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HARMONIZING FORMULAE
(HE JIE JI)

DEFINITION:
Harmonising formulae are characterised by eliminating the evils in semi-exterior and interior,
regulating dysfunction of the liver and spleen and treating the mixed cold and heat syndromes.

CLASSIFICATIONS:
1 Harmonising Shaoyang
Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Hao Qin Qing Dang Tang

2 Regulating the liver and spleen

Si Ni San
Xiao Yao San
Jia Wei Xiao Yao San
Tong Xie Yao Fang

3 Regulating the stomach and intestines

Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang

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FORMULAE AND HARMONISE

SHAO YANG

**XIAO CHAI HU TANG(

)

(Decoction of Chai Hu for Regulating Shaoyang)

COMPOSITION RANK ANALYSIS

Chai Hu 24g Chief Vent Shaoyang disorders

spreads Lr Qi

Huang Qin 8g Adjuvant Vent Shaoyang and release

PF

Ban Xia 8g Assistants Harmonise MJ, redirects

Sheng Jiang 9g rebellious Qi downwards.

Ren Shen 9g Support Zhong Qi prevent PF -

> interior.

Da Zao 4 pieces Guide Harmonise other herbs

Zhi Gan Cao 6g

ADMINISTRATION:
Today usually prepared as a decoction in the usual manner.

Two-to-three times the dosage of Dang Shen is commonly

substituted for Ren Shen.

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ACTIONS:
Harmonises and releases Shaoyang Disorders

INDICATIONS:

Alternating fever and chills

full sensation in chest and hypochondrium

poor appetite

bitter taste in mouth

dry throat

dizziness

thin white tongue fur, string-like pulse.

EXPLANATIONS

This is a major prescription for harmonizing Shaoyang disorders.

Shaoyang is located between the exterior (Taiyang) and the interior

(yangming).

When EPF attached Shaoyang, a conflict occurs between the pathogens

and the APQ -> alternating chills and fever.

The Shaoyang meridian passes through the chest and hypochondrium.

If pathogens are present in Shaoyang, the meridian qi is blocked -> a full

sensation over the chest and hypochondrium.

Gallbladder heat affects the St -> St qi fails to descend -> poor appetite,
voming

Gallbladder heat affecting the upper part of the body -> bitter taste, dry
throat, dizziness
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With the appropriate presentation, Xiao Chai Hu Tang may be

used in treating such biomedically-defined infectious diseases as

Acute viral hepatitis

Intercostal Neuralgia

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HAO QIN QING DAN TANG

(Hao Qin Clear Gallbladder Decoction)

ACTIONS INDICATIONS COMPOSITION RANK ANALYSIS

Clear heat in Alternating chills Qing Hao 6g Chief Clear heat in

the and fever, fever is Shaoyang
gallbladder, predominant, Clear heat in
Harmonise bitter taste in the gallbladder
the stomach mouth, stuffy
and chest, sour Huang Qin 6g Adjuvant Eliminate heat-
eliminate regurgitation or phlegm
dampness vomiting yellow Zhu Ru 6g Soothe the chest
and phlegm fluids, or dry Ban Xia 5g and abdomen,
heaves and Chen Pi 5g harmonise the
hiccup, distending Zhi Qiao 5g stomach and
pain in the chest redirect the Qi
and hypochondria, down
red tongue with
white coating, Chi Fu Ling 9g Assistant and Clear heat and
rapid, Bi Yu San 9g Guide promote diuresis
slippery and
string-taut pulse

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FORMULAE THAT REGULATE AND HARMONISE

THE LIVER AND SPLEEN
*SI NI SAN
(Frigid Extremities Powder)

COMPOSITION RANK ANALYSIS

Chai Hu 6g Chief Vent the evil, raise Yang Qi

and soothe the liver

Zhi Shi 6g Adjuvant Redirect the Qi and

dissipate the stagnation

Bai Shao 9g Assistant Replenish Yin and blood,

relieve pain

Zhi Gan Cao 6g Guide Tonify the spleen and

harmonise other herbs

ADMINISTRATION:
Source text book: grind equal amounts of the herbs into
powder. Take in 6-9g doses.
Today: decoction

ACTIONS:
Vent pathogenic factors
Soothe the Liver and Regulate the Spleen

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INDICATIONS:
Cold fingers and toes (although the body is warm)
It may complicated by cough, or palpitations, or dysuria, or
abdominal pain or diarrhoea

EXPLANATIONS:

Spleen governs the four limbs, if PF enters -> constrains the

yang qi -> inhibits the spreading of yang qi the extremities ->
cold finger and toes.

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**XIAO YAO SAN

(Rambling Powder)

COMPOSITION RANK ANALYSIS

Chai Hu 9g Chief Relieves Liver stagnation

Dang Gui 9g Adjutants Nourish blood and soften

Bai Shao 9g Liver

Bai Zhu 9g Assistants Strengthens Sps T/T

Fu Ling 9g function

Zhi Gan Cao 4.5g

Wei Jiang Guide Harmonises St redirects

(Charred Ginger) rebellious Qi
1 piece

Bo He 3g Guide Relieves Lr stagnation and

disperse heat due to
stagnation.

