09.12.08
The Herbal Recipe for Healing Pneumonia and Asthma: Decoction of Ephedra, Apricot Seed, Gypsum and Licorice (Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang)
The well-known herbal recipe of The Decoction of Ephedra, Apricot Seed, Gypsum and Licorice (“Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang†in Chinese) in traditional Chinese medicine can be used for the treatment of a variety of diseases. These diseases include acute bronchitis, bronchial asthma, bronchial pneumonia, lobar pneumonia, and infantile pneumonia with cough of the lung-heat type.
This recipe can clear heat in the lung and relieve asthma. It can be used for the healing of cough or asthma caused by the wind-heat factors, which may also show symptoms such as fever, thirst, white or yellow tongue coating, and rolling and rapid pulse.
This recipe was originally from the ancient Chinese medicine classical book The Treatise on Febrile Diseases (“Shang Han Lun†in Chinese). The book was written by “the saint of medicine†in Chinese history, Zhongjing Zhang in the Han Dynasty. The recipe is composed of four herbs:
Ephedra (Mahuang) 6 g, Apricot Seed (Xingren) 9 g, Gypsum (Shigao) 30 g, Licorice (Gancao) 6 g.
To use the recipe, cook the herbs in water to make a decoction. Current studies have indicated that this recipe has anti-inflammation and antibacterial effects. It can remove the phlegm, and relieve cough and asthma. However, it is not appropriate for those with asthma caused by wind-cold or deficiencies.
