Formulas · Purge Downward 瀉下 · Bonsa (本事)

Melon Stalk Powder for Nasal Insufflation

Chukbigwaje-san

한글 축비과체산 · Pinyin Chu Bi Gua Di San

搐鼻瓜蔕散

Composition 構成

Gwache Gua Di
瓜蔕 과체 · Melon Pedicel (toxic)

8 g
Chief 君

瓜蔕 · toxic
Jeonghyang Ding Xiang
丁香 정향 · Clove

4 g
Deputy 臣
Jeoksodu Chi Xiao Dou
赤小豆 적소두 · Adzuki Bean

2 g
Assistant 佐
Seomi Shu Mi
黍米 서미 · Broomcorn Millet

—
Assistant 佐

49 grains

Total 14 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts. Excludes 1 ingredient measured by count or used as a vehicle, shown as —.

Received this formula from your practitioner? Amounts shown here are classical reference values — granule and prepared products differ. Always follow your prescribed dosage and directions.

Actions 效能

Blown into the nose to draw off yellow water

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Jaundice with the whole body the colour of gold

Biomedical correlates

Jaundice

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治黃疸, 渾身如金色. 瓜蔕二錢, 丁香一錢, 黍米四十九粒, 赤小豆半錢. 右爲末, 臨臥時, 先含水一口, 却於兩鼻孔搐半字便睡, 至明取下黃水, 便服黃連散, 或茵蔯五苓散. 愼不可吹入. 《本事》

Translation

Treats jaundice with the whole body the colour of gold. Melon stalk 2 don, clove 1 don, broomcorn millet 49 grains, adzuki bean 5 pun. Powder them. At bedtime first hold a mouthful of water, then draw half a ja into both nostrils and go to sleep; by morning yellow water will have come down, and then take Coptis Powder or Virgate Wormwood Five Poria Powder. Take care not to blow it in. — Bonsa 本事 (Donguibogam · Hwangdal)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The section at 5.9 gives the reasoning: jaundice arises when damp heat toxin soaks into the pathways of the clear qi, so medicine is put into the nose and the yellow water dripped out. Two details show the method was worked out in practice. A mouthful of water is held first, which keeps the powder from being swallowed; and the instruction not to blow it in but to draw it up distinguishes insufflation from inhalation — blown powder would reach the airway. **Melon stalk is a violent emetic and toxic. This must not be attempted; powder drawn into the nose risks aspiration.** — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.