Coptis and Rhinoceros Horn Decoction

Hwangnyeonseogak-tang

한글 황련서각탕 · Pinyin Huang Lian Xi Jiao Tang

黃連犀角湯

Rhinoceros horn is a CITES Appendix I material and its trade is prohibited; water buffalo horn 水牛角 is the standard substitute at five to ten times the dose.

Composition 構成

Hwangnyeon Huang Lian
黃連 황련 · Coptis

4 g
Chief 君
Seogak Xi Jiao
犀角 서각 · Rhinoceros Horn (prohibited)

4 g
Chief 君

CITES
Omae Wu Mei
烏梅 오매 · Mume Plum

4 g
Deputy 臣
Doin Tao Ren
桃仁 도인 · Peach Kernel

4 g
Deputy 臣
Mokhyang Mu Xiang
木香 목향 · Costus Root

4 g
Assistant 佐

Total 20 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts.

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

Clears heat toxin and kills worms
Heals the sores of the fox-delusion pattern

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Fox-delusion pattern with sores of the throat and the genitals
Worm toxin with ulceration and confusion

Biomedical correlates

Behçet's disease
Oral and genital aphthous ulceration

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治狐惑. 黃連ㆍ犀角ㆍ烏梅ㆍ木香ㆍ桃仁各一錢. 右剉, 作一貼, 水煎, 空心服. 《回春》

Translation

Treats the fox-delusion pattern. Coptis, rhinoceros horn, mume plum, costus root and peach kernel, 1 don each. Cut up, make one packet, decoct in water and take on an empty stomach. — Hoechun 回春 (Donguibogam · Han, lower)

Clinical commentary 臨床

狐惑 is Zhongjing's name for a disease that ulcerates the throat and the genitals at once while the patient's mind wanders, and it maps closely onto what is now called Behçet's — which makes this one of the more striking correspondences in the whole text. Coptis and rhinoceros horn cool the heat toxin that produces the ulcers; mume plum is sour and was held to quiet worms, which is what the classics thought was eating the tissue; peach kernel moves the blood of a lesion that will not heal. Taken on an empty stomach so the drugs reach the lower sores undiluted. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.