Three Cavities Powder

Samwan-san

한글 삼완산 · Pinyin San Wan San

三脘散

Coarsely powdered; 3 don per dose, decocted in water and taken — obtaining a loosening of the bowel is the sign of effect.

Composition 構成

Dokhwal Du Huo
獨活 독활 · Aralia

4 g
Chief 君
Baekchul Bai Zhu
白朮 백출 · White Atractylodes

4 g
Deputy 臣
Mogwa Mu Gua
木瓜 모과 · Chinese Quince

4 g
Deputy 臣
Daebokpi Da Fu Pi
大腹皮 대복피 · Areca Husk

4 g
Deputy 臣
Jasoyeop Zi Su Ye
紫蘇葉 자소엽 · Perilla Leaf

4 g
Deputy 臣
Binrang Bing Lang
檳榔 빈랑 · Areca Seed

2.8 g
Deputy 臣 wrapped in flour paste, roasted, coarsely ground
Jinpi Chen Pi
陳皮 진피 · Aged Tangerine Peel

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Chimhyang Chen Xiang
沈香 침향 · Agarwood

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Mokhyang Mu Xiang
木香 목향 · Costus Root

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Cheongung Chuan Xiong
川芎 천궁 · Cnidium

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

2 g
Envoy 使 roasted

Total 36 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

Relieves the glomus and oppression of leg qi surging into the Heart
Frees a stool and urine gone rough and stagnant

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Leg qi surging into the Heart with glomus and oppression (脚氣衝心痞悶)
Stool and urine rough and stagnant
Critical leg qi with abdominal fullness

Biomedical correlates

Acute decompensation with abdominal distension
Fluid overload with constipation
Rescue therapy

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治脚氣衝心痞悶, 便尿澁滯. 獨活ㆍ白朮ㆍ木瓜ㆍ大腹皮ㆍ紫蘇葉各一錢, 檳榔(麪裹煨麄末)ㆍ陳皮ㆍ沈香ㆍ木香ㆍ川芎各七分, 甘草(灸) 五分. 右麄末, 每三錢, 水煎服, 取利爲效. 《活人》

Translation

Treats leg qi surging into the Heart with glomus and oppression, and stool and urine rough and stagnant. Pubescent angelica, white atractylodes, chaenomeles, areca husk, and perilla leaf, 1 don each; areca nut wrapped in flour paste and roasted then coarsely ground, tangerine peel, aquilaria, aucklandia, and cnidium, 7 fun each; roasted licorice 5 fun. Coarsely powder the above; take 3 don per dose decocted in water — obtaining a loosening is the sign of effect. — Hwarin 活人 (Donguibogam · Jok)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The three cavities are upper, middle, and lower — the whole trunk — and the formula is aimed at all of them at once, which is what the emergency requires when leg qi has risen into the chest. Aquilaria and aucklandia are the two that reach downward through the Qi rather than the bowel; areca roasted in a flour wrapping is gentler than the raw drug. The measure of success is stated plainly: the bowel must move. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.