甘草系列

Chapter  16. Gancao series

Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhiza) is the root of Leguminosae. It is one of the mostly used herbal ingredient.  Gancao works to nourish the Spleen system, clear the Fire and dissolve toxic, deplete phlegm and stop cough; lose the spasm, balance the function of other herbs to make them work smoothly. It belongs to Spleen, so it works as Soil, as a buffer in the body in the herbal therapy. In another way, we regards it as Spleen, and the function of the Spleen is to make the transfer of Liver to the Heart, from the Heart to the Lung, from the Lund to the Kidney, and from the Kidney to the Liver again, all courses smoothly without block. This is the buffer function of the Spleen, so the Gancao. You can understand the function of the soil in this way: in the desert, there is no enough soil, so the weather becomes very hot, the environment temperature increases sharply to very high upon the rise of the sun. The temperature goes down also very quickly in the evening upon the sun set. In the nature, it is the soil that functions to buffer the temperature, and in the body, the Spleen system, and in the herbs, the Gancao. Gancao is the best representative of Chinese, and Chinese culture.

  Gancao

(1). 甘草汤

Gancao Tang

甘草   二两

Gancao 30 gram.

右一味，以水三升，煮取一升半，去滓，温服七合，日二服。

Add the herb and 750 ml water into a herbal pot. Bring to boil and keep into mild boiling until the liquid part in the pot is about 300 ml. Collect the herbal tea. Drink half of the tea. Repeat once more the same day.

35    少阴病二、三日，咽痛者，可与甘草汤，不差，与桔梗汤。

In Shaoyin stage for two to three days, if the person has sour throat on one side of the throat, use Gancao Tang. If it does not work, use Jiegen Tang. [1]

(3). 桔梗汤

Jiegen Tang

桔梗  一两， 甘草  二两

Jiegen 15 gram, Gancao 30 gram.

右二味，以水三升，煮取一升，去滓，温分再服。

Add the herbs and 750 ml water into a herbal pot. Bring to boil and keep in mild boiling until there is 250 ml left. Collect the herbal tea. Separate it into several parts. Drink one part each time, repeat again after two to three hours.

35    少阴病二、三日，咽痛者，可与甘草汤，不差，与桔梗汤。

In Shaoyin stage for two to three days, if the person has sour throat on one side of the throat, use Gancao Tang. If it does not work, use Jiegen Tang. [2]

(3). 炙甘草汤方

Zhi Gancao Tang

甘草（炙）四两， 生姜（切）三两， 桂枝三两， 麦门冬半升， 麻子仁半斤，大枣（擘）十二枚， 人参二两， 阿胶二两， 生地黄一 斤．

Gancao (processed) 60 gram, Fresh ginger 45 gram, Guizhi 45 gram, Maimendong 65 gram, Maziren 65 gram, Chinese Date 62 gram, Renshen 30 gram, Ajiao 30 gram, Shendihuang 150 gram.

右九味，以清酒七升，水八升，先煮八味，取三升，去滓，内阿胶，烊消尽，温服一升，日三服。一名复脉汤。

Add all of the herbs (except Ajiao), 1750 ml wine, and 2000 ml water into herbal pot. Bring to boil and continue with mild boiling until the total liquid in the pot is about 750 ml. Remove the herbal residue, add Ajiao with stirring until it is completely dissolved. Drink one third of the herbal tea. Three times a day.

18     伤寒脉结代，心动悸，炙甘草汤主之

If a person with Shanghan disease has irregular pulse and feel palpitation, Zhi Gancao Tang should be used mainly.[3]

(4). 芍药甘草汤

Shaoyao Gancao Tang

芍药　四两， 甘草（炙）四两

Shaoyao 60 gram, Gancao (processed) 60 gram.

右二味，以水三升，煮取一升五合，去滓，分温再服。

Add the herbs and 750 ml water into a herbal pot. Bring to boil and keep in mild boiling until there is about 300 ml herbal tea left. Collect the tea, separate it into several parts. Drink one part of the tea each time, repeat every 2 to 3 hours.

