HUANG LIAN JIE DU WAN (BP049) Coptis & Scute Formula Complex

Indication

This formula was first recorded in ‘Medical Secrets of an Official’ (wai tai mi yao), by Wang Tao, 752 CE, a work in 40 volumes that covers every branch of medicine and contains over 6,000 formulas. It was originally used for severe conditions in which a virulent pathogen – Heat Toxin or Fire Toxin – pervades the Triple Jiao and thus affects all the bodily systems.

This would generally equate with an acute medical emergency, such as septicemia or pyemia. For this reason the original formula had quite a large dose of Coptis (huang lian) – about one third more than that of each of the other ingredients.

However, in modern formulations the dosage of this ingredient is reduced so that it is about one third less than that of the other ingredients. This is in keeping with the broader clinical applications for which it is now more commonly used.

The three ‘yellow’ herbs in this formula (Coptis, Scutellaria and Phellodendron) contain a variety of potent alkaloids (including berberine) as well as flavonoids and flavone glycosides, which provide broad spectrum antimicrobial action as well as anti-inflamatory and antipyretic effects. It is therefore suitable for treating a variety of acute infections that may or may not be accompanied by systemic signs and symptoms.

The synergistic actions of the herbs are as follows:

Coptis root (huang lian): clears Damp-Heat, purges Fire from the Heart and from the middle Jiao.

Scutellaria root (huang qin): clears Damp-Heat and purges Fire from the middle Jiao

Phellodendron stem bark (huang bai): clears Damp-Heat and purges Fire from the lower Jiao

Gardenia fruit (shan zhi zi): drains Heat or Fire from the whole of the Triple Jiao, clears Damp-Heat and promotes diuresis, clears Heat Toxin.

Approximate equivalent ChinaMed formula AntiTox 2 (CM175)

Indications:

Acute enteritis

Bacillary dysentry

Pelvic infections

Cellulitis

Urinary tract infection

Purulent skin lesions

Abscess

Signs & Symptoms:

Fever

Dry mouth and throat

General malaise

Irritability and restlessness

Vexation

Insomnia

Purulent skin lesions

Suppurative infections

Red tongue with a yellow coat

Rapid and/or forceful pulse

Combinations:

Bacterial dysentery, acute:

HUO XIANG ZHENG QI WAN

SI MIAO YONG AN WAN (Jia Wei)

SKIN DETOX Formula

ANTITOX 2 Formula

Gastritis, acute or gastroduodenal ulcer:

XIAO YAO SAN

STRESS RELIEF 2 Formula

Inflammatory skin lesions, acute:

LONG DAN XIE GAN TANG

SI MIAO YONG AN WAN (Jia Wei)

Urinary tract infection, severe:

SI MIAO YONG AN WAN (Jia Wei)

TCM Syndromes: Excess Heat, Damp-Heat, Heat Toxin.

TCM Actions: Drains Fire and Damp-Heat, resolves Heat Toxin.