Formulas · Transform Phlegm 化痰 · Danggye Simbeop (丹溪心法)

Wash Away Phlegm Decoction

Jeokdam-tang

한글 척담탕 · Pinyin Di Tan Tang

滌痰湯

The closing appraisal — 簡而當, concise and apt — is Danggye's own and is quoted by the Bogam as part of the entry.

Composition 構成

Banha Ban Xia
半夏 반하 · Pinellia

8 g
Chief 君

ginger-prepared
Namseong Tian Nan Xing
天南星 천남성 · Arisaema

8 g
Chief 君

ginger-prepared · toxic
Jisil Zhi Shi
枳實 지실 · Immature Bitter Orange

6 g
Deputy 臣
Baekbokryeong Fu Ling
白茯苓 백복령 · Poria (white)

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

4 g
Deputy 臣
Seokchangpo Shi Chang Pu
石菖蒲 석창포 · Acorus

2 g
Assistant 佐
Insam Ren Shen
人蔘 인삼 · Ginseng

2 g
Assistant 佐
Jukyeo Zhu Ru
竹茹 죽여 · Bamboo Shavings

2 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

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

—
Envoy 使

five slices

Total 37.2 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

Treats wind stroke with phlegm confusing the orifice of the heart and a stiff tongue that cannot speak
Sweeps out phlegm
clears heat
frees the qi and supplements vacuity together

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Phlegm confusing the orifice of the heart with a stiff tongue
Wind phlegm with loss of speech

Biomedical correlates

Aphasia after stroke
Dysarthria of central origin

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治中風痰迷心竅, 舌强不能言. 半夏ㆍ南星(並薑製) 各二錢, 枳實一錢半, 茯苓ㆍ陳皮各一錢, 石菖蒲ㆍ人參ㆍ竹茹各五分, 甘草三分. 右剉, 作一貼, 入薑五, 水煎服. 《丹心》 ○此藥治中風不語, 豁痰ㆍ淸熱ㆍ利氣ㆍ補虛, 可謂簡而當也. 《丹心》

Translation

Treats wind stroke with phlegm confusing the orifice of the heart and a stiff tongue that cannot speak. Pinellia and arisaema, both ginger-prepared, 2 don each; bitter orange, 1 don 5 fun; poria and tangerine peel, 1 don each; acorus, ginseng and bamboo shavings, 5 fun each; licorice, 3 fun. Cut up, make one packet, add five slices of ginger and decoct in water. This medicine treats wind stroke with loss of speech, sweeping out phlegm, clearing heat, freeing the qi and supplementing vacuity — it may be called concise and apt. — Danggye Simbeop 丹心 (Donguibogam · Pung)

Clinical commentary 臨床

Nine drugs, and the Bogam quotes Danggye's verdict on it: concise and apt. He is right, and it is the best formula in the 痰涎壅盛 section. The construction is the two-ancient-herbs decoction with arisaema doubling the pinellia, bitter orange to break the congestion downward, bamboo shavings for the heat, acorus for the orifice and a token ginseng to hold the qi — each mechanism represented once and nothing repeated. Put beside Cheongsin-haeeo-tang's seventeen drugs for the same indication, it shows what the difference between a good formula and a thorough one looks like. Still in use for post-stroke aphasia and dysarthria, and deservedly. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.