Six Spirits Decoction

Yuksin-tang

한글 육신탕 · Pinyin Liu Shen Tang

六神湯

The Bogam notes that the Deukhyobang gives the same formula under the name 木香散; that version is registered separately under Kidney Diarrhoea.

Composition 構成

Yukdugu Rou Dou Kou
肉豆蔻 육두구 · Nutmeg

6 g
Chief 君

roasted in dough
Bogolji Bu Gu Zhi
補骨脂 보골지 · Psoralea

6 g
Chief 君

stir-fried
Baekchul Bai Zhu
白朮 백출 · White Atractylodes

6 g
Deputy 臣
Baekbokryeong Fu Ling
白茯苓 백복령 · Poria (white)

6 g
Deputy 臣
Mokhyang Mu Xiang
木香 목향 · Costus Root

2.8 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

2.8 g
Envoy 使

roasted
Saenggang Sheng Jiang
生薑 생강 · Fresh Ginger

—
Envoy 使

three slices
Daejo Da Zao
大棗 대조 · Jujube

—
Envoy 使

two fruits

Total 29.6 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 spleen and kidney both vacuous with diarrhoea

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Spleen and kidney yang vacuity with a loose stool

Biomedical correlates

Chronic diarrhoea

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治脾腎俱虛泄瀉. 肉豆蔲(煨)ㆍ破故紙(炒)ㆍ白朮ㆍ白茯苓各一錢半, 木香ㆍ甘草(灸) 各七分. 右剉, 作一貼, 入薑三片, 棗二枚, 空心, 水煎服. 《直指》 ○得效方名木香散.

Translation

Treats spleen and kidney both vacuous with diarrhoea. Nutmeg roasted in dough, stir-fried psoralea, white atractylodes and white poria, 1.5 don each; costus root and roasted licorice, 7 fun each. Cut up, make one packet, add three slices of ginger and two jujubes, and decoct in water on an empty stomach. — Jikji 直指 (Donguibogam · Daebyeon) The Deukhyobang calls it Mokhyang-san.

Clinical commentary 臨床

Three spirits turned into a decoction with atractylodes and poria added, which makes six. The note that the Deukhyobang calls the same thing Costus Powder is the kind of bibliographic care this chapter shows repeatedly, and it explains why three different 木香散 appear in it — the name travelled with different compositions, and the Bogam preserves them all rather than choosing. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.