HERB FORMULAS

LONG DAN XIE GAN TANG

English: Gentiana Longdancao Decoction to Drain the Liver
Also Known As: Gentiana Combination
Decoction to Purge Liver Fire with Gentiana

HERBS AND ACTIONS

Pharmaceutical Latin
Pin Yin
Dosage
Actions
Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao 1-9g Drains Shi  Heat from the Liver/Gallbladder, drains Liver Fire and eliminates Damp-Heat from Lower Jiao.
 With Chai Hu and Huang Qin, for Liver/ Gallbladder Damp-Heat.
Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin 3-12g Drains Fire, dries Dampness and calms ascending Liver Yang.
 With Zhi Zi, drains Fire and eliminates Dampness.
Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi 6-12g Clears Heat, eliminates irritability and drains Damp-Heat.
With Huang Qin, drains Fire and eliminates Dampness.
Caulis Akebiae Mu Tong 3-9g Promotes urination.
 With Che Qian Zi and Ze Xie, drains Heat from Upper Jiao and eliminates Damp-Heat from Lower Jiao through the urine.
Sm. Plantaginis Che Qian Zi 3-15g Promotes urination and clears Heat.
Rz. Alismatis Ze Xie 3-12g Promotes urination and clears Damp Heat.
Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu 3-12g Disperses Heat due to Liver/Gallbladder Qi Stagnation and focuses the actions of the formula on Liver/Gallbladder. (Omitted in some versions).
With Huang Qin, clears Shao Yang Heat.
With Gan Cao, for hepatitis and upper right quadrant pain.
Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang 5-15g Nourishes Yin and clears Heat.
 With Dang Gui, protects Yin and Blood.
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis (tails) Dang Gui Wei 5-12g Nourishes Blood without causing Stasis.
 With Sheng Di Huang, protects Yin and Blood
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao 1-6g Harmonizes the Middle Jiao and regulates other herbs.

FORMULA ACTIONS

  • Drains Excess Fire from the Liver and Gallbladder
  • Clears and Drains Damp-Heat from the Lower Jiao
  • Clears Damp-Heat from the San Jiao

SYNDROMES

  • Liver Fire Flaring Up
  • Damp-Heat in the Liver and Gallbladder
  • Damp-Heat in the Liver Channel
  • San Jiao Damp-Heat

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

  • Hypochondriac pain
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Red sore eyes
  • Hearing loss
  • Swelling in the ears
  • Bitter taste in the mouth
  • Irritability
  • Short temper
  • Difficult and painful urination with a heat sensation in the urethra
  • Swollen and itchy genitalia
  • Yellow, foul smelling leukorrhea
  • Short menstrual cycle with reddish-purple blood
  • Ear discharge
  • Yellow urine
  • Chest pain
  • Constipation
  • Turbid urine
  • Dry throat
  • Hematuria
  • Pain in the armpits
  • Sweating in the groin
  • T: Red or Red edges
  • C: Yellow or Yellow and greasy
  • P: Wiry, Excess and rapid

TREATS

  • Migraine headache
  • Eczema
  • Intercostal neuralgia
  • Gallstones
  • Uveitis
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Corneal ulcers
  • Acute glaucoma
  • Central retinitis
  • Acute suppurative otitis media
  • Herpes zoster (initial stage)
  • Herpes simplex (early stages)
  • Pyelonephritis
  • Cystitis
  • Urethritis
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Orchitis
  • Epididymitis
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Endometritis
  • Meniere’s Disease
  • Jaundice
  • Vaginal inflammation
  • Obesity
  • Leukorrhea
  • Venereal ulcer
  • Groin lymphadenitis
  • Genital eczema
  • Boils and carbuncles of the vestibular and external auditory canal
  • Hypertension
  • Swollen eyelids
  • Eye pain
  • Acute icteric hepatitis
  • Acute prostatitis
  • Scrotal eczema
  • Acute cholecystitis
  • Acute pyelitis
  • Encephalitis B
  • Chronic viral infections
  • Culosis
  • Psoriasis
  • Viral Dermatosis
  • Genital inflammation and swelling
  • Furuncle of the vestibulu nasi
  • Furuncle of the external auditory canal
  • Rosacea

CONTRAINDICATIONS AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Use caution for those with Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold.
  • Contraindicated for those with Yin, Yang or Blood Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated for long-term use.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
.

