Lily Bulb and Rehmannia Decoction

金匱要略

For Lily disease that has not undergone emesis, purgation, or sweating, and whose disease manifestations are as at the beginning, Baihe Dihuang Tang governs it. (Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet))

Lily Bulb seven pieces (split); raw Rehmannia juice one sheng. The above: wash the Lily Bulb with water, soak overnight; when white foam appears, pour off the water; then with two sheng of spring water, decoct to obtain one sheng, remove the dregs, add the Rehmannia juice, decoct to obtain one sheng and five ge, divide and take warm twice. Once there is response, do not take again. The stool should be like lacquer. (Shang Han Za Bing Lun)

The above: wash the Lily Bulb with water, soak overnight; when white foam appears, pour off the water; then with two sheng of spring water, decoct to obtain one sheng, remove the dregs, add the Rehmannia juice, decoct to obtain one sheng and five ge, divide and take warm twice. Once there is response, do not take again; the stool should be like lacquer.

湯劑

Nourish yin and Clear heat, supplement and benefit the Heart and Lung.

Lily disease, Yin deficiency with internal heat, mental clouding, silence and little speech, as if cold but not cold, as if hot but not hot, sometimes desires food, sometimes is averse to food, bitter taste in the mouth, reddish urine.

This formula is a commonly used formula for treating Lily disease. In clinical application, the key points for Pattern identification should be restlessness of the spirit, loss of regulation of eating behavior, bitter taste in the mouth, reddish urine, and a slightly rapid pulse. 'The stool should be like lacquer' means that after taking the medicine the stool appears black; this is the natural color of Rehmannia and disappears after stopping the medicine; there is no need to be alarmed. 'Once there is response, do not take again' has two explanations: if the medicine has already taken effect, the remaining medicine need not be taken again. Because Rehmannia is cold in nature and moistening, taking too much can cause diarrhea; moreover, the amount of Rehmannia juice in the formula is very large, so after effectiveness one should avoid excessive dosage. (2) It is not easy to cure in a short period; although sometimes one dose hits the disease, after stopping it is easy to relapse. Therefore, when taking Baihe Dihuang Tang, it should be understood that 'when effective, do not change the formula' is appropriate. The diet should be light. Avoid substances that greatly supplement original qi such as Huangqi and ginseng; avoid rich and greasy substances such as donkey-hide gelatin and turtle shell; avoid warm-supplementing substances such as cinnamon, aconite, and deer antler. Those with excess heat should not use it.