True Jade Powder
Chinese Prescription: Yu Zhen San
English Translation: True Jade Powder
Formula Type: Release Wind from the Skin and Channels
Actions: Dispels wind, transforms phlegm, relieves muscular tetany, & alleviates pain.
Indications: Stiffness & spasms of the jaw, closed mouth, lip spasms, deviation of the yes, rigidity of the entire body to the point of opisthotonus, & a wiry, tight pulse.
Equal quantities of all of the herbs and ground into a powder and taken with 2 tsps of hot wine.
Contraindications: This formula usually contains the untreated forms of Bai Fu Zi *& Zhi Tian Nan Xing, both of which are very toxic. Dosage should therefore be carefully monitored, & the formula should not be taken long-term or during pregnanacy. The acrid, drying ingredients in this formula readily injure the fluid & exhaust the qi, & should not be used for advanced stage muscular tetany (a pattern of fluid injury & qi collapse). Severe hemorrhaging due to trauma may lead to blood deficiency, which prevents the blood from nourishing the sinews, & then to spasms. In such cases, the formula should be modified to focus on nourishing the blood & relaxing the sinews, rather than on dispelling wind.
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Bai Fu Zi / Typhonium Rhizome |
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Taste: Acrid, Sweet • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tranform Phlegm & Stop Coughing • Sub Category: Warm & Transform Phlegm Cold |
Dosage1.5-6g |
Actions1. Dries dampness, transforms phlegm, expels wind, stops spasms: for wind-phlegm affecting the head resulting in wind-stroke, facial paralysis, hemiplegia, or migraine headaches.
2. Expels wind-cold-dampness & alleviates pain: for dizziness, severe lateral headaches, numbness, facial pain, facial weakness, or any head pain with signs of damp-cold or wind-dampness.
3. Relieves toxicity & dissipates nodules: for snakebite, scrofula, or other nodules due to phlegm & toxicity. Usually used topically for these problems. |
MeridiansLiver, Spleen, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated during pregnancy, & in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs. Toxic. |
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Tian Nan Xing / Jack-in-the-pulpit Rhizome |
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Taste: Bitter, Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tranform Phlegm & Stop Coughing • Sub Category: Warm & Transform Phlegm Cold |
Dosage4.5-9g treated, 0.3-1g untreated in pill or powder only |
Actions1. Dries dampness & expels phlegm: for cough & a stifling & distended sensation in the chest due to stubborn phlegm. This herb is extremely drying in nature.
2. Disperses wind-phlegm in the channels & stops spasms: for disorders in which wind & phlegm obstuct the channels cuasing dizziness, numbness in the limbs, facial paralysis, spasms in the hands or feet, opisthotonos, stroke, seizures, or lockjaw.
3. Reduces swelling & alleviates pain: used topically for such problems as deep-rooted sores, ulcers, & carbuncles. Also for swelling due to traumatic injury. |
MeridiansLiver, Lung, Spleen |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency, dry phlegm, or heat & dryness of the Lung. Also contraindicated during pregnancy. Toxic. If raw tian nan xing is eaten, irritation to the oral cavity will occur; in extreme cases, this irritation can progress to necrosis, dry & scratchy throat, edema & numbness of the tongue & lips, increase in saliva production, & problems with the voice. |
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Qiang Huo / Notopterygium Rhizome |
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Taste: Acrid, Bitter • Temperature: Warm • Category: Exterior Releasing - Warm • Sub Category: Aromatic |
Dosage6-15g |
Actions1. Releases the exterior & disperses cold: for exterior cold patterns with such symptoms as chills, fever, headache, & body aches & pains. Most commonly used when accompanied by dampness with joint pain, a general feeling of heaviness, sleepiness, or when there is pain in the occipital region.
2. Unblocks painful obstruction & alleviates pain: for wind-cold-damp painful obstruction, especially in the upper limbs & back.
3. Guides qi to the greater yang channel & governing vessel: to direct other herbs in a prescription to the areas served by these two channels. |
MeridiansBladder, Kidney |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of blood deficiency, yin deficiency, & exterior deficiency. Overdosage may cause nausea & vomiting. |
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Bai Zhi / Angelica Root (Dahurica) |
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Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Exterior Releasing - Warm • Sub Category: |
Dosage3-9g |
Actions1. Expels wind & alleviates pain: for patterns of externally contracted wind-cold, especially those with headache. Also for supraorbital pain, nasal congestion & toothaches. While primarily a warming herb, it can be used for any problem due to wind invading the yang brightness channels of the head.
2. Reduces swelling & expels pus: for early stages of surface sores & carbuncles. If the sore, ulcer, or carbuncle has not yet suppurated, this herb will help reduce the swelling. If pus has already formed or the sore has ulcerates, the herb can be used to help discourage the pus.
3. Expels dampness & alleviates discharge: usually for vaginal discharge due to damp-cold in the lower burner, but with the appropriate herbs can also be used to treat vaginal discharge from damp-heat.
4. Opens up the nasal passages: for sinus congestion. |
MeridiansLung, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of blood or yin deficiency because it is very drying. Use with caution if pus drains smoothly from sores. Some traditional sources say that this herb antagonizes xuan fu hua. |
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Fang Feng / Siler Root, (Ledebouriella Root) |
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Taste: Acrid, Sweet • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Exterior Releasing - Warm • Sub Category: |
Dosage3-9g |
Actions1. Releases the exterior & expels wind: for headache, chills, & body aches due to externally contracted wind-cold.
2. Expels wind-dampness & alleviates pain: for exterior wind-damp painful obstruction, especially when wind is predominant.
3. Expels wind: as an auxiliary herb to alleviate trembling of the hands & feet & tetany. Also for intestinal wind due to imbalance between the Spleen & Liver manifested in recurrent, painful diarrhea with bright blood in the stool. Also for migraine headaches. |
MeridiansBladder, Liver, Spleen |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of blood deficiency with spasms, & for yin deficiency with heat signs. According to some traditional texts, this herb antagonizes gan jiang & li lu, & counteracts bei xie. |
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Tian Ma / Gastrodia Rhizome |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Extinguish Wind • Sub Category: |
Dosage3-9g, or 0.9-1.5g as powder |
Actions1. Calms the Liver, extinguishes wind, & controls spasms & tremors: a very important herb for treating internal movement of Liver wind, whether caused by heat or cold. Used for headache, dizziness, childhood convulsions, epilepsy, tonic-clonic spasms, opisthotonos, tetany, & wind-stroke. Depending on the other herbs in the prescription, can be used for problems due to either heat or blood deficiency.
2. Extinguishes wind & alleviates pain: for headaches, dizziness, & migraine headaches that occur with wind-phlegm patterns. Also used for wind-stroke with hemoplegia, dizziness, & numbness in the extremities.
3. Disperses painful obstruction: for wind-damp painful obstruction with pain & numbness of the lower back & extremities. |
MeridiansLiver |
CautionsToxicity: Experiments with animals have shown serious side effects. Vanillyl alcohol is much less toxic. |