Ge Gen Tang  葛根汤
Pueraria Decoction

Tradition:

TCM

Source / Author:

Discussion of Cold Induced Disorders (Shang Han Lun) C.220

Preparation:

Decoction.
The source text advises to cook Pueraria and Ephedra first, adding them to 10 cups of water and boiling down to 8 cups. Then add the remaining herbs and cook until 3 cups remain.

Function:

Releases the Exterior, Clears Wind-Cold

Use:

Exterior disease with Wind-Cold: Chills, Fever (mild), aversion to Cold, stiff neck, headache, joint pain with no sweating.
1. Allergic Rhinitis
2. Common Cold
3. Influenza
4. Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
5. Tendonitis of Shoulder
6. Bursitis of Shoulder
7. Frozen Shoudler
8. Eczema
9. Psoriasis
10. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Dose:

a small cupful 2–3 times daily

Cautions:

1. Cold or Flu with sweating
2. Exterior Wind-Heat
3. Weak constitution
4. Caution with Hypertension or Heart disease

Modifications:

1. With interior Heat, add Scutellaria Huang Qin, Gypsum (Shi Gao)
2. More Coldness, add Asarum Xi Xin, Aconitum Fu Zi
3. More Damp, add Poria Fu Ling, Atractylodes Cang Zhu
4. Neck Pain:
i. from Cold, add Asarum Xi Xin, Notopterygium Qiang Huo
ii. from Wind, add Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Uncaria Gou Teng
5. Headache, add Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Angelica dahurica Bai Zhi
6. Fibromyalgia with severe deficiency, add Shi Quan Da Bu Tang

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