Gentiana Decoction to Drain the Liver
Chinese Prescription: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
English Translation: Gentiana Decoction to Drain the Liver
Formula Type: Clear Heat from the Organs
Actions: Clears the Liver, drains fire, enriches the yin, & generates fluids.
Indications: For upward overflow of bile due to anger or overabundance of heat characterized by a bitter taste in the mouth, & Gallbladder pure heat, which are periods of feverishness alternating with a sensation of normal temperature. Indicated for heat without dampness that is injuring the fluids in the upper burner (wood rebelling against metal).
Contraindications: Do not take long-term or in large doses. Not for cases with Spleen deficiency or injury to the fluids.
Pinyin | English | Suggested Dosage |
---|---|---|
view: Long Dan Cao |
Chinese Gentian Root | 3-9g |
view: Chai Hu |
Bupleurum | 3-9g |
view: Zhi Zi |
Gardenia Fruit | 6-12g |
view: Huang Qin |
Scutellaria Baicalensis | 6-12g |
view: Dang Gui |
Angelica Sinensis Root | 6-12g |
view: Sheng Di Huang |
Rehmannia Root, Unprepared | 9-15g |
view: Mu Tong |
Akebia Vine | 3-6g |
view: Che Qian Zi |
Plantago Seeds | 9-15g |
view: Ze Xie |
Alisma Rhizome | 6-12g |
view: Gan Cao |
Licorice Root | 3-6g |
Long Dan Cao / Gentian (Chinese) Root | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Drain Damp | |||
Dosage3-9g |
Actions1. Drains damp-heat from the Liver & Gallbladder channels: for damp-heat in the upper portion of the Gallbladder channel with such symptoms as red, swollen sore throat & eyes, swollen & painful ears, or sudden deafness. Also for damp-heat in the Liver or Gallbladder channels (especially the lower parts) with such symptoms as jaundice, pain, swelling or dampness in the genital area, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge & itching.2. Drains & pacifies excessive Liver fire: for Liver fire blazing upward with headache or red eyes. Also for Liver wind-heat with fever, spasms, convulsions, or flank pain. |
MeridiansGallbladder, Liver, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of Spleen or Stomach deficiency with diarrhea. |
Chai Hu / Bupleurum Root | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Bitter, Acrid • Temperature: Cool • Category: Exterior Releasing - Cool • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage3-12g |
Actions1. Resolves lesser yang disorders & reduces fever: for alternating chills & fever accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouth, flank pain, irritability, vomiting, & a stifling sensation in the chest associated with the lesser yang stage of externally contracted disorders.2. Spreads Liver qi & relieves constraint: for constrained Liver qi with such symptoms as dizziness, vertigo, chest & flank pain, emotional instability, or menstrual problems. Also used for disharmonies between the Liver & the Spleen with such symptoms as epigastric & flank pain, a stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal bloating, nausea, & indigestion. 3. Raises the yang qi in patterns of Spleen or Stomach deficiency: for hemorrhoids, anal or uterine prolapse, & diarrhea due to collapse of the Spleen qi. |
MeridiansGallbladder, Liver, Pericardium, Triple Burner |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency cough or Liver fire ascending to the head. May occasionally cause nausea or vomiting; should this occur, use only a very small dose. |
Zhi Zi / Gardenia, Cape Jasmine Fruit | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Drain Fire | |||
Dosage3-12g |
Actions1. Clears heat & eliminates irritability: for heat patterns with fever, irritability, restlessness, a stifling sensation in the chest, insomnia, or delirious speech.2. Dries damp-heat: for painful urinary dysfunction due to damp-heat in the lower burner; damp-heat & constrained Liver & Gallbladder (middle burner) with jaundice; & damp-heat in the Gallbladder & Triple Burner channels of the face, affecting the nose & eyes or causing sores in the mouth or facial region. 3. Cools the blood & stops bleeding: for heat in the blood with such symptoms as nosebleed, or blood in the vomit, stool, or urine. For this purpose, the herb is partiallly charred. 4. Reduces swelling & moves blood stasis due to trauma: for this purpose, apply topically as a powder mixed with egg white or vinegar. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver, Lung, Stomach, Triple Burner |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of loose stool or loss of appetite due to cold from deficiency. |
Huang Qin / Scute or Baical Skullcap Root | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Drain Damp | |||
Dosage6-15g |
Actions1. Clears heat & drains fire, especially from the upper burner: for heat patterns with high fever, irritability, thirst, cough, & expectoration of thick, yellow sputum, or hot sores & swellings. In treating the latter it can be applied topically or taken internally.2. Clears heat & dries dampness: a major herb for damp-heat in the Stomach or Intestines, which manifests as diarrhea or dyenteric disorder; damp warm-febrile disease, which presents with fever, stifling senstaion in the chest, & thirst but inability to drink; or for damp-heat in the lower burner with painful urinary dysfunction. Used as a an auxiliary herb for damp-heat jaundice. |
MeridiansGallbladder, Large Intestine, Lung, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of heat from deficiency in the Lungs, cold diarrhea o any other condition with cold in the middle burner, & restless fetus due to cold in the blood. May counteract mu dan pi & li lu. |
Dang Gui / Angelica (Chinese) Root | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Sweet, Acrid, Bitter • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood | |||
Dosage3-15g |
