Sheng jiang xie xin tang also known as sheng jiang ban xia tang
sheng jiang 12 ban xia 12 huang qin 9 huang lian 3 ren shen 9 gan jiang 3 da zao 9 zhi gan cao 9
When in cold damage after sweating has issued and brought resolution of the exterior, the stomach is in disharmony, there is a hard glomus below the heart, dry belching with no desire of food, water qi under the rib side, thunderous rumbling in the abdomen, and diarrhea, sheng jiang xie xin tang governs.
This is a version of the vertical harmonizing formula ban xia xie xin tang with sheng jiang added. The dose of gan jiang is now lower. It contains the formula xiao ban xia tang which disperses excess fluids in the stomach. There is retching and nausea due to cold dampness induced adverse stomach qi flow with noisy intestines and loose stool.
It treats more dispersing of dampness than ban xia xie xin tang.
Sheng jiang, Zingiberis rhizoma recens is pungent dispersing of the liver and pericardium blood and the ministerial fire in the san jiao. Sheng jiang is pungent dispersing of dampness and cold in the stomach domain, spleen and lung. Sheng jiang is pungent connecting of the tai yin with the tai yang. It supports raising of the clear qi to the chest and the 100 vessels.
Ban xia, ren shen, sheng jiang, da zao, and zhi gan cao form the five common spleen strengthening herbs that restore tai yin and yang ming function. Here we see sheng jiang and gan jiang being used together.
Ban xia, Pinelliae rhizoma is pungent dispersing of the liver blood and the ministerial fire in the san jiao. It is pungent dispersing of the cold and dampness in the stomach domain, spleen and lung. It transforms tai yin damp phlegm generated from excessive and stagnant cold dampness and counteracts nausea and adverse flow.
Combined with gan jiang it dries and transforms excessive internal dampness.
The spleen is considered the source of phlegm and the lung the storage of phlegm. Ban xia dries tai yin spleen dampness which is the source of lung phlegm. Transforms and dries tai yin damp phlegm generated from excessive and stagnant cold dampness and counteracts nausea and adverse flow.
Huang qin, Scutellaria radix is bitter draining and cooling of heat in the san jiao, stomach domain, lungs, liver, gall bladder, and bladder.
Cold and bitter it is the great cleaner. It clears heat and dampness, in all three burners, and in yang ming, tai yin, shao yang, and jue yin.
The use of huang qin in this formula makes it a shao yang formula.
Huang lian, Coptidis rhizome is bitter draining of heat in the ministerial and imperial fire. It is bitter draining of heat in the heart and san jiao. It is bitter draining of heat and dampness in the stomach domain.
Clears yang ming stomach heat to pacify the stomach and promote sound sleep, for when the stomach is not at peace, the heart is not calm.
Ren shen, Ginseng radix is sweet tonifying and nourishing of the spleen, lungs, heart, and kidney. It nourishes yin fluids and therefore is the foremost qi and yin tonic.
The yin fluids from ren shen moderate excessive movement by anchoring yang with yin. It raises the original qi and gathering qi. It strengthens righteous qi and righteous qi is also called true qi and is a combination of original qi and gathering qi. All are dependent on the qi of shao yin and tai yin. Which in turn are dependent on the jue yin and shao yang for the ministerial fire in all three burners.
Gan jiang, Zingiberis rhizoma, dried is warm (or hot) pungent and astringent. Gan jiang is the main herb to warm the tai yin level and treat excessive dampness by introducing yang ming dryness in tai yin dampness.
Da zao, Jujubae fructus is sweet tonifying and moderating. It tonifies and nourishes the stomach domain, spleen, lungs, and heart. It directly nourishes the shao yin heart.
Zhi gan cao, Glycyrrhizae radix prep is sweet tonifying and nourishing of all organs but especially the heart.
Zhi gan cao is sweet and mildly warm tonifying and nourishing of yin fluids. It nourishes yin fluids in the tai yin and shao yin. It calms wind in the jue yin.
It balances the pungent and bitter herbs with its sweet moderation and nourishing.