Yín Qiào Sǎn
Yín Qiào Sǎn (银翘散, “Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder”) comes from Wen Bing Tiao Bian - Wu Jutong (1798 CE). Disperses wind-heat, clears heat, detoxifies.
Main action
Disperses wind-heat, clears heat, detoxifies
Created by Wu Jutong for the school of Febrile Illnesses (Wen Bing). He revolutionized the treatment of infectious diseases by recognizing that exogenous heat requires a different treatment than cold.
Indications
- Fever with mild chills
- sore throat
- Cough
- Thirst
- Headache
- Onset of flu or hot cold
- Tongue
- Red at the tip, white or thin yellow coating
- Pulse
- Shallow and fast
Composition
| Herb | Role | Dose | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jīn Yín Huā 金银花 | Emperor (君 jūn) | 15g | Clears heat, detoxifies, disperses wind-heat |
| Lián Qiào 连翘 | Emperor (君 jūn) | 15g | Clears heat, detoxifies, disperses nodules |
| Jié Gěng 桔梗 | Minister (臣 chén) | 6g | Diffuses Lung Qi, soothes throat |
| Bò Hé 薄荷 | Minister (臣 chén) | 6g | Disperses wind-heat, soothes throat |
| Dàn Dòu Chǐ 淡豆豉 | Minister (臣 chén) | 9g | Disperses exterior, eliminates irritability |
| Niú Bàng Zǐ 牛蒡子 | Minister (臣 chén) | 9g | Disperses wind-heat, detoxifies, soothes throat |
| Jīng Jiè 荆芥 | Assistant (佐 zuǒ) | 6g | Disperses wind, helps release the outside |
| Lú Gēn 芦根 | Assistant (佐 zuǒ) | 15g | Generates fluids, relieves thirst, clears heat from the Lung |
| Dàn Zhú Yè 淡竹叶 | Assistant (佐 zuǒ) | 9g | Clears heat, generates fluids, relieves irritability |
| Gān Cǎo 甘草 | Envoy (使 shǐ) | 6g | Harmonizes, soothes throat |
The emperor–minister–assistant–envoy hierarchy (君臣佐使) describes the role of each herb in the formula.
Preparation
Powder: Boil briefly (5-10 min only), DO NOT overcook. Aromatic herbs lose effectiveness with prolonged heat. Take hot at the beginning
Classical modifications
Add: Xing Ren (杏仁) 9g
Current uses being studied
- Flu (hot type)
- Acute pharyngitis
- Tonsillitis
- Onset of COVID-19 with fever
- Measles in early stage
Precautions
- Do not use in cold cold (wind-cold)
- Do not overboil: maximum 10-15 min
- Ineffective if the condition is already internalized
Formulas must be prescribed by qualified professionals; they can interact with medications.
Profile
- Chinese name
- 银翘散
- English name
- Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder
- Source
- Wen Bing Tiao Bian - Wu Jutong (1798 CE)
- Dynasty
- Qing
- Category
- Release the exterior and clear Heat
- Constitutions
- Damp-Heat Constitution
Health notice. Educational and study content. It describes concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Needling, medicinal herbs and invasive techniques must be applied by trained professionals. Safety guide.
