Formulas · Purge Downward 瀉下 · Piryong Jeonseo (必用全書)

Three Sages Powder

Samseong-san

한글 삼성산 · Pinyin San Sheng San

三聖散

Source annotation 《必用全書》 refers to Zhang Congzheng's 張從正 tradition; no prior entry in this database uses this source.

Composition 構成

Bangpung Fang Feng
防風 방풍 · Siler

120 g
Chief 君
Gwache Gua Di
瓜蔕 과체 · Melon Pedicel (toxic)

80 g
Chief 君

toxic
Yeoro Li Lu
藜蘆 여로 · Black False Hellebore Root (toxic)

40 g
Chief 君

toxic
Jejeup Ji Zhi
虀汁 제즙 · Sour Pickle Brine

—
Envoy 使

虀汁

Total 240 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

Sweats
purges and ejects at once
Treats yin epilepsy and mania

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Yin epilepsy
mania and withdrawal

Biomedical correlates

Severe psychiatric disturbance
Status epilepticus

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治陰癎及癲狂. 防風三兩, 瓜蔕二兩, 藜蘆一兩. 右爲麄末, 每服約半兩, 以虀汁三茶盞, 先用二盞煎至三五沸, 傾去虀汁, 次入水一盞, 煎至三沸, 却將先汁二盞同一處, 熬二沸, 去渣澄淸, 放溫徐徐服之, 以吐爲度, 不必盡劑. 此方, 汗吐下俱行, 防風發汗, 瓜蔕下泄, 藜蘆涌吐. 吐罷可與氷水或新水, 降心火, 勿食熱物. 《必用全書》

Translation

Treats yin epilepsy and mania and withdrawal. Saposhnikovia 3 nyang, melon stalk 2 nyang, black false hellebore root 1 nyang. Grind coarsely; at each dose take about half a nyang. Of three tea cups of sour pickle brine, first use two and boil to three or five bubblings, then pour off the brine; next put in one cup of water and boil to three bubblings; then bring the first two cups of liquor together with it and reduce to two bubblings. Strain off the dregs and let it settle clear, let it cool to warm and take slowly, vomiting being the measure — it is not necessary to finish the dose. In this formula sweating, vomiting and purging all proceed together: saposhnikovia effuses sweat, melon stalk drains downward, black false hellebore root wells up and ejects. When the vomiting is done, iced water or fresh water may be given to downbear the heart fire, and hot foods are not to be eaten. — Piryong Jeonseo 必用全書 (Donguibogam · To)

Clinical commentary 臨床

汗吐下俱行 — sweating, vomiting and purging all proceed together — and the source assigns each medicinal its route: saposhnikovia sweats, melon stalk purges, black false hellebore ejects. All three of Zhang Congzheng's methods in one packet, which is why it carries his name in practice. 以吐爲度, 不必盡劑 — vomiting being the measure, it is not necessary to finish the dose. The same titration the Purging chapter applies to its purgatives. The aftercare is specific: cold water to settle the heart fire, no hot food. **Contains melon stalk and black false hellebore root, both toxic. Black false hellebore causes cardiac arrhythmia and hypotension and has caused deaths. This must not be prepared or taken.** — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.