Formulas · Transform Dampness 化濕 · Gogeum Uigam (古今醫鑑)

Six Harmonies Decoction

Yukhwa-tang

한글 육화탕 · Pinyin Liu He Tang

六和湯

The six harmonies of the name are the six qi — wind, cold, summerheat, damp, dryness and fire — which the formula is held to bring into accord. The variant with coptis added, 淸暑六和湯, is not registered separately on this site.

Composition 構成

Hyangyu Xiang Ru
香薷 향유 · Elsholtzia

6 g
Chief 君
Insam Ren Shen
人蔘 인삼 · Ginseng

2 g
Chief 君
Hubak Hou Po
厚朴 후박 · Magnolia Bark

6 g
Deputy 臣
Jeokbongnyeong Chi Fu Ling
赤茯苓 적복령 · Poria (red)

4 g
Deputy 臣
Gwakhyang Huo Xiang
藿香 곽향 · Korean Mint

4 g
Deputy 臣
Baekpyeondu Bai Bian Dou
白扁豆 백편두 · Hyacinth Bean

4 g
Assistant 佐
Mogwa Mu Gua
木瓜 모과 · Chinese Quince

4 g
Assistant 佐
Sain Sha Ren
砂仁 사인 · Amomum

2 g
Assistant 佐
Banha Ban Xia
半夏 반하 · Pinellia

2 g
Assistant 佐
Haengin Xing Ren
杏仁 행인 · Apricot Kernel

2 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

2 g
Envoy 使
Saenggang Sheng Jiang
生薑 생강 · Fresh Ginger

—
Envoy 使

three slices
Daejo Da Zao
大棗 대조 · Jujube

—
Envoy 使

two fruits

Total 38 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts. Excludes 2 ingredients 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

Treats summerheat injuring the heart and spleen with vomiting and diarrhoea
or sudden turmoil with cramping sinews
and puffy swelling
malaria and dysentery
Harmonizes the six qi

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Summerheat damp injuring the spleen with vomiting and diarrhoea
Summerheat damp with cramping and swelling

Biomedical correlates

Acute gastroenteritis
Heat cramps
Summer oedema

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治暑傷心脾, 嘔吐ㆍ泄瀉, 或霍亂轉筋, 及浮腫ㆍ瘧痢. 香薷ㆍ厚朴各一錢半, 赤茯苓ㆍ藿香ㆍ白扁豆ㆍ木瓜各一錢, 縮砂ㆍ半夏ㆍ杏仁ㆍ人參ㆍ甘草各五分. 右剉, 作一貼, 入薑三片, 棗二枚, 水煎服. ○加麩炒黃連一錢, 名曰淸暑六和湯. 《醫鑑》

Translation

Treats summerheat injuring the heart and spleen, with vomiting and diarrhoea, or sudden turmoil with cramping sinews, and puffy swelling, malaria and dysentery. Elsholtzia and magnolia bark, 1 don 5 fun each; red poria, agastache, hyacinth bean and chaenomeles, 1 don each; amomum, pinellia, apricot kernel, ginseng and licorice, 5 fun each. Cut up, make one packet, add three slices of ginger and two jujubes, and decoct in water. With 1 don of bran-fried coptis added it is called Cheongseo-yukhwa-tang. — Gogeum Uigam 醫鑑 (Donguibogam · Seo)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The most useful formula in the chapter and the one with the broadest reach: vomiting and diarrhoea, heat cramps, swelling, summer dysentery. Elsholtzia and magnolia bark lead, agastache and amomum settle the stomach, chaenomeles answers the cramping sinews — which is to say heat cramps from salt and fluid loss — and pinellia stops the vomiting. Ginseng at five fun is a token, and that is right for an acute case. The formula is cited in the Cold and Sudden Turmoil chapters as well and has been in continuous use for eight centuries; for summer gastroenteritis with cramping it is still prescribed as written. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.