Formulas · Invigorate Blood 活血祛瘀 · Dongwon (東垣)

Free the Dark Gate Decoction

Tongyu-tang

한글 통유탕 · Pinyin Tong You Tang

通幽湯

A different 通幽湯 from 通乳湯 of similar romanization, which is a separate formula for scant breast milk. The areca is not decocted but stirred into the finished draught.

Composition 構成

Doin Tao Ren
桃仁 도인 · Peach Kernel

6 g
Chief 君

ground to a paste
Danggui Dang Gui
當歸 당귀 · Korean Angelica

6 g
Chief 君

body of the root
Saengjihwang Sheng Di Huang
生地黃 생지황 · Raw Rehmannia

2.8 g
Deputy 臣
Sukjihwang Shu Di Huang
熟地黃 숙지황 · Prepared Rehmannia

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

2 g
Assistant 佐

finely powdered and stirred into the strained decoction
Honghwa Hong Hua
紅花 홍화 · Safflower

1.2 g
Assistant 佐
Seungma Sheng Ma
升麻 승마 · Cimicifuga

6 g
Envoy 使
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

1.2 g
Envoy 使

roasted

Total 28 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

Treats the dark gate not open with difficulty of stool
to be moistened with acrid drugs

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Blood stasis and dryness at the lower gate
Constipation with dry hard stool

Biomedical correlates

Outlet constipation
Constipation with anal spasm

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治幽門不通, 大便難, 宜以辛潤之. 升麻ㆍ桃仁泥ㆍ當歸身各一錢半, 生地黃ㆍ熟地黃各七分, 灸甘草ㆍ紅花各三分. 右剉, 作一貼, 水煎去滓, 調檳榔細末半錢服. 《東垣》

Translation

Treats the dark gate not open with difficulty of stool; it should be moistened with acrid drugs. Cimicifuga, peach kernel ground to a paste and tangkuei body, 1.5 don each; raw and cooked rehmannia, 7 fun each; roasted licorice and safflower, 3 fun each. Cut up, make one packet, decoct in water, strain, stir in half a don of finely powdered areca, and take. — Dongwon 東垣 (Donguibogam · Daebyeon)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The dark gate is the lower end of the stomach in the Neijing's anatomy, and Dongwon uses the phrase for an obstruction felt at the outlet rather than through the belly. His prescription is a blood formula — peach kernel, safflower, tangkuei, the two rehmannias — on the view that the gate is dry and the blood behind it stagnant, with cimicifuga to lift and areca stirred in at the end to bear down. Adding the areca uncooked is deliberate: its action is in volatile components that boiling would drive off. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.