The best in Shennong's Herbal Classic, also a secret of Chinese medicine

People often say: The secret of Chinese medicine lies in the dosage, which makes a lot of sense. So how do we determine the dosage of a drug in a prescription? This medicine, which is listed as a top-grade medicine in Shennong's Herbal Classic, tells you. "Shennong's Herbal Classic" says: Bupleurum tastes bitter and is neutral. It is used to treat the heart and abdomen, remove gas stagnation in the stomach and intestines, food accumulation, cold and heat evil spirits, and eliminate the old and bring in the new. Long-term use can make you light, improve eyesight and improve your sperm quality. A person named Dixun.

Bupleurum can bring about the new through the old, and is listed as a top-grade medicine in the "Shennong Bencao Jing". This is related to its ability to soothe the liver and regulate qi, eliminate gas stagnation in the intestines, relieve exterior symptoms and reduce fever, eliminate cold and heat evil qi, and raise the clear yang.

Zhang Zhongjing, the medical saint of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was good at using Bupleurum to relieve exterior symptoms and reduce fever. For example, he created Xiao Chaihu Decoction and Da Chaihu Decoction to treat evil entering the Shaoyang meridian. Bupleurum was used up to half a catty, which is approximately 120 grams today. (Some modern studies have shown that one liang in the Han Dynasty is approximately 15.6 grams today, and one jin in ancient times was sixteen liang, so half a catty is approximately equal to 120 grams today).

A moderate dose of Bupleurum can soothe the liver and regulate qi, and treat pain in the chest, abdomen, and gastrointestinal tract caused by qi stagnation. Representative prescriptions include Chaihu Shugan San, Xiaoyao San, and Sini San (for treating Yang Qi stagnation and cold limbs). Small doses of Bupleurum combined with Astragalus and Codonopsis can raise the clear yang and treat the sinking of Qi in the middle part. Representative prescriptions include Buzhong Yiqi Decoction.

In clinical practice, I use Bupleurum chinense. Large doses are for relieving exterior symptoms and reducing fever, with a dosage of 20 to 30 grams. Medium doses are for soothing the liver and regulating qi, with a dosage of 12 to 15 grams. Small doses are for raising yang qi, with a dosage of 6 to 10 grams.

Further reading: What are the effects and functions of Bupleurum?

Effects of Bupleurum

Harmonize Shaoyang, soothe the liver and stomach, raise Yang and lift the sunken. It is used to treat alternating chills and fever, chest fullness and flank pain, bitter taste in the mouth and deafness, headache and dizziness, malaria, diarrhea and prolapse of the rectum, irregular menstruation, uterine prolapse, and heat entering the blood chamber.

Effects of Bupleurum

The nature and flavor of Bupleurum: bitter and flat, enters the liver and gallbladder meridians. Functions: Release exterior, reduce fever, soothe the liver, relieve depression, and raise yang. Indications: colds and fever, alternating chills and fever, malaria, distension and pain in the flanks, and irregular menstruation.

Modern pharmacological research has shown that Bupleurum has the following effects: 1. It has a stable and reliable antipyretic and antipyretic effect; 2. It is a sedative and analgesic, and can relieve chest tightness and pain, relieve depression and regulate menstruation; 3. It is antibacterial and has an inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis; 4. It has an anti-liver damage effect; 5. It is antiviral, and has a strong inhibitory effect on influenza viruses, and has an inhibitory effect on the cell damage caused by type 1 polio virus.

It is mainly used to dispel heat, raise yang and soothe the liver. It is used for colds and fevers, alternating chills and fever, malaria, liver depression and qi stagnation, chest and rib pain, rectal prolapse, uterine shedding, and irregular menstruation.