Formulas · Release the Exterior 解表 · Donguibogam · Japbyeong (Cold Damage)

Ephedra Decoction

Mahwang-tang

한글 마황탕 · Pinyin Ma Huang Tang

麻黃湯

Composition 構成

Mahwang Ma Huang
麻黃 마황 · Ephedra

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

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

8 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

4 g
Envoy 使

Total 32 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts.

Actions 效能

Induces sweating to release exterior cold
Disseminates Lung Qi to calm wheezing

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Wind-cold exterior excess without sweating
Fever with chills and body aches
Wheezing with tight floating pulse

Biomedical correlates

Acute common cold without sweating
Early influenza
Acute bronchial constriction

Clinical commentary 臨床

The strongest diaphoretic in the classical repertoire, reserved for robust patients with a fully closed exterior. Note regulatory restrictions on Mahwang (Ephedra) in the United States. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.