Formulas · Release the Exterior 解表 · Uihak Immun (醫學入門)

Cinnamon Twig and Ephedra Half-and-Half Decoction

Gyema-gakban-tang

한글 계마각반탕 · Pinyin Gui Ma Ge Ban Tang

桂麻各半湯

The Shanghanlun's 桂枝麻黃各半湯. Cited from this chapter by the 皮門 of this site, where the name was previously left unlinked.

Composition 構成

Mahwang Ma Huang
麻黃 마황 · Ephedra

6 g
Chief 君
Gyeji Gui Zhi
桂枝 계지 · Cinnamon Twig

4 g
Chief 君
Baekjagyak Bai Shao
白芍藥 백작약 · White Peony

4 g
Deputy 臣
Haengin Xing Ren
杏仁 행인 · Apricot Kernel

4 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

2.8 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 20.8 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 taiyang disease with a faint pulse and itching of the body
Half Gyeji-tang and half Mahwang-tang

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Taiyang disease with the evil lingering at the surface and itching
Wind cold unresolved with skin irritation

Biomedical correlates

Influenza with urticaria
Febrile illness with itching

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治太陽病脉微ㆍ身痒. 麻黃一錢半, 桂枝ㆍ芍藥ㆍ杏仁各一錢, 甘草七分. 右剉, 作一貼, 入薑三片, 棗二枚, 水煎服. 《入門》

Translation

Treats taiyang disease with a faint pulse and itching of the body. Ephedra, 1 don 5 fun; cinnamon twig, peony and apricot kernel, 1 don each; licorice, 7 fun. Cut up, make one packet, add three slices of ginger and two jujubes, and decoct in water. — Uihak Immun 入門 (Donguibogam · Han)

Clinical commentary 臨床

Itching of the body in a lingering taiyang case is read as the evil trying to get out through the skin and not managing it, so the ephedra is raised and apricot kernel added to open the lung that governs the surface. The reasoning is sound in its own terms and the clinical observation behind it is real: an urticarial itch is common in viral illness and in the resolving phase of a fever. Of the Shanghanlun's many half-and-half combinations this is the one that stayed in use. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.