Gentian Powder for Liver Heat

Yongdam-san

한글 용담산 (눈) · Pinyin Long Dan San

龍膽散

Not the Gentian Powder registered elsewhere under the same name; the two share a name only.

Composition 構成

Yongdamcho Long Dan Cao
龍膽草 용담초 · Gentian

8 g
Chief 君

草龍膽
Chija Zhi Zi
梔子 치자 · Gardenia

8 g
Chief 君

梔子仁
Bangpung Fang Feng
防風 방풍 · Siler

4 g
Deputy 臣

1 don
Cheongung Chuan Xiong
川芎 천궁 · Cnidium

4 g
Deputy 臣

1 don
Hyeonsam Xuan Shen
玄參 현삼 · Scrophularia

4 g
Deputy 臣

1 don
Hyeonggae Jing Jie
荊芥 형개 · Schizonepeta

4 g
Deputy 臣

1 don
Injinho Yin Chen Hao
茵蔯蒿 인진호 · Capillaris

4 g
Deputy 臣

茵陳
Gamguk Ju Hua
甘菊 감국 · Chrysanthemum

4 g
Deputy 臣

1 don
Jeosilja Chu Shi Zi
楮實子 저실자 · Paper Mulberry Fruit

4 g
Assistant 佐

1 don
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

4 g
Envoy 使

1 don

Total 48 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 liver heat with the black of the eye puffed and swollen
a red halo
dimness and pain

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Liver heat with corneal swelling and a red halo

Biomedical correlates

Keratitis with limbal injection

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治肝熱烏睛浮腫, 赤暈昏疼. 草龍膽ㆍ梔子仁各二錢, 防風ㆍ川芎ㆍ玄參ㆍ荊芥ㆍ茵陳ㆍ甘菊ㆍ楮實子ㆍ甘草各一錢. 右爲末, 每二錢, 食後茶淸調下. 《直指》

Translation

Treats liver heat with the black of the eye puffed and swollen, a red halo, dimness and pain. Gentian and gardenia kernel 2 don each; saposhnikovia, chuanxiong, scrophularia, schizonepeta, capillaris, chrysanthemum, paper-mulberry fruit and licorice 1 don each. Powder them and take 2 don at a time after food, stirred into clear tea. — Jikji 直指 (Donguibogam · An)

Clinical commentary 臨床

A red halo at the edge of the cornea with the cornea itself puffed is limbal injection with stromal oedema, and the chapter reads it straight as liver heat. Capillaris is the unexpected drug here — a damp-heat herb from the jaundice pharmacy, used because the Jikji holds this heat to be damp as well as hot. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.