Magnolia Bark Decoction (Vacuity Constipation)

Hubak-tang

한글 후박탕 (허비) · Pinyin Hou Po Tang

厚朴湯

A different 厚朴湯 from Dongwon's for vacuity cold with fullness and pain of the heart and abdomen, which is registered separately.

Composition 構成

Baekchul Bai Zhu
白朮 백출 · White Atractylodes

8 g
Chief 君
Hubak Hou Po
厚朴 후박 · Magnolia Bark

5.2 g
Deputy 臣
Jinpi Chen Pi
陳皮 진피 · Aged Tangerine Peel

4 g
Deputy 臣
Banhaguk Ban Xia Qu
半夏麴 반하국 · Fermented Pinellia

3.6 g
Assistant 佐
Jisil Zhi Shi
枳實 지실 · Immature Bitter Orange

3.2 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

4 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 28 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 vacuity constipation of the stool

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Spleen qi vacuity with qi stagnation and constipation

Biomedical correlates

Functional constipation
Slow-transit constipation

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治大便虛秘. 白朮二錢, 厚朴一錢三分, 陳皮ㆍ甘草各一錢, 半夏麴九分, 枳實八分. 右剉, 作一貼, 入薑三片, 棗二枚, 水煎服. 《易老》

Translation

Treats vacuity constipation of the stool. White atractylodes, 2 don; magnolia bark, 1 don 3 fun; tangerine peel and licorice, 1 don each; pinellia leaven, 9 fun; bitter orange, 8 fun. Cut up, make one packet, add three slices of ginger and two jujubes, and decoct in water. — Yeokro 易老 (Donguibogam · Daebyeon)

Clinical commentary 臨床

A constipation formula with no purgative in it at all, which is the point: vacuity constipation is a bowel too weak to move rather than a bowel blocked, and purging it makes it weaker. White atractylodes at twice the dose of anything else is the key — in large amounts it is the tradition's drug for exactly this, and modern Chinese practice still uses it so. The rest moves qi and settles the stomach. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.