Actions1. Tonifies the blood & regulates the meses: for patterns of blood deficiency with such symptoms as a pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, & palpitations. Also very commonly used fro blood deficiency associated with menstrual disorders such as irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, etc.2. Invigorates & harmonizes the blood & disperses cold: an important herb for stopping pain due to blood stasis. Commonly used for abdominal pain, traumatic injury, & carbuncles due to blood stasis, especially when there is also cold from deficiency. Also used in the treatment of blood deficiency with chronic wind-damp painful obstruction. 3. Moistens the Intestiones & unblocks the bowels: for dry Intestines due to blood deficiency. 4. Reduces swelling, expels pus, generates flesh, & alleviates pain: used in treating sores & abscesses where its ability to both tonify & invigorate the blood leads to improvement. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of diarrhea or abdominal distention due to damp obstruction. Contraindicated for yin deficiency with heat signs. |
Sheng Di Huang / Rehmannia Root, Unprepared | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Sweet, Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Cool Blood | |||
Dosage9-30g |
Actions1. Clears heat & cools the blood: for all warm-febrile diseases where heat enters the nutritive level causing very high fever, thirst, & a scarlet tongue. Also indicated in cases of hemorrhage due to heat entering the blood level.2. Nourishes the yin & generates fluids: for yin deficiency with heat signs, as well as injury to the body's fluids. Manifestations include dry mouth, continuous low-grade fever, & constipation. Also for throat pain associated with yin deficiency. 3. Cools the upward-blazing of Heart fire: for mouth & tongue sores, & for irritability, insomnia, afternoon or low-grade fevers, & malar flush. 4. Wasting & thirsting disorder. |
MeridiansHeart, Kidney, Liver |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of Spleen deficiency with dampness, yang deficiency, & in pregnant women with blood deficiency or Spleen or Stomach deficiency. |
Mu Tong / Akebia Vine | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Bitter • Temperature: Cool • Category: Drain Damp • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage3-9g |
Actions1. Promotes urination & drains heat from the Heart via the Small Intestine: such symptoms as irritability accompanied by sores of the mouth or tongue, & scanty urine. Also used in treating damp-heat painful urinary dysfunction, edema & leg qi.2. Promotes lactation & unblocks the blood vessels: for insufficient lactation; less commonly for amenorrhea, & for pain & stiffness of the joints. |
MeridiansBladder, Heart, Small Intestine |
CautionsContraindicated during pregnancy & in the absence of interior damp-heat. This herb easily injures the fluids & should be used with extreme caution in patients with any sign of yin deficiency. Do not overdose: acute renal failure was reported following a dose of 60g. |
Che Qian Zi / Plantago Seeds | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Cold • Category: Drain Damp • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage4.5-9g |
Actions1. Promotes urination & clears heat: for any type of edema or painful urinary dysfunction due to damp-heat. Generally used for damp-heat pouring into the lower burner.2. promotes urination to solidify the stool: for diarrhea associated with either damp-heat or damp-summerheat. 3. Clears the eyes: for eye problems associated with either Liver & Kidney deficiency (e.g., dry eyes or cataracts), or heat in the Liver channel (e.g., red, painful, swollen eyes & sensitivity to light) depending on which other herbs it is combined with. 4. Expels phlegm & stops cough: for Lung heat-induced cough with copious sputum. |
MeridiansBladder, Kidney, Liver, Lung |
CautionsContraindicated during pregnancy. Use with caution in cases of exhausted yang qi, or spermatorrhea due to Kidney yang deficiency or exhaustion from overwork. |
Ze Xie / Alismatis Rhizome | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Sweet, Bland • Temperature: Cold • Category: Drain Damp • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage6-15g |
Actions1. Promotes urination & leaches out dampness: for the stagnation associated with dampness with such symptoms as urinary difficulty, edema, & diarrhea. Especially useful when there is damp-heat in the lower burner.2. Drains Kidney fire: for Kidney yin deficiency patterns with heat signs, including dizziness & tinnitus. |
MeridiansKidney, Bladder |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of spermatorrhea or vaginal discharge due to Kidney yang deficiency or damp-cold. Toxicity: A very safe herb. The ingredients of this herb can irritate the intestinal tract, & gastroenteritis may result from prolonged ingestion. |
Gan Cao / Licorice Root (Chinese) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Neutral (raw root) • Category: Tonic / Harmonize • Sub Category: Tonify Qi | |||
Dosage2-12g |
Actions1. Tonifies the Spleen & augments the qi: commonly used for Spleen deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude, & loose stools. Also for qi or blood deficiency patterns with an irregular or intermittent pulse & /or palpitations.2. Moistens the Lungs & stops coughing: for coughing & wheezing. Because of its neutral properties, it can be used for either heat or cold in the Lungs. 3. Clears heat & relieves fire toxicity: used raw for carbuncles, sores, or sore throat due to fire toxin. For this purpose, it can be taken internally or applied topically. 4. Moderates spasms & alleviates pain: for painful spasms of the abdomen or legs. 5. Moderates & harmonizes the characteristics of other herbs: by virtue of its sweet, neutral, & moderating properties, this herb moderates hot & cold herbs, & mitigates the violent properties of other herbs. Since it is said to enter all 12 primary channels, it can lead & conduct other herbs into the channels. 6. Used as an antidote for a variety of toxic substances, both internally & topically. 7. The raw root clears heat & relieves toxicity, the honey-fried tonifies the middle & moderates spasms. |
MeridiansAll 12 channels (principally the Heart, Lung, Spleen, & Stomach) |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of excess dampness, nausea, or vomiting. May be in compatible with jing da ji, yuan hua, gan sui, & hai zao, & may antagonize yuan zhi. The toxicity of gan cao is very low, but if taken long-term it may cause hypertension &/or edema. Glycyrrhetinic acid has been reported to cause a reduction in the activity of the thyroid & a reducation in the basal metabolic rate. |