Major Blue Dragon Decoction

傷寒論

Taiyang wind-strike with floating and tight pulse, fever and aversion to cold, body pain, absence of sweating with restlessness: Da Qing Long Tang governs it. If the pulse is faint and weak, with sweating and aversion to wind, it must not be taken. Taking it causes reversal of cold limbs, muscle twitching, and fasciculations; this is a contrary treatment. (Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage)) -- Cold damage with floating and moderate pulse, no body pain but heaviness, occasionally with periods of mildness, and no Shaoyin pattern: Da Qing Long Tang effuses it. (Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage)) -- For overflow fluid disease, one should induce sweating; Da Qing Long Tang governs it, and Xiao Qing Long Tang also governs it. (Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet))

Ma Huang 6 liang, Gui Zhi 2 liang, prepared Gan Cao 2 liang, Xing Ren 40 pieces, Sheng Jiang 3 liang, Da Zao 10 pieces, raw Shi Gao the size of a chicken egg. For the above seven ingredients, first decoct Ma Huang in nine sheng of water; reduce by two sheng, remove the upper foam, add the other drugs, and decoct to take three sheng; remove the dregs. Take one sheng warm. Seek slight sweating. If the first dose causes sweating, stop subsequent doses. (Shang Han Za Bing Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases))

Decoct nine bowls of water down to three bowls. For Gui Zhi, Add later and decoct for only 15 minutes; total decoction time about one and a half hours or more. Take one bowl warm after each of the three meals.

湯劑

Release the exterior by inducing sweat. Clear heat and eliminate restlessness.

Externally contracted wind-cold with exterior excess complicated by interior heat pattern. Symptoms include fever and aversion to cold, both chills and fever severe, generalized body pain, absence of sweating with restlessness, thirst, red tongue with thin white coating, and a floating, tight, rapid pulse.

For those with heart problems, Ma Huang is contraindicated: add Jing Jie:10, Fang Feng:10, Cong Bai:10.

1. If Ma Huang is used at more than 15 g, it must be decocted for at least two hours. In this original formula the Ma Huang dose is 30 g; adjust the Ma Huang dose according to the condition. 2. It must not be taken by those with middle deficiency pattern, weak pulse with spontaneous sweating, or sweating with restlessness. 3. Ma Huang is contraindicated for those with heart problems! Use Jing Jie 10 g, Fang Feng 10 g, and Cong Bai 10 g instead of Ma Huang. 4. Prescriptions containing Ma Huang should not be taken after 8 p.m.; otherwise it easily causes insomnia. If insomnia still occurs, change to taking it after breakfast and lunch.