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Formulas containing Ophiopogon and Glehnia Littoralis

By Fornia ⋅ May 1, 2009 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Ophiopogon (麦门冬) and Glehnia Littoralis (北沙参) appear together in some very classic formulas. A comparison of their similarities and differences is useful.

Shashen Maidong Tang (沙参麦冬汤)

One of the star decoctions of the Warm Disease classic Wenbing Tiaobian (温病条辨), it is used to recover lost Lung-Stomach yin. Such a pattern is often found at the tail end of Warm Diseases, when the patient is weak and deficient in yin-fluids.

• 沙参, 麦冬 9g each
• 玉竹 6g
• 花粉 4.5g
• 桑叶 4.5g
• 生扁豆 4.5g
• 生甘草 3g

Notice how Shashen Maidong Tang uses 生扁豆 4.5g and 生甘草 3g to protect stomach qi. Yiwei Tang and Yi Guan Jian do not do this. However, two other formulas that rely on maimendong to enrich lung-stomach yin do this, but with different herbs. They use an herb base that includes ginseng, jingmi, licorice and/or jujube date.

Yiwei Tang (益胃汤)

This decoction is from the same book as Shashen Maidong Tang, yet it does not have the same reputation.

• 沙参, 麦冬 15g
• 玉竹 炒香 4.5g
• 冰糖 3g
• 细生地 15g

You can see that the two Lung herbs 花粉 and 桑叶 have been taken out. And in the original piece, this formula is indicated for Stomach yin damage – no appetite and signs of dryness. 生地 is add to give a boost to Kidney Yin, which contributes to Yin abundance in the whole body, Stomach included.

Yiguan Jian (一贯煎)

This formula is very different from the above two. It’s by a Qing dynasty doctor who wrote the book xuming yian (续名医类案). This is no longer just about Lung or Stomach Yin.

• 北沙参 20g
• 麦门冬 10g
• 生地黄 15g
• 枸杞子 15g
• 当归 8g
• 川楝子 12g

The first three herbs look a litle like Yiwei Tang (益胃汤). Even 枸杞子 can be seen as a Kidney Yin booster. Which leaves us with danggui (当归) and chuanlianzi (川楝子). They are herbs to help ganyong (肝用). Which explain why this is THE classic formula for tonifying yin (both fluid and Kidney) and coursing Liver qi.

What’s next?

We might also want to survey two formulas that contain maimendong (麦门冬). Click here for maimendong tang and zhuye shigao tang.

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