe whole body pain with a Cold sensation:
+ 10g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
+ 10g Rx. Puerariae Ge Gen
+ 12g Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao + 10g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo
For nasal pain:
+ 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin + 10g Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang
+ 6g Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng + 12g Rz. Corydalis Yan Hu Suo
For nasal pain with a stuffy nose:
For nasal pain with a fever and aversion to Cold:
+ 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin + 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin
+ 6g Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng + 6g Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng
+ 10g Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi + 10g Rz. et Rx. Notoptryigii Qiang Huo
For nasal pain with coughing and expectoration of white Phlegm:
 + 5g Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu
For nasal pain with a headache:
+ 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin + 3g Hb. cum Rx. Asari Xi Xin
+ 6g Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng + 6g Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng
+ 10g Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia + 10g Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notoptryigii Qiang Huo
+ 5g Per. Citri Reticulatae Chen Pi