Formulas · Release the Exterior 解表 · Dongwon (東垣)

Ephedra and Atractylodes Decoction

Mahwangchangchul-tang

한글 마황창출탕 · Pinyin Ma Huang Cang Zhu Tang

麻黃蒼朮湯

草豆蒄 — the transcription writes 蒄 for the 蔲 of 草豆蔲, round cardamom; the transcription's character is printed. The licorice is listed twice, raw and honey-roasted, as the transcription has it.

Composition 構成

Mahwang Ma Huang
麻黃 마황 · Ephedra

32 g
Chief 君
Changchul Cang Zhu
蒼朮 창출 · Atractylodes Lancea

20 g
Chief 君
Hwanggi Huang Qi
黃芪 황기 · Astragalus

6 g
Deputy 臣
Chodugu Cao Dou Kou
草豆蔲 초두구 · Katsumada Galangal Seed

2.4 g
Assistant 佐
Siho Chai Hu
柴胡 시호 · Bupleurum

2 g
Assistant 佐
Ganghwal Qiang Huo
羌活 강활 · Notopterygium

2 g
Assistant 佐
Bangpung Fang Feng
防風 방풍 · Siler

1.6 g
Assistant 佐
Danggwi Dang Gui
當歸 당귀 · Korean Angelica

1.6 g
Assistant 佐

the tips (梢)
Hwanggeum Huang Qin
黃芩 황금 · Scutellaria

1.2 g
Assistant 佐
Omija Wu Wei Zi
五味子 오미자 · Schisandra

—
Assistant 佐

fifteen grains
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

1.6 g
Envoy 使

raw

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

Treats an unceasing night cough in autumn and winter that eases only at dawn
with a bitter mouth
chest blockage
flank pain
frothy spittle
and no appetite

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Autumn and winter night cough with cold damp in the lung
Night cough with chest and flank oppression

Biomedical correlates

Nocturnal cough of chronic bronchitis

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治秋冬夜嗽不絶, 至曉方緩, 口苦ㆍ胷痞ㆍ脇痛ㆍ痰唾涎沫ㆍ不進飮食. 麻黃八錢, 蒼朮五錢, 黃芪一錢半, 草豆蒄六分, 柴胡ㆍ羌活各五分, 防風ㆍ當歸梢ㆍ生甘草各四分, 灸甘草ㆍ黃芩各三分, 五味子十五粒. 右剉, 分作二貼, 水煎服. 《東垣》

Translation

Treats an unceasing night cough in autumn and winter that eases only at dawn, with a bitter mouth, blockage in the chest, flank pain, frothy spittle, and no appetite. Ephedra, 8 don; black atractylodes, 5 don; astragalus, 1 don 5 fun; round cardamom, 6 fun; bupleurum and pubescent angelica, 5 fun each; siler, the tips of Chinese angelica and raw licorice, 4 fun each; honey-roasted licorice and scutellaria, 3 fun each; schisandra, fifteen grains. Cut up, divide into two packets, and decoct in water. — Dongwon 東垣 (Donguibogam · Haesu)

Clinical commentary 臨床

A Dongwon formula in his characteristic shape — a large dose of one or two drugs and then a dozen at a few fun each — and the weights are startling: 8 don of ephedra against 3 fun of scutellaria, a ratio of better than twenty to one. The intention is to force open a lung shut by cold and damp in a patient whose qi is weak, which is why astragalus and roasted licorice stand with it. **The ephedra dose here is about 32 g of crude drug in two packets, far above any modern use. Ephedra is a sympathomimetic and is contraindicated in hypertension, heart disease and hyperthyroidism. This must not be prepared at this dose.** — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.