Harmonizing formulas
Da chai hu tang
Major Bupleurum Decoction
- Chinese name
- 大柴胡汤
- Group
- Harmonizing formulas
- English name
- Major Bupleurum Combination
Treats excess in the 'shao yang' stage (gallbladder) and drains internal heat via the bowel.
Indications
For 'shao yang' and 'yang ming' complaints: alternating fever and chills, constipation or diarrhoea, a bitter taste, nausea and vomiting and a blocked, full feeling in the abdomen with cramping pain. The book mentions constipation, acute pancreatitis and cholecystitis and gallstones.
Ingredients
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chai hu (bupleurum) | 9–12 g |
| Huang qin (Baikal skullcap) | 9–12 g |
| Immature bitter orange (zhi shi) | 6–9 g |
| Rhubarb root (da huang) | 6–9 g |
| Ban xia, prepared (pinellia) | 6–9 g |
| White peony root (bai shao) | 6–9 g |
| Fresh ginger (sheng jiang) | 3–6 g |
| Jujube (da zao) | 3–5 stuks |
- Tongue
- yellow coating
- Pulse
- tight and forceful
Variations
- For jaundice and hepatitis: add yin chen hao, gardenia and huang bai.
- For vomiting and nausea: add huang lian and wu zhu yu.
- For more severe constipation: add Glauber's salt.