Aidus & E-Fong Herbal Solution
Herbal Formula for Astringent
                                    
                                                    Chapter 8

                       Herbal Formula  for Astringent

The Herbal Formulae for astringent are  mainly used for the effect of inducing astringency to treat excessive loss and
consumption of qi, blood, vital essence and body fluid are generally known as astringent formulae. It belongs to the
range of that" Astringency might arrest exhaustion" in the" ten kinds of formulae" .
Qi, blood and body fluids are precious substances to maintain normal life activities of the human body. They are
unceasingly utilized. In the meantime, they are constantly replenished so that a certain quantity are maintained. Extreme
deficiency of the genuine qi from congenital insufficiency or lack of nourishment due to chronic illness causes failure to
consolidate the body, so there will be spontaneous perspiration, night sweating, chronic cough due to deficient lung,
seminal emission, nocturnal enuresis, urinary incontinence, chronic diarrhea, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, and
leukorrhagia, etc. Mild case impairs physiological function, while serious case might be fatal.
Chapter 74 in Su Wen ( Plain Questions) states: "Syndrome of loss and consumption should be treated by astringents" ,
and there is the principle of "Astringency might arrest exhaustion" , So syndrome of loss and consumption should be
treated by astringent therapy. However, the causes and regions of diseases are different, this kind of formulae is,
therefore, classified into five types according to the different effects of the herbs: the formulae for consolidating the
exterior to stop sweating, herbal formulae for astringing the lung to stop cough, formulae for consolidating the intestine to
stop diarrhea, formulae for consolidating the essence to stop spontaneous emission and enuresis and formulae for curing
metrorrhagia, metrostaxis and leukorrhagia.
Astringent therapy is used for extreme deficiency due to loss and consumption of qi, blood and body fluids. It pertains
to the method of treating" branch" by obstructing water leaking, while strengthening therapy to the method of treating ‘
root" by opening sources.
Astringent therapy is contraindicated in patients with sweating due to febrile disease, cough due to phlegmretention,
emission due to disturbance of the fire, diarrhea caused by improper food intake, and metrorrhagia and metrostaxis due