Formulas · Purge Downward 瀉下 · Immun (入門)

Major Order the Qi Decoction

Daeseunggi-tang

한글 대승기탕 · Pinyin Da Cheng Qi Tang

大承氣湯

Composition 構成

Daehwang Da Huang
大黃 대황 · Rhubarb

16 g
Chief 君
Hubak Hou Po
厚朴 후박 · Magnolia Bark

8 g
Deputy 臣
Jisil Zhi Shi
枳實 지실 · Immature Bitter Orange

8 g
Deputy 臣
Mangcho Mang Xiao
芒硝 망초 · Mirabilite

8 g
Deputy 臣

Total 40 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts.

Received this formula from your practitioner? Amounts shown here are classical reference values — granule and prepared products differ. Always follow your prescribed dosage and directions.

Actions 效能

Purges heat repletion urgently
Softens hardened stool and disperses stuffiness and fullness

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Interior pattern of cold damage with great heat
great repletion and great fullness calling for an urgent purge
All four of stuffiness fullness dryness and hardness present together

Biomedical correlates

Faecal impaction with fever
Ileus with systemic toxicity

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治傷寒裏證, 大熱ㆍ大實ㆍ大滿, 宜急下者用此. 大黃四錢, 厚朴ㆍ枳實ㆍ芒硝各二錢. 右剉, 作一貼, 水二大盞, 先煎枳ㆍ朴, 煎至一盞, 乃下大黃, 煎至七分, 去渣, 入硝, 再一沸, 溫服. 《入門》

Translation

Treats the interior pattern of cold damage with great heat, great repletion and great fullness, where an urgent purge is called for. Rhubarb, 4 don; magnolia bark, unripe bitter orange and mirabilite, 2 don each. Cut up, make one packet; take two large cups of water and first decoct the bitter orange and magnolia bark down to one cup, then put in the rhubarb and decoct down to seven parts, strain off the dregs, add the mirabilite, bring to the boil once more and take warm. — Immun 入門 (Donguibogam · Han, upper)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The decoction order is the formula. Bitter orange and magnolia bark go in first and take the longest heat, because what is wanted from them is substance; rhubarb goes in late, because a long decoction destroys the compounds that purge; mirabilite is added off the heat, because it is a salt and heating it does nothing but waste time. Do it in one pot from the start and the formula loses most of its force. Four drugs covering the four signs the commentary names — stuffiness, fullness, dryness, hardness — and the most forceful purgative in the standard repertoire. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.