Formulas · Release the Exterior 解表 · Junggyeong (仲景)

Ephedra and Licorice Decoction

Mahwanggamcho-tang

한글 마황감초탕 · Pinyin Ma Huang Gan Cao Tang

麻黃甘草湯

Composition 構成

Mahwang Ma Huang
麻黃 마황 · Ephedra

12 g
Chief 君
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

8 g
Deputy 臣

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

Promotes sweating to disperse swelling above the lumbus

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Oedema above the lumbus
Qi hurry of long standing that has turned to water swelling

Biomedical correlates

Facial and upper-body oedema
Oedema with dyspnoea

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治腰上浮腫. 麻黃三錢, 甘草二錢. 右剉, 作一貼, 水煎服, 溫覆令出汗, 不汗再服. 《仲景》有人患, 氣促積久不差, 遂成水腫, 服此湯, 卽效. 《得效》

Translation

Treats oedema above the lumbus. Ephedra 3 don, licorice 2 don. Cut up, make one packet, decoct in water and take; cover warmly to bring out sweat, and if no sweat comes take it again. A person suffered hurried breathing which did not resolve over a long period and turned into water swelling; taking this decoction, the effect was immediate. — Junggyeong 仲景 (Donguibogam · Bujong)

Clinical commentary 臨床

Two medicinals, and the whole treatment rests on the rule the chapter states at 2.5: swelling above the lumbus is sweated out, swelling below it is drained through the urine. This formula is the first half of that rule in its plainest form. **Ephedra raises blood pressure and heart rate and is restricted or prohibited in many jurisdictions. Not suitable for self-administration, and contraindicated in hypertension, cardiac disease and with MAO inhibitors.** — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.