Jennifer Brown

Chinese Summer 2004

Bai He Di Huang Tang

Lily Bulb and Rehmannia Decoction

Page 251

Source Text:

Bai He Disease not after treatment strategy of sweating, the disease appears for the first time[1] Bai He Di Huang Tang governs.

Bai He Di Huang Tang:

Bai He 7 mei

Sheng Di Huang Juice 1 sheng,

Place the Bai He in water and soak over night, white froth should come out, discard the water, replace with 2 sheng spring water and cook down to 1 sheng, remove the dregs, add Di Huang juice and cook from 1 sheng down to 5 gu, divide and take warm, strike the disease[2] bowel movement normally becomes black[3].

Annotations:

[1] The disease appears for the first time: this indicates that the signs and symptoms do not change, according to first line which states Bai He Disease symptoms first appear.

[2] Strike the disease: if the herb strength is sufficient, you reach an end when there is an effect, then the left over herbs should not be taken, because the Sheng Di Huang juice has a draining effect.

[3] Bowel movement is normally black: once the herbs are taken the color of the bowel movement will change to black.

Analysis:

This line states the correct treatment method for Bai He Disease.  From the first line we know there is heart and lung yin deficiency with internal heat, the pulse is not harmonious and the spirit is clearly confused.  Bai He Disease mechanism, if the disease condition generates no other change,  response is aimed at the disease mechanism, to nourish yin and clear heat, the formula to use is Bai He Di Huang Tang.  In this formula Bai He nourishes the lung yin and clears heat from the heart.  Sheng Di benefits the heart ying and clears blood heat, spring water clears water and disinhibits the urine, the spring water used to cook the Bai He, then nourishes yin and clears heat.  These two combined with the Sheng Di moisten and nourish the heart and lung, clear heat, cool the blood.  As the yin recovers and the heat abates the pulse becomes harmonious indicating recovery.  After taking this formula, because Di Huang will come out with the excrement and urine the bowel movement turns black.  It is said if you strike the disease the first time you will see an improvement in the symptoms, then you do not have to take a second time, because Di Huang in a large dose is cold, and there is a fear that if you take too much you can injure the yang, giving rise to diarrhea.  Clinical experience with this formula shows that for Bai He Disease if you use this formula one time and stop taking it the diseases will return, therefore Zhong Jing says in this situation you should be warned and keep an active watch.  In addition, the clinical application of this formula with Gan Mai Da Zao Tang is appropriate joined with other things to nourish the heart and calm the spirit, such as Fu Shen, Long Chi, and He Huan Hua with beautiful results.  This formula has some effect post infectious diseases if the residual heat has not been exhausted with good effect.  This formula method can also be used to treat the spirit when the disease belongs to the category of heart and lung yin deficiency with internal heat with good effect.