Elsholtzia Drink

太平惠民和劑局方

Bai Bian Dou (White hyacinth bean, lightly stir-fried) and Hou Po (Magnolia bark, coarse bark removed, ginger-juice processed until cooked) each half a jin; Xiang Ru (Mosla herb, soil removed) one jin.

Boil six bowls of water over high heat down to two bowls, about 20 minutes. Take one bowl warm after each of the three meals.

湯劑

Dispel summerheat and release the exterior, transform dampness and harmonize the middle.

Caused by enjoying coolness and drinking cold beverages in summer months, with external contraction of cold and internal damage from dampness, presenting aversion to cold and fever, heavy head and headache, absence of sweating, chest oppression, or limb fatigue, abdominal pain with vomiting and diarrhea, thirst, white greasy tongue coating, and a floating pulse.

Gastrointestinal accumulated heat: add Huang Lian (Coptis rhizome). -- Spontaneous sweating and limb fatigue: add Ren Shen (Ginseng), Huang Qi (Astragalus root). -- Vomiting and diarrhea: add Fu Ling (Poria). -- Leg cramps: add Mu Gua (Chaenomeles fruit), wine-processed Bai Shao (Peony root), Sang Ji Sheng (Taxillus twig). -- Chest oppression and abdominal distension: add Mu Xiang (Aucklandia root), Sha Ren (Amomum fruit), Guang Huo Xiang (Pogostemon herb), Zhi Ke (Citrus aurantium fruit). -- Abdominal pain and diarrhea with tenesmus: add Mu Xiang (Aucklandia root), Bing Lang (Areca seed), Huang Qin (Scutellaria root), Huang Lian (Coptis rhizome).

For those with summerheat but without concurrent common cold with dampness, this formula should not be used. This formula must be taken cold, not warm, because taking it warm will cause diarrhea.