Guide Out the Red Powder
Chinese Prescription: Dao Chi San
English Translation: Guide Out the Red Powder
Formula Type: Clear Heat from the Organs
Actions: Clears the Heart & promotes urination.
Indications: Irritability with a sensation of heat in the chest, thirst with a desire to drink cold beverages, a red face, possibly sores around the mouth, a red tongue, & a rapid pulse. Also used for dark, scanty, rough, & painful urination, or even clearly visible blood in the urine.
Contraindications: Use with caution in cases of Spleen & Stomach deficiency.
|
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. |
|
Dan Zhu Ye / Lophatherum Stem and Leaves |
|
Taste: Sweet, Bland • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Drain Fire |
Dosage6-9g |
Actions1. Clears heat & eliminates irritability: for heat patterns with irritability & thirst. Also used for mouth sores & swollen, painful gums due to heat in the Heart or Stomach channels.
2. Promotes urination & clears damp-heat: for rough, scanty, painful urination. Especially useful for heat in the Small Intestine channel with the above symptoms plus irritability & a dark red tip on the tongue. |
MeridiansHeart, Small Intestine, Stomach |
CautionsUse with caution during pregnancy. |
|
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. |