Ginseng Open the Stomach Decoction

Insamgaewi-tang

한글 인삼개위탕 · Pinyin Ren Shen Kai Wei Tang

人參開胃湯

Composition 構成

Insam Ren Shen
人蔘 인삼 · Ginseng

2.8 g
Chief 君
Baekchul Bai Zhu
白朮 백출 · White Atractylodes

2.8 g
Chief 君
Gyulhong Ju Hong
橘紅 귤홍 · Red Tangerine Peel

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

2.8 g
Deputy 臣
Singok Shen Qu
神麴 신곡 · Medicated Leaven

2.8 g
Deputy 臣
Maega Mai Ya
麥芽 맥아 · Barley Sprout

2.8 g
Deputy 臣
Baekbongnyeong Fu Ling
白茯苓 백복령 · Poria (white)

2.8 g
Deputy 臣
Jeonghyang Ding Xiang
丁香 정향 · Clove

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Gwakhyang Huo Xiang
藿香 곽향 · Korean Mint

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Sain Sha Ren
砂仁 사인 · Amomum

2.8 g
Assistant 佐

縮砂
Hubak Hou Po
厚朴 후박 · Magnolia Bark

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Banhaguk Ban Xia Qu
半夏麴 반하국 · Fermented Pinellia

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Yeonjayuk Lian Zi
蓮子肉 연자육 · Lotus Seed

2.8 g
Assistant 佐

蓮子
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

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

—
Envoy 使

three slices

Total 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

Assists the stomach so that food advances
Supplements while it rouses
with aromatics and ferments on a Sagunja base

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

The stomach that will not take food (助胃進食)
Spleen and stomach vacuity with damp phlegm and no appetite
Poor appetite without marked accumulation

Biomedical correlates

Poor appetite in functional dyspepsia
Convalescent appetite loss
Anorexia with bloating

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

助胃進食. 人參ㆍ白朮ㆍ橘紅ㆍ丁香ㆍ木香ㆍ藿香ㆍ神麴ㆍ麥芽ㆍ白茯苓ㆍ縮砂ㆍ厚朴ㆍ半夏麴ㆍ蓮子ㆍ甘草各七分. 右剉, 作一貼, 入生薑三片, 水煎服. 《直指》

Translation

Assists the stomach so that food advances. Ginseng, white atractylodes, red tangerine peel, clove, costus, agastache, medicated leaven, barley sprout, white poria, amomum, magnolia bark, fermented pinellia, lotus seed and licorice 7 fun each. Cut up, make one packet, add three slices of fresh ginger, decoct in water and take. — Jikji 直指 (Donguibogam · Naesang)

Clinical commentary 臨床

Fourteen medicinals at a flat 7 fun, which is a small dose for so many drugs and tells you the formula is meant to coax rather than to push. Sagunja-tang sits inside it, so the supplementing is real; around that are the two ferments for whatever meal is still sitting there, four aromatics to wake a stomach that has stopped, and lotus seed, which is the gentlest way this pharmacy has of binding the centre. Compared with Angwi-san, its neighbour from the same Jikji, the ferments are the difference: this one expects undigested food as well as weakness. It is a reasonable formula for the patient who has lost appetite after illness and whose digestion restarts slowly. **Contains pinellia, which is toxic raw. Only the fermented and processed drug is used.** — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.