Formulas · Release the Exterior 解表 · Junggyeong (仲景)

Ephedra, Aconite and Licorice Decoction

Mahwang-buja-gamcho-tang

한글 마황부자감초탕 · Pinyin Ma Huang Fu Zi Gan Cao Tang

麻黃附子甘草湯

A one-drug exchange from 麻黃附子細辛湯, whose ephedra and aconite weights are carried over.

Composition 構成

Mahwang Ma Huang
麻黃 마황 · Ephedra

8 g
Chief 君
Buja Fu Zi
附子 부자 · Prepared Aconite

4 g
Chief 君

blast-fried · toxic
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

8 g
Envoy 使

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

Treats shaoyin disease without vomiting
diarrhoea or reversal counterflow
Used to bring out a slight sweat

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Shaoyin disease with an exterior evil and no interior signs
Yang vacuity with a mild exterior pattern

Biomedical correlates

Febrile illness in a debilitated patient
Mild infection with hypothermia

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治少陰病無吐利ㆍ厥逆, 宜用此微發汗也. 《仲景》 ○卽<a href='/formulas/mahwangbujasesin-tang'>麻黃附子細辛湯</a>去細辛加甘草二錢也. 《入門》

Translation

Treats shaoyin disease without vomiting, diarrhoea or reversal counterflow; this should be used to bring out a slight sweat. That is, Mahwang-buja-sesin-tang with the asarum removed and 2 don of licorice added. — Junggyeong 仲景 · Uihak Immun 入門 (Donguibogam · Han)

Clinical commentary 臨床

Asarum out, licorice in, and the formula becomes the milder of Zhongjing's two shaoyin exterior-releasing prescriptions. The indication is defined by what is absent: no vomiting, no diarrhoea, no cold limbs — which is to say the patient has an exterior pattern and his interior is still holding, so the sweating can be gentle. Where those signs are present the asarum version is needed. Swapping a penetrating drug for a moderating one to grade the force of a formula is the Shanghanlun's characteristic method, and this pair is the clearest example of it in the chapter. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.