Aidus & E-Fong Herbal Solution
Herbal Formula for Mediating Shaoyang
                            
                      
4.1. Herbal Formula  for Mediating Shaoyang

Herbal  formulae for mediating Shaoyang are suitable to Shaoyang diseases in which the evils, leaving the exterior of
Taiyang but not entering the interior of Yangming, locate in the part of half exterior and half interior. During the fighting
period between the genuine qi and evil qi, chill and fever appear alternately, i. e., the exuberant genuine qi leading to
fever and the progressive evil to chill. Heat in the gall bladder causes the oral bitter taste and heat injuring body fluid
results in dryness of throat. When heat disturbs upward along meridians, vertigo appears. Chest distress and
hypochondriac fullness are due to dysfunction of the meridian qi of Shaoyang. The taut pulse reflects disorders of the
liver and gallbladder. At this time, diaphoretic, emetic and purgative therapies are inhibited. The only proper one is the
mediative therapy. As the commonly used main herbs, Chai Hu (bupleurum root) and Qin Hao (sweet wormwood) act
on the Shaoyang Meridian to clear away and to expel evil in the half exterior; while Huang Qin (scutellaria root) is good
at clearing away heat in the half interior.
The gallbladder is attached to the liver, so the gall bladder diseases usually bring about stagnation of the liver qi. When
the stomach is involved and the stomach qi fails in descending and harmonizing, nausea or vomiting appears. In this case,
Zhi Ban Xia (pinellia tuber), Sheng Jiang (fresh ginger) and  Chen Pi (tangerine peel) can be used together to harmonize
the stomach for relieving vomiting. Disharmony between the spleen and stomach can easily lead to production of
dampness heat and phlegm, so Zhu Ru (bamboo shavings), Zhi Qiao (bitter orange) and Chi Fu Ling (red poria) can be
used to clear the stomach and resolve phlegm. If the Shaoyang diseases affect Yangming with manifestation of persistent
vomiting, depression with slight vexation and constipation, then Da Huang (rhubarb), Mang Xiao (mirabilite)  and Zhi
Shi (unripened bitter orange) should be used to purge the interior accumulation of heat.
In order to support the genuine qi and expel the evil qi in the condition of struggle between the genuine and evil in the
place of half exterior and half interior, Hong Shen (Ginseng Rubra root), Da Zao (Chinese date) and Gan Cao (licorice
root) can be used. The representative formulae are Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction), Da Chai Hu
Tang (Major Bupleurum Decoction), Hao Qin Qing Dan Tang (Sweet Worm-wood and Scutellaria Gall
bladder-Clearing Decoction,) etc. (Aidus & E-Fong Herbal Solution)