Channel-Warming Decoction

金匱要略

-- Question: A woman around fifty years of age suffers from diarrhea for several tens of days without stopping. At dusk she has fever, lower abdominal urgency, abdominal fullness, feverish and restless palms, and dry lips and mouth. Why is this? The master said: This disease belongs to leukorrhea. Why is that? She once had a miscarriage, and static blood remains in the lower abdomen and has not left. How do we know this? Because the sign is dry lips and mouth, therefore we know. Wen Jing Tang should be used to govern it. (Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet))

Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia) 3 liang, Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis) 2 liang, Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong) 2 liang, Shao Yao (Peony root) 2 liang, Ren Shen (Ginseng) 2 liang, Gui Zhi (Cinnamon twig) 2 liang, E Jiao (Donkey-hide gelatin) 2 liang, Sheng Jiang (Fresh ginger) 2 liang, Mu Dan Pi (Moutan bark) 2 liang, Gan Cao (Licorice) 2 liang, Ban Xia (Pinellia tuber) half sheng, Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon root) 1 sheng. The above twelve ingredients, with one dou of water, decoct to obtain three sheng, divide into three warm doses. (Shang Han Za Bing Lun)

The above twelve ingredients, with one dou of water, decoct to obtain three sheng, divide into three warm doses. (Modern usage: decoct in water and take; dissolve E Jiao and mix in.)

湯劑

Warm the meridians and dissipate cold, nourish blood and remove blood stasis.

Pattern of deficiency cold of the Chong and Ren meridians with blood stasis obstruction. Continuous dripping uterine bleeding, irregular menstruation, either early or late, or prolonged beyond the expected time and not stopping, or menstruation occurring twice in one month, or menstruation stopping and not coming; with evening fever, feverish and restless hands and heart, lower abdominal urgency, and abdominal fullness. It also treats uterine cold in women who have long been unable to conceive.

For severe dysmenorrhea: add vinegar-processed Cyperus rotundus: 10, Curcuma: 10, vinegar-processed Corydalis: 15, Salvia miltiorrhiza: 30. -- For severe internal cold, with a pale white, swollen, enlarged tongue with tooth marks and a deep tight pulse: add dried ginger: 15, prepared aconite: 15. -- For severe blood deficiency, dizziness when changing body posture, pale lips, and a pale, tender tongue: combine with Danggui Shaoyao San. -- For severe Blood stasis, abdominal tenderness, tendency to develop acne, menstruation not arriving at term, tongue with stasis spots and a choppy pulse: combine with Guizhi Fuling Wan. -- For depression, or irregular menstruation, or breast lumps, or breast distension and pain, with a wiry pulse: combine with Xiaoyao San. -- For vexation and irritability, or irregular menstruation, or breast lumps, or breast distension and pain: combine with Jiawei Xiaoyao San.

Contraindicated for irregular menstruation due to excess heat or without internal Blood stasis obstruction; during medication, avoid eating raw and cold items.