Formulas · Release the Exterior 解表 · Gogeum Uigam (古今醫鑑)

Pueraria Resolve the Flesh Decoction

Galgeun-haegi-tang

한글 갈근해기탕 · Pinyin Ge Gen Jie Ji Tang

葛根解肌湯

The alternative name 柴葛解肌湯 is from the Hoechun and is the name under which the formula is better known.

Composition 構成

Galgeun Ge Gen
葛根 갈근 · Kudzu Root

4 g
Chief 君
Seokgo Shi Gao
石膏 석고 · Gypsum

4 g
Chief 君
Siho Chai Hu
柴胡 시호 · Bupleurum

4 g
Deputy 臣
Hwanggeum Huang Qin
黃芩 황금 · Scutellaria

4 g
Deputy 臣
Baekjagyak Bai Shao
白芍藥 백작약 · White Peony

4 g
Deputy 臣
Seungma Sheng Ma
升麻 승마 · Cimicifuga

4 g
Deputy 臣
Ganghwal Qiang Huo
羌活 강활 · Notopterygium

4 g
Assistant 佐
Baekji Bai Zhi
白芷 백지 · Dahurian Angelica

4 g
Assistant 佐
Gilgyeong Jie Geng
桔梗 길경 · Platycodon

4 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

2 g
Envoy 使
Saenggang Sheng Jiang
生薑 생강 · Fresh Ginger

—
Envoy 使

three slices
Daejo Da Zao
大棗 대조 · Jujube

—
Envoy 使

two fruits

Total 38 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts. Excludes 2 ingredients 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

Treats yangming channel disease with aching eyes
a dry nose and inability to lie down
Resolves the flesh

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Yangming channel heat with aching eyes and a dry nose
Wind heat in the yangming channel

Biomedical correlates

Influenza with sinus involvement
Febrile illness with photophobia

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治陽明經病, 目疼ㆍ鼻乾ㆍ不得卧, 宜解肌. 葛根ㆍ柴胡ㆍ黃芩ㆍ芍藥ㆍ羌活ㆍ石膏ㆍ升麻ㆍ白芷ㆍ桔梗各一錢, 甘草五分. 右剉, 作一貼, 入薑三, 棗二, 水煎服. 《醫鑑》 ○一名柴葛解肌湯. 《回春》

Translation

Treats yangming channel disease with aching eyes, a dry nose and inability to lie down; the flesh should be resolved. Pueraria, bupleurum, scutellaria, peony, notopterygium, gypsum, cimicifuga, angelica dahurica and platycodon, 1 don each; licorice, 5 fun. Cut up, make one packet, add three slices of ginger and two jujubes, and decoct in water. Also called Sigal-haegi-tang. — Gogeum Uigam 醫鑑 · Manbyeong Hoechun 回春 (Donguibogam · Han)

Clinical commentary 臨床

Better known by its other name, Sigal-haegi-tang, and still a standard prescription. The indication is the classical triad of yangming channel disease — aching eyes, a dry nose, unable to lie down — and all three are referable to the same thing: congested sinuses and frontal pressure in a febrile illness. Pueraria and cimicifuga lift and release from yangming, gypsum and scutellaria cool, bupleurum covers the shaoyang in case the illness is moving, and angelica dahurica is the drug that reaches the face. Resolving the flesh — 解肌 — is the tradition's term for a release gentler than sweating, which is what a case this far along needs. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.