Fangfeng Tongsheng San: Clearing Heat, Toxins, and Metabolic Excess

A classical formula for wind-heat, damp-heat, and excess-pattern disorders

By Jubong Kang KMD

*Formula composition: Danggui, Shaoyao, Chuanxiong, Zhizi, Lianqiao, Bohe, Shengjiang, Jingjie, Fangfeng, Mahuang (2.4 g each); Dahuang, Mangxiao (3 g each); Baizhu, Jiegeng, Shigao, Huangqin, Gancao (4 g each); Huashi (6 g).

Actions and Diagnosis

This prescription removes wind-heat, fire toxin, and damp-heat from both the exterior and interior, improving conditions such as fever, headache, asthma, constipation, sinusitis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and skin disorders. It is suitable for patients with strong digestion, a strong pulse, a hard abdomen, and a tendency toward constipation, but not for those with weak digestion or a weak pulse.

Large doses of Huashi and Gancao help clear damp-heat, summer-heat, and toxins from food and alcohol, while Shigao, Mahuang, Danggui, and Chuanxiong are key herbs also used in stroke-related formulas.

One male patient at my Asian Medicine clinic had retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma caused by overwork and alcohol. His pulse was not weak, and his abdomen was not soft. After taking this decoction for several months, his ophthalmologist said the immediate danger had been avoided. He later reduced the dosage to once a week and has continued it for 10 years to prevent recurrence, with stable symptoms and well-maintained health.

The composition of this prescription is resolving exterior drugs such as Mahuang, Fangfeng, Jingjie, Bohe; and purging down drugs such as  Dahuang, Manxia; clearing heat drugs such as Shigao, Zhizi, Huangqin, Lianqiao; removing dampness drugs Huashi, Baizhu; eliminating phlegm drug Jiegeng; supplementing and activating the circuit of the blood drugs that include Danggui, Chuanxiong, Shaoyao; and alleviating and benefiting drug, Gancao. In other words, this is a prescription of cold and cool properties that, taken together, function to clear heat, disperse wind, eliminate dampness, and purge the bowels.

In this prescription, Dahuang, Manxiao, Shigao, Huangqin, Zhizi, and Lianqiao become monarch drugs that clear away heat, purge fire, and dispel down.

Dahuang clears heat, detoxifies, promotes defecation, and removes blood stasis. Mangxiao clears heat, moistens dryness, softens hardness, and promotes bowel movement. Shigao clears heat and fire, relieving fever and thirst. Huangqin clears heat, dries dampness, and detoxifies. Zhizi clears heat and fire from the triple energizer and helps stop bleeding. Lianqiao clears heat and toxins and treats skin infections.

Mahuang, Fangfeng, Jingjie, Bohe, and Huashi are minister drugs that can expel wind-evil and dampness-evil.

Danggui, Chuanxiong, Shaoyao, Baizhu, Jiegeng, Shengjiang, and Gancao are adjuvant drugs.

The patient characteristics of this prescription in the diagnosis are somewhat red in complexion, full and powerful, and taut, slippery, and fast. In abdominal palpation, the abdomen is hard, and the tongue has yellowish fur due to dampness-heat, and it is constipated or has a tendency to constipation.

 Contents in Source Text

This formula treats severe wind-heat conditions such as loss of speech, convulsions, tetanus, and febrile spasms. It is also used for skin eruptions, urticaria, leprosy, scabies, abdominal fullness, thirst, irritability, and stiffness of the tongue or jaw. In addition, it helps relieve toxin-heat conditions and alcohol-induced heat toxicity. (“Xuan Ming Lun”)

Application

• Arteriosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, ocular disease and  intraocular disease, baldness, hair loss, etc., of excess-pattern
• Excess-pattern of conditions such as hand tremor, atopy, psoriasis, erysipelas, urticaria, carbuncle, syphilis, etc.

 Distinction

Dachaihu-Tang: There is no feeling of fullness and oppression over the chest and hypochondria, and alternating episodes of chills and fever in Fangfeng-Tongsheng-San, whereas this prescription, along with these two signal-symptoms, has epigastric hard glomus, nausea, constipation, or a tendency to constipation.

Ingredients