Formulas · Regulate Qi 理氣 · Uihak Gangmok (醫學綱目)

Five Aromatics Decoction

Ohyang-tang

한글 오향탕 · Pinyin Wu Xiang Tang

五香湯

The transcription writes 凣 for 凡, 癕 for 癰, 沉 for 沈 and 為 for 爲; the standard forms are printed.

Composition 構成

Insam Ren Shen
人蔘 인삼 · Ginseng

4 g
Chief 君

1 don
Hwanggi Huang Qi
黃芪 황기 · Astragalus

4 g
Chief 君

1 don
Mokhyang Mu Xiang
木香 목향 · Costus Root

2 g
Chief 君

5 fun
Seogak Xi Jiao
犀角 서각 · Rhinoceros Horn (prohibited)

4 g
Deputy 臣

犀角屑, shavings, 1 don · CITES
Chimhyang Chen Xiang
沈香 침향 · Agarwood

2 g
Deputy 臣

沉香, 5 fun
Jeonghyang Ding Xiang
丁香 정향 · Clove

2 g
Deputy 臣

5 fun
Yuhyang Ru Xiang
乳香 유향 · Frankincense

2 g
Assistant 佐

5 fun
Sahyang She Xiang
麝香 사향 · Musk (prohibited)

2 g
Envoy 使

5 fun · CITES
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

2 g
Envoy 使

5 fun

Total 24 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

Penetrates and opens through the channels and network vessels
Moves Blood that has congealed and Qi that has stalled behind an abscess

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Abscess and deep-rooted abscess (癰疽) arising from congealed Blood and stalled Qi
The five effusions (五發) with headache, nausea, cold and heat, hurried breathing and cramping

Biomedical correlates

Cellulitis and abscess of the head and neck
Suppurative lymphadenitis

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

凡癰疽因血凝氣滯而生, 氣血聞香則行, 故宜用此, 透達經絡. 木香ㆍ沈香ㆍ丁香ㆍ乳香ㆍ麝香ㆍ甘草各五分, 人參ㆍ黃芪ㆍ犀角屑各一錢. 右剉, 作一貼, 水煎服, 或爲末點服. 《綱目》

Translation

Whenever an abscess or deep-rooted abscess arises from Blood congealing and Qi stalling — and since Qi and Blood move as soon as they meet a fragrance, this is the right thing to use — it penetrates and opens through the channels and network vessels. Costus root, agarwood, clove, frankincense, musk and licorice, 5 fun each; ginseng, astragalus and rhinoceros horn shavings, 1 don each. Cut the above, make one packet, and decoct in water and take; or powder it and take it stirred into hot water. — Gangmok 綱目 (Donguibogam · Ongjeo)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The same five aromatics as 五香散 but set in a decoction and given support: ginseng and astragalus behind them at double the dose, and rhinoceros horn shavings to cool. That makes it the stronger and the better-balanced of the pair — the powder is for unbinding, this is for unbinding in someone who also needs holding up. 氣血聞香則行, "Qi and Blood move as soon as they meet a fragrance", is the whole argument of both leaves stated outright, and it is the reason the 五香 family exists. It is a statement about aromatics as movers rather than about any particular sore. The chapter names this formula with 五香散 for the five effusions, the abscesses of the back of the head, the temples, the brows, the jaw and the back, which it calls 至險, the most dangerous group in the chapter. **Contains musk and rhinoceros horn, both from CITES Appendix I species whose trade is banned; both must be omitted.** Abscesses of the head and face can spread into the orbit, the sinuses and the cavernous sinus, and the chapter's own judgement that these are the most dangerous sites still holds — they are an emergency. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.