Aidus & E-Fong Herbal Solution
Herbal Formula for Eliminating Dampness and Diuretic
Warming Yang  and Resolving Water-dampness
                                    
                           
13.4. Herbal Formula  for Eliminating Dampness- Warming Yang and Resolving
Water-Dampness

This kind of formulae is indicated for retention of phlegm and fluid, edema due to dampness transforming into cold and
failure of yang qi in warming and evaporating water. The spleen is in charge of transportation and transformation of
dampness. The kidney controls urination and defecation. Yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney leads to failure of qi
in transforming function and transformation of cold from dampness. Accumulation of water-dampness may lead to fluid
retention. Obstruction of water passage may cause difficulty in urination and edema. Deficiency of the kidney can give
rise to downward flow of dampness turbidity, resulting in cloudy urine. Stagnation of cold dampness in the feet may lead
to beriberi. So this group of formulae is mainly composed of herbs that warm the interior and dispel cold such as Gui Zhi
(cinnamon twig), Gan Jiang (dried ginger) and Wu Zhu Yu (evodia fruit), etc. , and those which induce diuresis and
dispel dampness, such as Fu Ling (poria), Bai Zhu (bighead atractylodes rhizome), Bei Xie (wolly yam) and Bin Lang
(areca seed), etc.
Internal retention of water-dampness is apt to disturb functional activity of qi. Therefore, some herbs for regulating qi,
such as Chen Pi (tangerine peel), Hou Pu (magnolia bark), Mu Xiang (aucklandia root) , Da Fu Pi (shell of areca nut)
and Wu Yao (lindera root), are usually added to this kind of formulae to strengthen the effects of diuresis and dispelling
dampness. Water cold due to yang deficiency is often accompanied by insufficiency of genuine yin, on the basis of using
Gan Jiang (dried ginger) and Zhi Fu Zi (prepared aconite root) with large dose, Bai Shao (white peony root), Mu Gua
(chaenomeles fruit) and Wu Wei Zi (schisadra fruit, however), are usually chosen to prevent impairing yin by the
dampness-eliminating herbs. The representative formulae are Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang (Decoction of Poria, Cinnamon,
Bighead Atractylodes and Licorice),Shi Pi Yin (pleen-Reinforcing Decoction), Bei Xie Feng Qing Yin (Wolly Yam
Decoction for Clearing Turbid Urine).