Tòng Xiè Yào Fāng

Question 1

Actions

Answer 1

Tonifies the Spleen, softens the Liver, expels dampness, and stops diarrhea

Question 2

Indications

Answer 2

recurrent problems of borborygmus
abdominal pain
diarrhea with pain (starts with urge to defecate and subsides after completion)

T: thin, white coat
P: wiry, moderate or wiry, thin

Question 3

Diagnostic Pattern

Answer 3

Painful diarrhea due to Spleen deficiency with an over-controlling Liver.

Question 4

Herbs

Answer 4

chăo bái zhú
chăo bái sháo
chăo chén pí
fáng fēng

Question 5

bái zhú

Answer 5

strengthens the Spleen, dries dampness
in cases where deficient Spleen interacts with an overcontrolling Liver, using this herb to nurture Spleen (earth) will have the effect of controlling the Liver (wood)

Question 6

bái sháo

Answer 6

softens the overactive Liver, alleviates pain

Question 7

bái zhú + bái sháo

Answer 7

control wood and nurture the earth –> stopping pain and diarrhea associated with this condition

Question 8

chén pí

Answer 8

aromatic
harmonizes functions of the middle burner, transforms dampness
helps bái zhú strengthen the Spleen, eliminate dampness

Question 9

fáng fēng

Answer 9

enters Liver and Spleen channels, helps relieve the overcontrol of the Spleen by the Liver, while focusing actions of all the herbs on these two organs

Question 10

Cautions and Contraindications

Answer 10

Not indicated in cases of diarrhea due to food damage (pain will usually disappear after the bowels have been evacuated and the food stagnation dispersed). Other differentiating symptoms are the presence of undigested food in the stools and particularly smelly stools. Borborygmus, if present, is frequently followed by the discharge of gas, which also is foul-smelling.