-IBIS-1.5.0-
rx
formula
Four Major Herbs
chinese formulae

definition

Four Major Herbs = Si Jun Zi Tang = "Four-Gentleman Decoction"
sources: Hsu, 1980, p. 264; Yeung, p. 214; Bensky and Barolet, p. 236.
signs and symptoms: Digestive weakness, pallid complexion, low and soft voice, reduced appetite, loose stools, borborygmus, weakness in the limbs.
tongue and pulse: pale tongue body, and thin and/or frail pulse.
indications: Spleen Qi Xu (Deficiency). With the appropriate presentation, may be used in conditions conventionally diagnosed as anemia, bleeding, neurasthenia, gastrointestinal weakness, vomiting, chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, weak hands and feet, monoplegia, enuresis, diabetes mellitus, uterine fibroids, and to reduce the recovery time after gastric surgery.
cautions and contraindications: Contraindicated in cases with Shi (Excess) syndromes. The overuse of this formula may result in dry mouth, thirst, and irritability. Modify in cases with high fever, Heat from Xu (Deficiency), or a combination of irritability, thirst, and constipation.
ingredients: dosage for two days:
» 6 grams: ginseng (ren shen), white atractylodes (bai zhu), poria (fu ling).
» 3 grams: licorice (gan cao).
modifications:
» for morning sickness, add cardamon (sha ren), citrus (chen pi) and magnolia bark (hou po).
» for edema during pregnancy, take with Five-Peel Decoction (Wu Pi Yin).
» for uterine fibroids, add curcuma (e zhu), sparganium (san leng) and achyranthes (niu xi).



footnotes