Info about Ma Huang 麻黄: Taste: bitter, pungent Properties: warm
苦味涌泄津血凝滞 The bitter taste can drain body fluid and blood stagnations.
辛温发散风寒 The pungent and warm nature of Ma Huang can dispel cold wind.
About the dosage of Ma Huang 麻黄:
1 Liang: slightly enhance the exterior pathogenic
2 Liang: rise and disperse the exterior pathogenic
3 Liang: promote sweating and opens the exterior
4 Liang: moves water and Qi
6 Liang: warms coldness and dispel water
The functions of the mentioned lower quantities of Ma Huang always contain in the next higher dosage. Means if we use 4 Liang of Ma Huang in the clinic to move water in the body, the functions described above of 1 + 2 +3 Liang are included as well.
How much is 1 Liang?
If we convert “Liang 两” into gram (g) we can find many different measurements. According to Zhang Zhong Jing we can convert 1 Liang to 3 gram.
Did you know…?
Ma Huang is not a major herb to promote sweating, to achieve this we still need to add herbs with acrid and sweet taste to properly assist the functions of Ma Huang.
Herbs with Acrid and sweet taste can promote sweating. For example Gui Zhi as part of Ma Huang Tang.
About the functions:
Ma Huang opens the exterior and dispel pathogenic Qi. The main function is to move water and Qi. Furthermore it can disperse exhessive blood syndromes and opens pathways to the brain.
The taste is bitter with warm properties. Ma Huang treats wind strike / cold damage headache. It opens the exterior and promots sweating if combined with acrid / sweet herbs. M Huang can dispel the pathogenic heat Qi, seperates coldness from heat and opens stagnations and accumulations. (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
About Ma Huang Decoction:
Herbs: Ma Huang 麻黄, Gui Zhi 桂枝, Xing Ren 杏仁, Zhi Gan Cao 炙甘草
About the classification of Tai Yang Disease: Ma Huang is traditionally applied for patients who have cold syndroms at the exterior, which is causing body fluids and blood accumulations on the exterior level with heat effusion.
About the heat effusion of Ma Huang:
On the Tai Yang Cold Damage Syndrom: The location of tai yang cold damage syndroms is the most superficial level on the human body, therefor the Yang of the Wei Qi stimulating the connected body fluids may not immediately lead to heat effusion.
Ma Huang Jia Gui Zhi:
Warm the exterior and dispel coldness, promote sweating and dispel water;
opening of passage ways for draining reversal functions, release and move blood stagnancy.
Open the exterior and dispel coldness, promote sweating (of exterior coldness and fluids) apply Ma Huang Decoction, further use Ge Gen Tang, Xiao Qing Long Tang, Da Qing Long Tang etc.
Ma Huang Jia Huang Qi:
Warming and releasing the exterior;
dispel wind and release dampness;
release pus and swollenness;
tonify deficiency and stop pain.
Formula Example: Wu Tou Tang for the treatment of Wind entering the five zang organs, Jiao Qi Disease, Pain