bronchial constriction

Magnolia Bark and Ephedra Decoction in Jin Kui Yao Lue

By Gory ⋅ March 17, 2008 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

咳而脉浮者，厚朴麻黄汤主之。 (from Jing Kui Yao Lue)

If there is coughing and a floating pulse, treat using Magnolia Bark and Ephedra Decoction. This decoction is comparable to Minor Green-Blue Dragon Decoction, so below I lay out some pointer that will help us remember how and why are different.

• Ephedra (麻黄) is used with Magnolia Bark (厚朴) and Apricot Kernel (杏仁), instead of with Cinnamon Bark (桂枝). We have seen the Magnolia Bark and Apricot Kernel pair support Cinnamon Twig (桂枝)  to treat panting in a Cinnamon Twig-type person. Now, this pair is brought in to support Ephedra (麻黄) in treating a cough. The person is likely not a Cinnamon Twig-type person. Nor does he need to spread out Lung qi (宣肺) to stop any panting. Rather, Ephedra is for the exterior situation, while Magnolia Bark and Apricot Kernel are for the cough. An earlier cough formula we know of.
• Instead of licorice (甘草), we have wheat (小麦)
• Instead of Peony (芍药), we have a stronger and colder herb, Gypsum (石膏). It’s apparent that this cough is pretty heaty.

Nine herbs in total.

This formula can also be seen as evolving from 麻杏石甘汤.

t’s like 麻杏石甘汤 in the use of the 麻、膏 combination to get rid of external heat:

- it used same amount of 麻黄 (3liang) but less of the freeze agent 石膏(3liang, like a chicken egg, which is less than the 8liang used by 麻杏石甘汤)

But it adds the herbs that get rid of cold（寒）and fluids（饮）just like in 小青龙汤：
- 细心、干姜、五味子 to treat 寒
- 半夏 to treat 饮

The only herb of note is 厚朴 (5liang)，which we add if fullness of chest (胸满) is the main complaint.

Popularity: 5% [?]