Finding A Guiding Herb Makes Easier To Find The Most Efficient Formula(26) Gua Lou Gen 瓜蔞根
By Daniel Cho, L.A.c ([email protected])
Gua Lou Gen: Symptom Indicator Score ++ Frequency of Use +
Main Symptoms ①Dry mouth (thirst) due to decreased secretion of oral mucus and saliva ②→Resulting in increased/frequent water intake
- Pharmacological Hypothesis of Gua Lou Gen
*Decrease in saliva secretion: a healthy adult secretes about 1-1.5L of saliva daily. A decrease in saliva production leads to dryness in the mouth.
*Shortage of residual saliva: when a certain amount of saliva waters at the mouth, we swallow it, and the leftover saliva covers the oral membranes. If such residual saliva is insufficient, the oral membrane becomes dry, worsening the dryness of the mouth.
- Clinical Tips of Gua Lou Gen
(1) Main Symptoms: Dry mouth (thirst) due to decreased secretion of oral mucus and saliva, usually resulting in increased/frequent water intake.
Gua Lou Gen’s Main Symptom is dry mouth (thirst) due to decreased secretion of oral mucus and saliva. Therefore, Gua Lou Gen patients tend to drink excessive amounts of water from thirst.
Clinical Expressions: ①My mouth is very dry. ②My mouth is dry, and I often drink a lot of water. →With increased water intake, some patients naturally urinate more often. ③In some cases, patients have a thirst and frequently drink water, but they only take in small sips at a time. ④Sometimes, the lips and the tongue would be dry as well.
(2) Tendency: ①Due to dry mouth, Gua Lou Gen patients sometimes say they need to drink water (or other drinks or soups) with food. ②As their body fluids are depleted, sweating in a sauna/hot tub will make them feel tired and heavy.
Sometimes, the situations mentioned below can induce the depletion of body fluids. This may lead to Gua Lou Gen’s dryness of the mouth.
(3) Cautions: ①If patients are Excessive Heat Types (well-built or obese with reddish, dark complexions and aversion to heat), they are not Gua Lou Gen patients. ②Severe thirst seen in such patients (who are well-built or obese with reddish, dark complexions, with an aversion to heat, excessive sweating, and preference for cold water) may be the thirst of Shi Gao, Ren Shen, and Geng Mi, as seen in Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang and Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang. Such patients experience intolerable thirst and therefore drink a lot of water.
- DPHF Chart
CAPE: Body Type-normal to underweight, with normal to weak stamina→Dryness of the lips, mouth and tongue is common.
Physical Symptoms
-Water Intake: I tend to drink water/other drinks ☆a lot because my mouth is dry or I feel thirsty.
-Whole Body: When I am tired or overworked, my (lips, mouth) easily become dry.
