Artemisia Capillaris Decoction

傷寒論

-- Yangming disease, with fever and sweating: this is heat escaping outward, and jaundice cannot occur. If there is only head sweating and no body sweating, stopping at the neck, with difficult urination and thirst that draws in water and liquids, this is static heat in the interior; the body will necessarily develop jaundice; Yinchenhao Tang governs it. (Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage)) -- Cold damage for seven or eight days, with body yellow like the color of an orange, difficult urination, and slight abdominal fullness: Yinchenhao Tang governs it. (Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage)) -- Grain jaundice as a disease: chills and fever, no eating; if eating, then dizziness, unease in the heart and chest; after a long time jaundice develops as grain jaundice; Yinchenhao Tang governs it. (Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet))

Yinchenhao (Artemisia capillaris) 6 liang, Zhizi (Gardenia) 14 pieces, Dahuang (Rhubarb) 2 liang. The above three ingredients, with one dou of water, first decoct Yinchenhao until reduced by six sheng; add the other two ingredients and decoct to obtain three sheng; remove dregs; divide into three warm doses. (Shang Han Za Bing Lun)

The above three ingredients, with one dou and two sheng of water, first decoct Yinchen until reduced by six sheng; add the other two ingredients, decoct to obtain three sheng, remove dregs, divide into three doses (modern usage: decoct in water and take).

湯劑

Clear heat, drain dampness, and resolve jaundice.

Damp-heat jaundice, with yellowing of the whole body, face, and eyes, of a bright color like an orange, slight abdominal fullness, thirst in the mouth, difficult urination, yellow greasy tongue coating, and a deep, replete or slippery, rapid pulse.

If there is yang deficiency, with a pale white, enlarged, and fat tongue body with tooth marks and a slippery water coating: add Prepared Aconite:10, Dried Ginger:10. -- Aversion to cold and fever: add Chaihu:15, Huangqin:10. -- If jaundice is severe: add Huzhang:10, Pugongying (Dandelion):10.

Contraindicated for jaundice belonging to damp-cold.