Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang (Bupleurum and Kudzu Decoction to Release the Muscle Layer)
- Release Exterior Wind Heat
- Chai Hu
- Ge Gen
- Qiang Huo
- Bai Zhi
- Huang Qin
- Shi Gao
- Jie Geng
- Bai Shao
- Gan Cao
- Sheng Jiang
- Da Zao
- Chai Hu and Ge Gen are King Herbs and release pathogens from Tai Yang, Shao Yang, and Yang Ming channels, and clear heat to reduce fever.
- Qiang Huo and Bai Zhi expel wind-cold, help the king herbs to release the exterior and relieve Tai Yang and Yang Ming headache.
- Shi Gao clears interior heat.
- Jie Geng facilitates Lung Qi and guides the other ingredients upward to expel exterior pathogen.
- Bai Shao nourishes Yin and prevents excessive diaphoresis which may injure the body fluids.
- Gan Cao harmonizes the formula. Combine with Jie Geng to clear and benefit the throat.
- Da Zao expels wind-cold from the exterior and tonifies the Qi and Blood to harmonize Ying and Wei
Function: Releases pathogenic influences, especially wind-cold from the muscle layer, and clears interior heat
Indications: Unresolved, exterior wind-cold that has become constrained and turned into heat, invading the interior. A mixture of Tai Yang, Shao Yang, and Yang Ming channel disorder
Symptoms: Increasing fever and decreasing chills, without sweating (wind-cold still dominant), accompanied by headache, orbital eye pain, dry nasal passages, dry throat, irritability and insomnia
Tongue: Thin and yellow coating
Pulse: Superficial and slightly flooding
Clinical Applications:
- This is a formula that combines warm-acrid and cool-acrid herbs, but more cool than warm. Used for unresolved exterior wind-cold transforming into internal heat.
- The key symptoms are high fever with slight chills, headache, orbital pain, dry nasal passages, and superficial, slightly flooding pulse.
- For cases with severe chills without sweating, omit Huang Qin, replace with Ma Huang (in Winter) or Zi Su Ye (in Summer).
- Currently used for common cold, flue, etc..
Cautions and Contraindications: Do not use with pure wind-heat disorders.