Antelope Horn and Uncaria Decoction
Chinese Prescription: Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
English Translation: Antelope Horn and Uncaria Decoction
Formula Type: Extinguish Internal Wind
Actions: Cools the Liver, extinguishes wind, increases the fluids, & relaxes the sinews.
Indications: Persistent high fever, irritability, restlessness, dizziness, vertigo, twitching & spasms of the extremities, a deep-red, dry, or burnt tongue with prickles, & a wiry, rapid pulse. In severe cases, there may also be impaired or actual loss of consciousness.
Contraindications: Contraindicated in cases with wind due to internal deficiency.
Pinyin | English | Suggested Dosage |
---|---|---|
view: Ling Yang Jiao |
Antelope Horn | *not available* 4.5g |
view: Gou Teng |
Uncaria Hooks | 9g |
view: Sang Ye |
Mulberry Leaves | 6g |
view: Ju Hua |
Chrysanthemum | 9g |
view: Bai Shao Yao |
White Peony | 9g |
view: Sheng Di Huang |
Unprepared Rehmannia | 15g |
view: Chuan Bei Mu |
Sichuan Fritillaria Bulb | 12g |
view: Zhu Ru |
Bamboo Shavings | 15g |
view: Fu Shen |
Poria Spirit | 9g |
view: Gan Cao |
Licorice | 2.4g |
Ling Yang Jiao / Antelope Horn | |||
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Taste: Salty • Temperature: Cold • Category: Extinguish Wind • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage0.9-3g pwdr or pill taken directly, 1.5-4.5g decoction (cook for 1 hour) |
Actions1. Extinguishes wind & controls spasms & convulsions: for the spasms & convulsions associated with childhood convulsions & seizures disorders. Because it also clears heat, it may be used for recalcitrant high fevers & internal movement of wind due to intense heat. It is an important substance for treating internal movement of Liver wind. Commonly used for childhood convulsions due to high fever.2. Calms the Liver & anchors the yang: an important & effective substance for ascendant Liver yang. Symptoms include dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, red eyes, photophobia, spasms, & convulsions. 3. Clears the Liver & improves the vision: for headache & red eyes due to blazing Liver fire. 4. Drains heat & relieves fire toxicity: for warm-febrile diseases with high fever, delirium, manic behavior, & in extreme cases, loss of consciousness. 5. Clears damp-heat: also used for wind-damp-heat painful obstruction. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver |
CautionsNone. |
Gou Teng / Gambir Vine, Uncaria | |||
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Cool • Category: Extinguish Wind • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage6-15g, do not cook more than 10 minutes |
Actions1. Extinguishes wind & alleviates spasms: for Liver heat patterns with internal movement of Liver wind, with such symptoms as tremors, seizures, & eclampsia.2. Drains Liver heat & pacifies Liver yang: for Liver fire & ascendant Liver yang patterns with such symproms as headache, irritability, red eyes, & dizziness. Recently used for hypertension, especially of this type. 3. Releases the exterior: for exterior wind-heat patterns with such symptoms as fever, headache, & red eys. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver |
CautionsNone. |
Sang Ye / Mulberry (White) Leaf | |||
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Taste: Sweet, Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Exterior Releasing - Cool • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage4.5-15g |
Actions1. Expels wind & clears heat from the Lungs: for externally contracted wind-heat with fever, headache, sore throat, & coughing. Also for Lung dryness with cough, dry mouth or Lung heat with thick, yellow sputum.2. Clears the Liver & the eyes: for Liver channel eye problems due to either wind-heat or yin deficiency. Common symptoms include red, sore, dry or painful eyes, or spots in front of the eyes. 3. Cools the blood & stops bleeding: for mild cases of vomiting of blood due to heat in the blood. |
MeridiansLiver, Lung |
CautionsNone. |
Ju Hua / Chrysanthemum Flower | |||
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Taste: Sweet, Bitter • Temperature: Slightly Cold • Category: Exterior Releasing - Cool • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage4.5-15g |
