Effective for Milder Excess-Syndrome Cases
vs. Xuming-Tang
By Ju Bong Kang KMD
Act and Diagnosis
This prescription expels wind and regulates qi, treating stroke aftereffects such as speech disorders, motor impairment, joint pain, and facial paralysis. It also benefits arthritis, neuralgia, and peripheral facial paralysis unrelated to stroke. It is indicated for excess syndrome with a strong pulse and firm abdomen.
Xuming-Tang, another post-stroke formula containing Mahuang, is suitable for patients with cognitive impairment, whereas Wuyao-Shunqi-San is more suitable for milder cases. “Qian Jin Fang” lists nine types of Xuming-Tang, five of which contain both Mahuang and Fuzi. For Wuyao-Shunqi-San, if the pulse is weak and there is aversion to cold, it may be used without Mahuang or with added Fuzi.
Among the constituent drugs, Wuyao and Mahuang are the monarch drugs.
Wuyao promotes qi circulation and relieves pain, improving movement disorders from paralysis, arthralgia, tingling, and numbness. Pharmacological studies show Wuyao’s essential oil raises blood pressure, while hygenamin lowers it, increases heart rate and coronary flow, and reduces vascular resistance.
Mahuang disperses wind-cold and reduces edema through diuresis, relieving joint pain, stubborn paralysis, and skin numbness caused by wind, cold, and dampness.
Baijiangcan, Baizhi, Chenpi, and Zhiqiao are minister drugs.
Baijiangcan calms wind, stops spasms, and relieves paralysis, stiffness, and tingling, improving facial paralysis, muscle spasms, vertigo, and headaches.
Baizhi dispels wind, dries dampness, and alleviates pain, improving headaches, toothache, sinusitis, carbuncles, infections, skin ulcerations, and leukorrhagia.
Chenpi regulates qi, dries dampness, and eliminates phlegm, thereby aiding digestion, removing dampness and phlegm, restoring joint function, and enhancing movement.
Zhiqiao regulates qi, eliminates phlegm, and resolves food stagnation, improving nausea, fullness, and chest or rib-side distension.
Thus, Baijiangcan and Baizhi assist Mahuang in removing wind-dampness and pain, while Chenpi and Zhiqiao assist Wuyao in promoting qi and blood circulation to recover from paralysis and pain.
Chuanxiong, Jiegeng, Ganjiang, Shengjiang, Dazao, and Gancao are adjuvant drugs.
Chuanxiong promotes blood circulation and relieves pain, improving partial paralysis, movement disorders, and limb joint pain, especially in cases of cerebral thrombosis aftereffects.
Jiegeng disperses the lung, eliminates phlegm, and drains pus, improving cough, sore throat, and lung carbuncles.
Ganjiang warms the middle energizer and restores yang, treating epigastric cold and pain, wind-cold-damp arthralgia, vomiting, diarrhea, dysuria, and bloody discharge.
Shengjiang and Dazao invigorate the spleen, benefit qi, and provide nutrition.
Gancao replenishes qi, harmonizes the formula, and guides the effects of other ingredients.
In diagnosis, Wuyao-Shunqi-San is used when the pulse and abdomen are not weak. If the patient’s pulse and abdomen are weak and a deficiency syndrome is present, Fuzi, Huangqi, Dihuang, Maimendong, Banxia, etc., may be added, depending on the symptoms.
Contents in the Source Text
Treats joint pain, numbness, dizziness, gait disturbance, speech loss, muscle tightness, and convulsions from wind-evil; improves beriberi-related weakness, women’s blood-wind, cold-qi in the elderly, chest and hypochondriac pain, epigastric bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, and borborygmus. (“He Ji Ju Fang”)
Application
For stroke patients without a weak pulse showing impaired mobility, speech disturbance, joint pain, sensory loss, skin paralysis, visual impairment, or facial paralysis. Also used for those with a weak pulse and symptoms such as joint pain, neuralgia, low back pain, sciatica, and non-stroke-related facial paralysis.
Distinction
Da-Fangfeng-Tang: It can be used as a reference prescription for adding or subtracting drugs to symptoms when using Bazhen-Tang, Shiquan-Dabu-Tang, Buzhong-Yiqi-Tang, Liuwei-Wan, and Bawei-Wan in patients with paralysis, for whom Mahuang is not appropriate.
