WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

Xiao chai hu tang(Minor Bupleurum Decoction )

[INGREDIENTS]:

Bupleurum root 12g,  Scutellaria root 9g , Ginseng 6g,  Pinellia tuber 9g,  Roasted licorice 9g,  Fresh ginger 9g , Chinese date 4 pcs.

[DIRECTIONS]:Decoct the above herbs in water for oral administration.         

[ EFFECT]: Harmonizing Shaoyang.

[INDICATIONS]:

(1)  Shaoyang syndrome of cold-attack manifested by alternate chill and fever, chest distress and hypochondriac fullness, depression with poor appetite, vex­ation with liability of vomiting, oral bitter taste, dryness of throat, vertigo, thin and white coating, and taut pulse.                           •

(2)   Heat invading the blood-compartment of female due to cold-attack, and miscellaneous diseases as malaria, jaundice and internal injury with symptoms of Shaoyang diseases.

[ANALYSIS OF FORMULA]: This is a representative formula for harmonizing Shaoyang. As the main herb, bupleurum root clears heat from Shaoyang and soothes the liver for relieving depression, so as to disperse the evil out from the half exterior. Scutellaria root acts as the assistant herb to clear away heat from the half interior of Shaoyang. The cooperation of these two herbs plays role of exteri- or-expelling and interior-clearing so as to mediate Shaoyang. Ginseng, Chinese date and licorice root can invigorate qi and regulate the middle to expel evil and prevent its invasion by means of supporting the genuine-qi. Pinellia tuber and fresh ginger can harmonize stomach to lower the rebellious qi; fresh ginger and Chinese date can harmonize the nutrient and defensive qi as well as mediate cold and heat. They all act as the adjuvant herbs. Licorice root as the dispatcher herb harmonizes all components of the formula.

Clinically, this formula has very extensive application. In addition to Shaoy­ang syndromes, it can be applied by proper modifications to malaria，jaundice，wind attacking on woman after delivery or during menstruation or heat invading the blood-compartment due to cold-attack.

Because bupleurum root has the properties of ascending and dispersing, this formula is not suitable to cases of hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency.

[ASSOCIATED FORMULA]:

Bupleurum, Orange and Platycodon Decoction (chai hu zhi ju tang)，(Re­vised Popular Treatise on Cold-Attack):

Bupleurum root 4g, bitter orange 4. 5g, pinellia, tuber parched with fresh gin­ger juice 4. 5g, fresh ginger 3g，Scutellaria root 4g, platycodon root 3g, tangerine peel 4. 5g，early spring tea 3g.

Indications ：alternate chill and fever, pain of forehead angles, deafness, verti­go, distending pain of chest and hypochondrium, white and slippery coating, taut and slippery pulse of the right hand and taut, floating and large pulse of the left hand.

NOTES: This formula is composed of Minor. Bupleurum Decoction by removing ginseng, licorice and Chinese date and adding bitter orange, platycodon root, tangerine peel and tea leaf. The emphasis is laid on regulating the ascending and descending activities of qi. So it is used to treat the exterior and suitable to the meridian disease of Shaoyang to disperse the half exterior.