Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria
Chinese Prescription: Wu Ling San
English Translation: Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria
Formula Type: Promote Urination and Leach Out Dampness
Actions: Promotes urination, drains dampness, strengthens the Spleen, Warms the yang, & promotes the transforming functions of qi.
Indications: 1. Headache, fever, irritability, strong thirst but with vomiting immediately after drinking, urinary difficulty, a floating pulse, & a white tongue coating. 2. Edema, generalized sensation of heaviness, diarrhea, urinary difficulty, & possibly vomiting & diarrhea due to sudden turmoil disorder. 3. Throbbing pulsations just below the umbilicus, vomiting frothy saliva, vertigo, shortness of breath, & coughing.
Contraindications: In patients with Spleen or Kidney qi deficiency, the dosage & duration of use of this formula must be carefully limited. Symptoms of overdose may include dizziness, vertigo, a bland taste, & reduced appetite. In cases with deficiency, this formula is often combined with others that tonify & nourish the Spleen & Stomach to prevent injury to the normal qi. In cases of urinary difficulty with yin deficiency, it should be modified to protect the yin from further injury. It is not indicated for thirst due to heat excess or from yin deficiency.
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Ze Xie / Alismatis Rhizome |
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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. |
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Fu Ling / Poria, Hoelen, Tuckahoe |
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Taste: Sweet, Bland • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Drain Damp • Sub Category: |
Dosage9-15g, up to 60g |
Actions1. Promotes urination & leaches out dampness: for urinary difficulty, diarrhea, or edema due to stagnation of fluids or dampness. Also used in cases of scanty urine due to damp-heat (more often in its red form).
2. Strengthens the Spleen & harmonizes the middle burner: for Spleen deficiency compounded by dampness with such symptoms as loss of appetite, diarrhea, & epigastric distention.
3. Strengthens the Spleen & transforms phlegm: for Spleen deficiency with congested fluids in which phlegm moves upward with such symptoms as palpitations, headache, dizziness, & a thick, greasy tongue coating.
4. Quites the Heart & calms the spirit: for palpiations, insomnia, or forgetfulness. |
MeridiansHeart, Spleen, Lung |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of frequent, copious urine due to cold from deficiency. May counteract di yu, qin jiao & bie jia. Taking this herb in large doses or long-term is discouraged. |
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Zhu Ling / Polyporus Sclerotium |
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Taste: Sweet, Bland • Temperature: Slightly Cool • Category: Drain Damp • Sub Category: |
Dosage6-15g |
ActionsPromotes urination & leaches out dampness: for problems caused by stagnation of dampness such as edama, scanty urine, vaginal discharge, cloudy painful urinary dysfunction, as well as jaundice & diarrhea. |
MeridiansSpleen, Kidney, Bladder |
CautionsContraindicated in the absence of dampness. Long-term use is discouraged, as this may injure the yin. |
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Bai Zhu / Atractylodes (White) Rhizome |
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Taste: Bitter, Sweet • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Qi |
Dosage4.5-9g |
Actions1. Tonifies the Spleen & augments the qi: for Spleen or Stomach deficiency with such symptoms as diarrhea, fatigue, lack of appetite, & vomiting.
2. Strengthens the Spleen & dries dampness: for digestive disorders due to Spleen yang failing to rise, with loss of its ability to transform & subsequent accumulation of dampness. Also for edema & reduced urination associated with Spleen deficiency. Used as an auxiliary herb for damp painful obstruction.
3. Stabilizes the exterior & stops sweating: for spontaneous sweating due to qi deficiency.
4. Strengthens the Spleen & calms the fetus: for restless fetus disorder, especially when due to Spleen deficiency. Also for other types of this disorder when combined with appropriate herbs. |
MeridiansSpleen, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, or injured fluids. |
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Gui Zhi / Cinnamon Twig |
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Taste: Acrid, Sweet • Temperature: Warm • Category: Exterior Releasing - Warm • Sub Category: |
Dosage3-9g |
Actions1. Adjusts the nutritive & protective qi levels: for exterior cold from deficiency patterns where sweating occurs without any improvement in the patient's condition.
2. Warms the channels & disperses cold: for wind-cold-damp painful obstruction in joints & limbs, especially the shoulders. Also for gynecological problems, such as dysmenorrhea, caused by cold obstructing the blood.
3. Unblocks the yang & transforms the qi: for edema due to accumulation of cold phlegm or weak movement of the yang qi.
4. Warms & facilitates the flow of yang qi in the chest: for palpitations due to obstruction to the flow of yang qi in the chest. This can be due to either stagnation or deficiency.
5. Warms & facilitates the flow in the blood vessels: for dysmennorrhea with or without abdominal masses. |
MeridiansHeart, Lung, Bladder |
CautionsContraindcated for warm-febrile diseases, yin deficiency with heat signs, & heat in the blood with vomiting. Use with caution during pregnancy or excessive menstruation. |