NOTES

MODIFICATIONS

For Heat in the Middle Jiao:
For insomnia:
+ 3g Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian + 12g Sm. Platycladi Bai Zi Ren
+ 15g Gypsum
For psoriasis due to Toxic Damp-Heat:
For viral dermatosis:
 - Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu
- Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao
- Rx. Rehmanniae
+ 9g Rx Sophorae Flavescentis
- Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Wei
+ 9g Rz. Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Bei Xie
- Rx. Glycyrrhizae
+ 6g Caul. Aristolochiae Ma Dou Ling + 9g Cx. Phellodendri Huang Bai
For pale red leukorrhea and a wiry, rapid pulse: + 30g Flos Lonicerae Jin Yin Hua
+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubrae Chi Shao
+ 15g Hb. Violae
+ Stamen Nelumbinis
+ 15g Flos Chrysanthemi Indici Ye Ju Hua
For severe headache and painful red eyes:
+ 15g Fr. Forsythiae Lian Qiao
+ Flos Chrysanthemi
+ 15g Poria Fu Ling
+ Fol. Mori
For tremors:
For hemoptysis due to Liver Fire Attacking the Lung:
+ Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis Gou Teng
+ Cx. Moutan
+ Bul. Fritillariae Chuan Bei Mu
+ Cacumen Platycladi
For pelvic inflammatory disease:
For icteric hepatitis:
- Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao
- Sm. Plantaginis
+ Cx. Phellodendri Huang Bai
- Rz. Alismatis
+ Caulis Sargentodoxae Hong Teng
+ Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae
+ Hb. Patriniae Bai Jiang Cao
For Damp-Heat leukorrhagia:
For Damp-Heat jaundice:
- Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao - Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao
- Rx. Scutellariae
-- Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang
+ Cx. Phellodendri
+ Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae
For waking easily, being startled easily or being frightened easily: + Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang
+ 10g Dens Draconis Long Chi
For fullness and discomfort in the chest and epigastrium:
+ 10g Magnetitum Ci Shi + 6g Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu
For constipation:
 + 9g Tub. Curcumae Yu Jin
+ 6g Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang + 6g Fr. Aurantii Zhi Ke
or
For dysuria:
+ Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang
+ Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae
+ Natrii Sulfas Mang Xiao + Poria Fu Ling
For acute glaucoma:
For redness, swelling and pain of the eyes:
+ Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen + Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong
+ Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo + Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua
For urinary tract infection:
For more visual disturbances:
+ Hb. Polygoni Avicularis Bian Xu + Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua
+ Hb. Dianthi Qu Mai + Sm. Cassiae Jue Ming Zi
+ Rz. Imperatae Bai Mao Gen
or
+ Fr. Forsythiae Lian Qiao
+ Wash the Liver and Brighten the Eyes Powder
Xi Gan Ming Mu San
For Excess Dampness:
For redness and swelling of the scrotum or sores on the penis:
- Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin - Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu
- Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang + Fr. Forsythiae Lian Qiao
+ Talcum Hua Shi + Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian
+ Sm. Coicis Yi Yi Ren + Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang
or
For itching in the genital area (topically as a wash):
+ Eight-Herb Powder for Rectification
Ba Zheng San
+ Fr. Cnidii She Chuang Zi
For itchy nipples:
+ Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis Ku Shen
+ Fol. Citri Reticulatae Ju Ye
For nasal congestion, sinitis and rhinitis due to Liver and Gall Bladder Fire:
+ Fr. Citri Sarcodactylis Fo Shou + 12g Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua
For nasal congestion, sinitis and rhinitis due to Liver and Gall Bladder Fire with a severe headache:
+ 6g Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi
+ 12g Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua
+ Agastache and Pig Bile Pill (patent)
Huo Dan Wan
+ 6g Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi
or
+ Agastache and Pig Bile Pill (patent)
Huo Dan Wan
+ Fr. Xanthii Cang Er Zi
+ 15g Concha Haliotidis Shi Jue Ming + Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi
+ 12g Ram Uncariae cum Uncis Gou Teng + Hb. Centipedae E Bu Shi Cao