Actions1. Disperses wind & clears heat: for wind-heat patterns with fever & headache.2. Clears the Liver & the eyes: for either wind-heat in the Liver channel manifested in red, painful, dry eyes or excessive tearing, or yin deficiency of the Kidneys & Liver with such symptoms as spots in front of the eyes, blurry visison, or dizziness. 3. Calms the Liver & extinguishes wind: for such symptoms as dizziness, headache, & deafness due to ascendant Liver yang. |
MeridiansLiver, Lung |
CautionsUse with caution in patients with qi deficiency who have poor appetites &/or diarrhea. |
Bai Shao Yao / Peony (White) | |||
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Taste: Bitter, Sour • Temperature: Cool • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood | |||
Dosage6-15g, very large doses up to 30 g |
Actions1. Nourishes the blood & regulates the menses: for blood deficiency with such symptoms as menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, & uterine bleeding. This is a very commonly used herb for treating women's disorders.2. Calms & curbs the Liver yang & alleviates pain: for such symptoms as flank, chest, or abdominal pain from either constrained Liver qi or disharmony between the Liver & Spleen. In general, this herb is used to "soften & comfort" the Liver, stop painful spasms in the abdomen, stop cramping pain or spasms in the hands & feet, & alleviate abdominal pain associated with dysentric disorders. It is also used for headache & dizziness due to ascendant Liver yang. 3. Preserves the yin & adjusts the nutritive & protective levels: for vaginal discharge & spermatorrhea, as well as exterior wind-cold from deficiency patterns with continuous sweating that does not resolve the problem. It is also used for yin deficiency where the yang floats to the surface causing spontaneous sweating or night sweats. |
MeridiansLiver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of diarrhea due to cold from deficiency, & in patients with weak yang & cold from deficiency. May antagonize shi hu & mang xiao, may counteract with bie jia & xiao ji, & may be incompatible with li lu. |
Sheng Di Huang / Rehmannia Root, Unprepared | |||
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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. |
Chuan Bei Mu / Fritillaria Bulb, Sichuan | |||
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Taste: Bitter, Sweet • Temperature: Slightly Cold • Category: Tranform Phlegm & Stop Coughing • Sub Category: Cool & Transform Phlegm-Heat | |||
Dosage3-12g, 1-1.5g as powder |
Actions1. Clears heat & transforms phlegm: for many types of cough, chiefly chronic cough, cough with signs of fire due to yin deficiency, cough with light sputum that is difficult to expectorate, or cough with blood-streaked sputum. It is most effective in treating cough accompanied by constrained qi, manifested in a reduced appetite & a stifling sensation in the chest & upper abdomen.2. Clears heat dissipated nodules: for disorders in which phlegm-fire collects & produces nodules, sores, scrufula, & Lung or breat abscess. |
MeridiansHeart, Lung |
CautionsIneffective in treating coughs from phlegm secondary to damp-cold. May be incompatible with wu tou & may counteract qin jiao. |
Zhu Ru / Bamboo Shavings | |||
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Slightly Cold • Category: Tranform Phlegm & Stop Coughing • Sub Category: Cool & Transform Phlegm-Heat | |||
Dosage4.5-9g |
Actions1. Clears & transforms phlegm-heat: for heat in the Lungs with thick sputum, a stifling sensation in the chest, or coughing up blood.2. Clears heat & stops vomiting: for vomiting of bitter or sour material due to heat in the Stomach with bad breath, aversion to heat, & a yellow, greasy tongue. This herb is effective in stopping vomiting & can be used, with other appropriate herbs, in treating other types of vomiting including that associated with morning sickness. 3. Cools the blood & stops bleeding: to stop nosebleed & vomiting of blood. |
MeridiansGallbladder, Lung, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated in cases with nausea & vomiting due to Stomach cold or cold food stagnation. |
Fu Shen / Poria Root Fungus w/ piece of wood | |||
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Taste: Sweet, Bland • Temperature: • Category: Calm Shen • Sub Category: Nourish Heart | |||
Dosage3-12g |
ActionsCalms the spirit. |
Meridians |
Cautions |
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. |