Aidus & E-Fong Herbal Solution
Herbal Formula for Relieving Exterior-Ma Huang Tang
            
           Ma Huang Tang
        Ephedra Decoction


SOURCE: Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold-Attack)

INGREDIENTS:
Ma Huang (Ephedra) 6g
Gui Zhi (Cassia twig) 4g
Ku Xin Ren (Bitter apricot kernel) 9g
Zhi Gan Cao (Roasted licorice) 3g

DIRECTIONS: Decoct Ma Huang (ephedra) first. After removing the floating foam, then
put in the other herbs to keep decoction for oral administration.
EFFECTS: Inducing perspiration to relieve the exterior and dispersing lung to
relieve asthma.
INDICATIONS:
Exogenous attack of wind and cold manifested by chill, fever, headache, pain of body, absence of sweat
but asthma, thin and white coating, floating tight pulse.
ANALYSIS OF FORMULA: This is a classic formula for the exterior excessive syndrome due to attack of cold
with strong diaphoretic effect because of its pungent flavor and warm nature. With warm nature for
assisting yang to expel cold and pungent flavor for relieving the exterior, Ma Huang (ephedra) acts as the
main herb to disperse the lung for relieving asthma, because it particularly acts on the Lung Meridian, Gui
Zhi (Cassia twig) as the assistant herb, with warm nature and sweet flavor can warm meridians and dispel
cold as well as activate flow of the nutrient and defensive qi. Ku Xin Ren (Bitter apricot kernel), with sweet
and bitter flavors and warm nature, soothes the lung to lower qi and assist Ma Huang (ephedra) relieving
asthma. Gang Cao (Roasted licorice root), as the dispatcher herb, can mitigate the drastic properties of
ephedra and cassia twig and harmonize all the components.
This is a pungent-warm exterior-relieving formula, so that it is not suitable for the exterior syndrome due
to wind-heat. Besides, in Treatise on Cold-Attack, it is prohibited in sufferers of sores, stranguria,
epistaxis and blood lose, spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency, slow pulse on the "chi"
portion due to blood deficiency, heaviness of body with palpitation due to erroneous purgation, e- ven
though there is the exterior syndrome. Because the sweat, blood, body-fluid and liquid and qi are
homagenous substances of same source. If diaphoretic therapy is applied to the above-mentioned
conditions the genuine qi will be injured.
In the present clinic, this formula is commonly applied to exogenous attack, influenza, chronic bronchitis
and bronchial asthma pertaining to the exterior excessive syndrome due to wind and cold.

ASSOCIATED FORMULAE:
(1)   Da Qing Long Tang ( Major Blue Dragon Decoction)  , (Treatise on Cold Attack) :
Ma Huang (Ephedra) 12g, cassia twig 4g, Zhi Gan Cao (Roasted licorice) 5g, Ku Xin Ren
(bitter apricot kernel) 6g, Shi Gao (gypsum) 12g, Sheng Jiang (fresh ginger)-9g, Da Zao (Chinese date) 3
pes.
Decoct Ma Huang (ephedra) first. After getting rid of the floating foam, put in the other herbs. The
decoction should be taken warmly in a mug to have slight sweating. If sweating is abundant, puff the warm
powder on body surface. It induce perspiration to relieve the exterior and clear away heat for relieving
fidget.
Indications: exogenous attack of wind and cold marked by both heavy fever and chill, pain of body,
absence of sweat but fidget, floating tight pulse.
NOTES: The indication of Da Qing Long Tang (Major Blue Dragon Decoction) is characterized by absence of
sweat due to blockage of the skin orifices by the severe cold attack and fidget due to stagnation of the
defense-yang transforming into interior heat. So, on the basis of Ma Huang Tang (Ephedra Decoction), the
dosage of Ma Huang (ephedra) is doubled to strengthen diaphoretic effect for relieving the exterior, Shi
Gao (gypsum) is added to clear away the interior heat, double dosage of Gan Cao (licorice) with fresh
ginger and Chinese date can mitigate the drastic diaphoretic effect of Ma Huang (ephedra) and Gui Zhi
(cassia twig) and harmonize the nutrient and defensive qi to nourishing the source of sweat. It is the
strongest formula for inducing perspiration. So, it should be cautious to apply in clinic in order to
prevent from over sweating.
The "Wen Feng ( warm powder)" in this formula is the "Wen Feng ( warm powder)" formula recorded in Qian
Jin Fang (The Essential Formulae Worth A Thousand Gold for Emergency), i. e. Duan Long Gu (calcined
dragon's bone) and oyster shell(9g), Huang Qi (astragalus root) (9g) and Geng Mi (round-grained rice) (30g) .
The powder of the above herbs is wrapped in cloth of thin silk which is dusted gently on skin to stop
sweating.
(2) Ma Huang Jia Zhu Tang (Atractylodes plus Ephedra Decoction) , (Jin Gui Yao Lue “Synopsis of the
Golden Chamber”) :
It is just the Ma Huang Tang (Ephedra Decoction) plus 9 gram of Bai Zhu (bighead atractylodes).
It induces perspiration for expelling cold and dampness and relieving the exterior. So it is suitable to
sufferer of dampness attack marked by irritating pain of body.
(3) Ma Xin Yi Gan Tang (Ephedra, Apricot, Coix and licorice Decoction),
(Jin Gui Yao Lue- Synopsis of the Golden Chamber) :
Ma Huang (Ephedra) 6g, bitter apricot kernel 109, Zhi Gan Cao (Roasted licorice 5g), Yi Yi Ren (coix seed)
l5g.
The above herbs should be decocted in water for oral use. It has the effect of relieving the exterior and
expelling dampness. Indications: Wind-dampness syndrome manifested by pain of body and fever
aggravated in the afternoon.