ADMINISTRATION:
Grind the ingredients into powder; take 6-9g, 2 3 times daily.

The formula can also be prepared into pills, 6 9g per dose.

Prepared into decoction, with their dosage reduced

proportionally.

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ACTIONS:
Dispensing stagnant Lr Qi.
Strengthens the Spleen and
Nourishes the blood

INDICATIONS: Stagnant Lr Qi with blood deficiency.

Hypochondriac pain,
alternating fever and chills,
headache,
dizziness,
dry mouth and throat,
fatigue,
reduced appetite.
Irregular menstruation,
breast distension,
string-like, weak pulse

EXPLANATION:

The relationship between the liver and spleen is very close. Liver
qi stagnation -> over control the Sp -> Sp def. -> blood def.

Liver qi stag-> hypochondriac pain, distended breasts

If its related channel, the gallbladder is affected -> Shaoyang

signs-> fever and chills, a bitter taste in the mouth

Blood def -> headache, dizziness, a dry mouth and throat

Spleen qi def -> fatigue, reduced appetite

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With the appropriate presentation, Xiao Yao San may be used in

treating such biomedically-defined infectious diseases as

Hepatitis

Functional uterine bleeding

Menopausal syndrome

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Fibrocystic breasts

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Associated Formula

**JIA WEI XIAO YAO SAN

(Augmented Rambling Powder)

COMPOSITION: Xiao Yao San + Dan Pi 3g, Zhi Zi 3g

ACTIONS: spread the liver qi, strengthen the sp, nourish the
blood, and regulate menses

INDICATIONS: Liver qi stagnation that transforms into heat with

spleen deficiency.

irritability,
a short temper,
spontaneous sweating or night sweats,
headache,
dry eyes, dry mouth,
red face,
irregular menstruation,
lower abdominal pain,
difficult painful urination.

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TONG XIE YAO FANG

(Powder for Painful Diarrhoea)

COMPOSITION RANK ANALYSIS

Bai Zhu (Fried) 6g Chief Strengthen SP, dries

dampness

Bai Shao (Fried) 6g Adjuvant Softens overactive Lr

and alleviates pain

Chen Pi (Fried) 4.5g Assistant Harmonises MJ,

transform dampness

Fang Feng 3g Assistant Enters SP & Lr

and Guide meridian,
Disperse the
stagnated Lr Qi, and
eliminate dampness

ADMINISTRATION:
Grind the ingredients into powder and take in powder or pill
form.
May also be prepared as a decoction with the dosage of the
ingredients reduced proportionally.

ACTIONS:
Tonifies Sp and softens Lr, stops diarrhoea

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INDICATIONS:
Recurrent problems of borborygmus, abdominal pain,
diarrhoea with pain (starts with urge to defecate and subsides
after completion), thin white tongue coating, taut moderate
pulse

EXPLANATIONS:
This is a painful diarrhea due to spleen def. with an over
controlling liver.
Unless properly treated, this close relationship also makes it easy
for the conditions to become recurrent.

Diarrhea: a collapse of the spleen qi caused by the spleens

inability to raise yang qi -> turbidity descends.

Pain: liver qi over acting on spleen

Borborygmus: Liver qi stag + turbidity

With the appropriate presentation, Tong Xie Yao Fang may be used
in treating such biomedically-defined infectious diseases as

Acute gastroenteritis

Irritable bowel syndrome

Colitis

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BAN XIA XIE XIN TANG

(Decoction of Pinellia for Purging Stomach Fire)

ACTIONS INDICATIONS COMPOSITION RANK ANALYSIS

Harmonises Epigastric fullness Ban Xia 9g Chief Enters St meridian,

St, directs without pain, disperse chumps,
rebellious Qi vomiting / stops vomiting and
downwards, retching, focal distension
disperse borborygmus with
chumping diarrhoea, thin Gan Jiang 9g Adjuvants Expels cold, and
and yellow greasy Huang Qin 9g drains heat
eliminates tongue coating, Huang Lian 3g
focal wiry rapid
distension Ren Shen Assistants Benefit Zhong Qi,
Dao Zao prevents dispersion
of Chief and
Adjuvants from
injuring Zheng Qi,
stops vomiting.

Zhi Gan Cao Guide Assist tonify Zhong

Qi

INDICATIONS: Epigastric fullness without pain, vomiting / retching,

borborygmus with diarrhoea, thin yellow greasy tongue coating, taut rapid

EXPLANATIONS:
This condition is most commonly due to improper purging of half-
exterior, half-interior syndrome in a patient with underlying St def.

Purging aggravates the St def and causes the PF to sink into the
interior

The cold-heat complex in the MJ is a condition of simultaneous

excess and deficiency.

Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang is a variation of Xiao Chai Hu Tang (omit
Chai Hu, Sheng Jiang, add Huang Lian, Gan Jiang), this formula is
recommended for vomiting, borborygmus, and distention of the
epigastrium.

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Later physicians have used it in treating patients with Sp and St

def. that develop cold-heat complex due to an externally-
contracted PF.

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