Ma Huang Tang is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine formula, which has the effects of relieving cough, reducing asthma, inducing sweat, and resolving surface conditions. It is mainly used to treat exterior cold patterns and has good therapeutic effects on rheumatic pain. Let's now learn more about the efficacy and action of Ma Huang Tang!
What is Ma Huang Tang?
Ma Huang Tang is a formula that induces sweat and resolves surface conditions. It is composed of Ma Huang (Ephedrae Herba), Xing Ren (Armeniacae Semen), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Gui Zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), and is primarily used to induce sweat and relieve cough in exterior cold patterns.
It is mainly used to treat symptoms of exterior cold patterns such as chills, fever, headache, absence of sweating with wheezing, thin white tongue coating, tight and floating pulse;
It is also used to treat respiratory infections such as influenza, acute bronchitis, and bronchial asthma, which belong to the category of exterior cold patterns. They can all be treated with Ma Huang Tang.
However, when there are clinical symptoms of excessive sweating or physical weakness, it should be avoided to prevent excessive depletion and the occurrence of other pathological changes.
For patients with arthritis and joint pain, as long as they meet the criteria of exterior cold pattern and have pain without sweating, Ma Huang Tang can also be used;
If the patient has sweating, pain, and fever, it is no longer an exterior cold pattern, and Ma Huang Tang is generally not suitable, as it may further weaken the patient.
Dosage and Administration of Ma Huang Tang
1. Add Qiang Huo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) 12g, Bai Zhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix) 10g, 2 inches of Cong Bai (Allii Fistulosi Bulbus), and Sheng Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens) 10g. This combination is used to treat wind-cold common colds, and the dosage of Ma Huang should be controlled below 10g to avoid excessive sweating and damage to yang.
2. Add Xi Xin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma) 5g, Gan Jiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma) 8g, Su Zi (Perillae Fructus) 12g, Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus) 8g, and Di Long (Pheretima) 15g. This combination is used to treat wind-cold closure of the lungs and bronchial asthma.
3. Add Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) 12g, Ting Li Zi (Descurainiae Semen) 10g, Bai Jie Zi (Sinapis Semen) 9g, and Su Zi (Perillae Fructus) 12g. This combination is used to treat cough and wheezing caused by phlegm-dampness obstructing the lungs and has excellent effects.
4. Add Du Huo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) 12g, Sang Ji Sheng (Taxilli Herba) 18g, Huai Niu Xi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix) 12g, Di Feng (Sileris Radix) 10g, Qin Jiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix) 12g, and Mu Gua (Chaenomelis Fructus) 15g. This combination is used to expel wind and alleviate pain, and treat sciatica.
5. Add She Gan (Belamcandae Rhizoma) 12g, Di Long (Pheretima) 15g, Dong Hua (Flos Farfarae) 12g, Xi Xin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma) 4g, and Su Zi (Perillae Fructus) 10g. This combination is used to warm the lungs and relieve asthma, and treat viral pneumonia with cold toxin closure of the lungs and failure of the lung's disseminating and descending functions.
6. Add Xin Yi (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) 10g, Bai Zhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix) 12g, Xi Xin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma) 4g, Cang Er Zi (Xanthii Fructus) 15g, and Chuan Xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma) 10g. This combination is used to treat rhinitis.