05  伤寒脉浮，自汗出，小便数，心烦，微恶寒，脚挛急, (当与桂枝增桂加附子汤，以温经止汗) 反与桂枝汤，欲攻其表，此误也，得之便厥。咽中乾，烦燥吐逆者，作甘草乾姜汤与之，以复其阳。若厥愈足温者，更作芍药甘草汤与之，其脚即伸；若胃气不和，谵语者，少与调胃承气汤；若重发汗，复加烧针者，四逆汤主之。

(5). 芍药甘草附子汤

Shaoyao Fuzi Gancao Tang

芍药三两， 甘草（炙）二两， 附子（炮去皮，破八片）一枚．

Shaoyao 45 gram, Gancao (processed) 30 gram, Fuzi (cut into 8 pieces) 30 gram.

已上三味，以水五升，煮取一升五合，去滓，分温服。

Add the herbs and about 1250 ml water into herbal pot. Bring to boil until the liquid volume in it is about 375 ml. Collect the liquid (herbal tea). Separate it into three parts. Drink one third each time, three times a day.

08   发汗病解 [5]，反恶寒者，虚故也，芍药甘草附子汤主之。

After sweat therapy, the Taiyang stage remains[6], the person feels chilly, it means the his condition is weak. Shaoyao Cancao Fuzi Tang should be used.

(6). 甘草干姜汤

Gancao Ganjiang Tang

甘草（炙）四两， 乾姜（炮）二两

Gancao (processed) 60 gram, Ganjiang (processed) 30 gram.

右二味，以水三升，煮取一升五合，去滓，分温再服。

(7). 甘草大麦大枣汤

Ganmai Dazao Tang

甘草 三两，小麦 一升，大枣 十枚

Gancao 45 gram, wheat 250 gram, Chinese date 10 badges.

右三味，以水六升，煮取三升。温分三服。亦补脾气。

Add the herbs and 1500 ml into a herbal pot. Bring to boil and keep in mild boiling until there is about 750 ml herbal tea left. Drink one quarter of the herbal tea each time, three times a day.

妇人藏躁，喜悲伤欲哭，象如神灵所作，数欠伸，甘麦大枣汤主之。

(8). 甘草粉蜜汤

Gancao Fenmi Tang

甘草  二两，粉  一两，蜜   四两

Gancao 30 gram, Jianfen 15 gram, Honey 60 gram.

右三味，以水三升，先煮甘草，取二升，去滓，内粉蜜，搅令和，煎如薄粥，温服一升，差即止。

Add the Gancao and 750 ml water into a herbal pot. Bring to boil and keep it in boiling until there is about 500 ml herbal tea left. Remove the reside, add the Jianfen and honey in. Mix it well. Drink 250 ml each time. Stop to drink it if the pain stops.

蛔虫之为病，令人吐涎，心痛，发作有时，毒药不止，甘草粉蜜汤主之。

If the abdomen pain is due to worm, the person spits saliva, feels pain in the chest. the symptoms come from time to time. The pain is hard to stop even if using highly toxic medications. In such worm-caused abdomen pain, use Gancao Fenmi Tang.

(9). 排脓汤

Painong Tang

甘草（二两） 桔梗（三两） 生姜（一两） 大枣（十枚）

Gancao 30 gram, Jiegen 45 gram, fresh ginger 15 gram, Chinese date 10 badges

右四味，以水三升，煮取一升。温服五合，日再服。

Add the herbs and 750 ml water into a herbal pot. Bring to boil and keep in mild boiling until there is 250 ml herbal tea left. Drink half of the tea. Repeat the another half during the day time.

（注意，排脓汤不是排脓散．排脓散：枳实，桔梗，芍药）．

(10). 黄土汤方

Huangtu Tang

甘草，干地黄，白术，附子（炮），阿胶，黄芩各三两，中黄土半斤

Gancao 45 gram, Shendihuang 45 gram, Baishu 45 gram, Fuzi (processed) 45 gram, Ajiao 45 gram, Huangqin 45 gram, Yellow soil 125 gram.

右七味，以水八升，煮取三升，分温二服。

Add the herbs and 2000 ml water into a herbal pot. Bring to boil and keep in mild boiling until there is 750 ml herbal tea left. Collect the herbal tea, drink half the tea each time for two times.

下血，先便后血，此远血也，黄土汤主之。下血，先血后便，此近血也，赤小豆当归散主之。

If the person has bleeding, the blood follows the stool, it is a far away bleeding[7], use Huangtu Tang. If the stool follows the blood, it is a nearby bleeding[8], use Chixiaodou Danggui San.