Ch3: Formulas that are Warm and Purging Flashcards
What are the ingredients of Wen Pi Tang?
- Da Huang (15g)
- Fu Zi (6g)
- Mang Xiao (6g)
- Dang Gui (9g)
- Gan Jiang (9g)
- Ren Shen (6g)
- Gan Cao (6g)
What are the functions of Wen Pi Tang?
- Purge cold accumulation
- Warm and tonify spleen yang
What is the main indication for Wen Pi Tang? Application to modern disease?
Indication: Constipation due to cold waste accumulation
Application: Acute bowel obstruction
What are the key symptoms for Wen Pi Tang syndrome?
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Cold hands and feet
- Intolerance to cold
- Prefer warmth
- Deep Wiry Slow pulse
What is the difference between Wen Pi Tang syndrome and simply spleen yang deficiency?
With only spleen yang deficiency the patient should enjoy warmth and pressure on the abdomen. The abdomen should be soft.
With spleen yang deficiency causing excessive cold accumulation the patient will find their pain aggravated by pressure and the abdomen will be hard.
Pathogenesis for abdominal distention/pain, constipation and cold limbs?
Deficiency of spleen yang which leads to excessive cold and causes qi stagnation.
What is the pathogenesis for white tongue coating, deep, wiry and slow pulse?
Accumulation of cold in the intestines
Actions of Da Huang?
King Herb
- Purge accumulation
Actions of Fu Zi?
King Herb
- Warm spleen yang
- Dispel cold
Actions of Mang Xiao?
Deputy herb
- Moisten intestine
- Soften hardness
- Aid DH to purge accumulation
Actions of Gan Jiang?
Deputy herb
- Warm middle jiao
- Tonify yang
- Aid FZ to warm yang and dispel cold
Actions of Ren Shen and Dang Gui?
Assistant herbs
- Tonify spleen qi
- Enhance function of FZ and GJ to tonify yang
Actions of Gan Cao?
Assistant/Messenger
- Tonify Qi
- Harmonize
What are the characteristics of the combination of herbs in Wen Pi Tang?
Combination of herbs to warm spleen yang and to purge cold.
Formula combines warming, purging and boosting
Warming and tonifying herbs (Ren Shen, Dang Gui) are added into purging. Result is warming yang, dispelling cold and purging without damaging vital energy.
There is another “Wen Pi Tang” formula. What is the modification and what is it for?
Mang Xiao and Dang Gui are removed. Da Huang at 12g instead of 15g. Fu Zi greater than Gan Jiang. This formula is for chronic dysentery. There is still cold accumulation but no constipation.
