YIN QIAO WAN (BP036) Lonicera & Forsythia Formula Complex

Indication

This formula is from the ‘Analysis of Warm Diseases’ (wen bing tiao bian), by Wu Ju-tong (a.k.a. Wu Tang), 1798. It was designed to treat Defense aspect syndrome (wei fen zheng) due to Wind-Warm or Wind-Heat.

The defensive Qi protects the Exterior of the body, which includes the skin, body hair, pores, striae, muscles and connective tissue. Because of the close relationship between the defensive Qi and the Lung Qi, Defense aspect syndromes generally involve pathological changes in the Lung and associated tissues (i.e. the upper respiratory tract).

Over subsequent centuries this formula has become the treatment of choice for Wind-Heat invasion of the Exterior. It is a well designed formula that features strongly acting principal ingredients, which, in addition to dispelling Wind-Heat, also clear Heat Toxin.

This is appropriate for exogenous Wind-Warm or Wind-Heat pathogens as they tend to be particularly virulent and may readily invade the Interior. In addition, the ensuing pathological processes cause depletion of the Body Fluids; hence this formula contains several cooling ingredients that also regenerate the Body Fluids.

The synergistic actions of the herbs are as follows:

Lonicera flower (jin yin hua), Forsythia fruit (lian qiao): Release Exterior Wind-Heat, clear Heat Toxin.

Mentha herb (bo he), Schizonepeta top (jing jie), Glycine seed (dan dou chi): release Exterior Wind-Heat.

Arctium seed (niu bang zi), Phragmites rhizome (lu gen), Platycodon root (jie geng), Glycyrrhiza root (gan cao): clear Heat-toxin and ease the throat.

Phyllostachys leaf (dan zhu ye), Phragmites rhizome (lu gen), Glycyrrhiza root (gan cao): clear Heat and regenerate the Body Fluids, alleviate thirst.

Indications:

Common cold

Influenza

Acute bronchitis

Acute tonsillitis

Measles

Mumps

Epidemic parotitis

Acute conjunctivitis

Signs & Symptoms:

Fever and chills

General malaise

Sore throat

Headache

Thirst

Cough

Maculopapular rash in measles

Parotidomegaly and orchitis in mumps

Normal or red tipped tongue

Floating and rapid pulse

Combinations –

Asthma or hayfever (Wind-Heat syndromes):

DING CHUAN WAN

Bronchitis, acute:

GAN MAI DA ZAO WAN (Jia Wei)

SI MIAO YONG AN WAN (Jia Wei)

COUGH CLEAR Formula

COUGH CLEAR 2 Formula

Common cold, to improve efficacy:

XIAO CHAI HU WAN

Gastric flu:

HUO XIANG ZHENG QI WAN

Skin lesions, acute:

SI MIAO YONG AN WAN (Jia Wei)

Tonsillitis:

ANTITOX Formula

TCM Syndromes: Wind-Heat Exterior syndrome.

TCM Actions: Releases Exterior Wind-Heat, clears Heat Toxin.