HERB FORMULAS

MA HUANG TANG

English: Ephedra Decoction
Also Known As: Ma Huang Combination

HERBS AND ACTIONS

Pharmaceutical Latin
Pin Yin
Dosage
Actions
Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang 5-9g Strongly promotes diaphoresis, relieves the Exterior, disperses Lung Qi, promotes urination and expels Cold.
 With Gui Zhi, for Wind-Cold Excess with fever, chills and anhidrosis and Wind-Cold-Damp Bi.
With Xing Ren, for cough and wheezing due to Wind-Cold Attacks the Lungs.
Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi 4-9g Promotes diaphoresis, warms the channels, disperses Cold, releases the exterior, assists the Yang, adjusts the Ying and Wei, warms and facilitates the flow of Qi through the channels and collaterals and Blood through the vessels and releases the muscle layer.
With Zhi Gan Cao, for palpitations and shortness of breath due to injured Yang of the chest.
Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren 5-12g Disperses Lung Qi, resolves Phlegm and stops cough and wheezing.
With Ma Huang and Zhi Gan Cao, for cough with profuse sputum, nasal obstruction and a hoarse voice.
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata Zhi Gan Cao 1-6g Tonifies Qi, resolves Phlegm, stops cough and moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs.
 With Ma Huang and Xing Ren, for Wind-Cold Attacks the Lungs with coughing and/ or wheezing.

FORMULA ACTIONS

  • Disperses Wind-Cold
  • Stops Asthma
  • Clears the Lungs

SYNDROMES

  • Wind-Cold Attacks the Lungs
  • Tai Yang Shang Han
  • Wind-Cold Bi - Initial Stage

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

  • Itching or tickling in the throat
  • Wheezing
  • Sneezing
  • Gasping
  • Cough with expectoration of thin, watery or frothy white sputum
  • General body aches
  • No thirst
  • Dyspnea
  • Headache
  • Chills with low grade fever
  • Maybe asthma
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Anhidrosis
  • Blocked and/or runny nose with watery nasal discharge
  • Chest discomfort
  • Neck stiffness
  • T: Pink
  • C: Thin, white and moist
  • P: Superficial and tight

TREATS

  • Bronchial asthma
  • Common cold
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammation intense but short lived)
  • Rhinitis
  • Acute glomerulonephritis
  • Infantile enuresis
  • Painful menstruation
  • Abdominal masses
  • Pharyngitis
  • Early stages of mastitis
  • Lumbar strain
  • Periarthritis of the shoulder
  • Raynaud's disease
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Sinusitis
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Pericardial effusions
  • Urticaria
  • Glomerulonephritis
  • Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
  • Phlebitis
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Influenza
  • Acute bronchitis
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Lobar pneumonia
  • Allergies
  • Wind-Cold nosebleeds
  • Difficult labor
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Otitis media
  • Traumatic arthropathy
  • Cervical spine disease
  • Ankylosing spondylitis
  • Sciatica
  • Migraine
  • Scleroderma
  • Hay fever
  • Eczema
  • Chilblains
  • Pyelonephritis
  • Ascites
  • Solar dermatitis
  • Enuresis

CONTRAINDICATIONS AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Lin Syndrome.
  • Contraindicated for those with Yin Deficiency bleeding.
  • Contraindicated for those with bacterial infections (Heat).
  • Contraindicated for those with skin infections.
  • Contraindicated for those with Wind-Heat.
  • Contraindicated for those with a weak pulse.
  • Contraindicated for those with debility.
  • Contraindicated for those with copious urination.
  • Use caution for those with hypertension.
  • Avoid profuse perspiration.
  • Use only for short periods of time.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • This formula may reduce the adverse effects of interferon in hepatitis C patients.

NOTES

MODIFICATIONS

For Dampness: For early stage Wind-Damp-Cold Bi:
+ Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu + Rz Atractylodes Macrocephalae Bai Zhu
For concurrent Yang Deficiency:
For sore throat:
+ Rx. Astragali Huang Qi - 1/2 Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
For wheezing, chest tightness and expectoration of white, watery sputum:
 + Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen
+ Fr. Perillae Zi Su Zi + Rz. Belamcandae She Gan
+ Per Citri Reticulatae Chen Pi
For pediatric psoriasis:
+ Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi
+ Four Things Decoction
Si Wu Tang
+ Poria Fu Ling
For asthma and cough with profuse, clear sputum, mild chills, fever, body aches and headache:
For severe Wind-Damp-Cold Bi:
 - Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
+ Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu + Rx. Peucedani Qian Hu
+ Rx. Gentianae Qin Jiao
For Interior Heat:
+ Caul. Lonicerae Ren Dong Teng + Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao
For concurrent Qi and Blood Deficiencies:
or
+ Rx. Astragali Huang Qi + Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao
+ Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen + Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu
+ Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Shu Di Huang
or
For a Wind-Cold Invasion accompanied by Dampness:
+ Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao
+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng + Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin
+ Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo
For traumatic injury accompanied by Wind-Cold:
+ Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu + Sm. Persicae Tao Ren
For muscle aches and pains due to a Wind-Cold-Damp Attack:
+ Flos Carthami Hong Hua
+ Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu
For only slight Cold:
+ Sm. Coicis Yi Yi Ren - Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
For concurrent Interior Heat with vexatious thirst and a higher fever:
For coughing and/or panting:
+ 20g Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao - Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi
    + 9g Fr. Perillae Zi Su Zi
    + 9g Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi