🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Respiratory system diseases are common in clinical practice. I often achieve good results using formulas from Zhang Zhongjing. Summarized below:
One, Acute and Chronic Bronchitis with Infection
Formula composed of Shasanyu Tang, Mai Men Dong Tang, and Xiao Qing Long Jia Shi Gao Tang: Platycodon, Ephedra, Asarum, Purple Gromwell, Winter Flower, Schisandra, Pinellia, Ophiopogon, Codonopsis, Licorice, Cinnamon Twig, Dried Ginger, Raw Gypsum, Fresh Ginger, Jujube. It has clearing Qi, promoting lung function, resolving phlegm, and anti-infective effects—commonly effective for acute and chronic bronchitis with infection. A 46-year-old woman had recurrent cough for over ten years, feeling cold, prone to catching colds, sweating with exertion. Recently, she suffered repeated respiratory infections, presenting with cough, sore throat, low-grade fever, aversion to wind, shortness of breath, and headache. She improved with the above formula, but recently relapsed with worsened sweating and shortness of breath, accompanied by palpitations, hand tremors, facial flushing, cold feet, and heart failure. Her tongue was pale with dark coating, thin yellow and slightly dry, pulse was soft and weak—indicating deficiency of qi and yin in heart, lung, and kidney, with floating yang. Removed Ephedra and Asarum from the original formula, added Aconite Root, Ginseng, Oyster Shell, and Tortoise Shell. After five doses, symptoms were controlled. Continued with the original formula in pill form for over two months, no recurrence.
Two, Severe Asthma
Formula derived from Xiao Qing Long Tang and Guallu Xiebai Banxia Tang: Ephedra, Cinnamon Twig, Asarum, Licorice, Pinellia, Dried Ginger, Guallu Peel, Garlic Chives, Codonopsis, Ligusticum, Perilla Seed, Fritillary Bulb, and Xanthium Fruit. It has warming yang, eliminating fluid retention, promoting Qi, resolving phlegm, and enhancing immunity—effective for stubborn asthma caused by multiple factors or allergies. A 45-year-old woman had asthma for over ten years, allergic to over twenty allergens. This episode recurred due to weather change and eating shrimp, presenting with breathing difficulty, gasping, pale face, cyanotic lips, red tongue with thin yellow coating, wiry fine pulse. Diagnosed as lung-kidney qi deficiency, phlegm-fluid stagnation, external pathogen triggering—treated with the above formula plus Artemisia, Agastache, and Talc. After 27 doses, she has been free of recurrence for two years.
Three, Interstitial Pneumonia
Formula derived from Zhi Shi Xie Bai Gui Zhi Tang and Xiao Chai Hu Tang: Whole Guallu, Fried Licorice, Garlic Chives, Pinellia, Zhi Shi, Codonopsis, Scutellaria, Cinnamon Twig, Magnolia Bark, Fritillary Bulb, Salvia, Five Lingzhi, Moutan, Artemisia, and Tortoise Shell. It has relieving stagnation, opening blockages, and harmonizing nutritive and defensive Qi. Applicable for phlegm-heat stagnation in the lung and stomach, disharmony of nutritive and defensive Qi. A 17-year-old girl had recurrent cough for five years, with worsening cough and shortness of breath, low-grade fever. X-ray confirmed interstitial pneumonia, presenting with chest tightness, breathlessness, copious thick sputum, poor appetite, bloating, belching, loose stools, easy sweating and catching colds, red tongue with purple tinge, black and greasy coating on front half, yellow and greasy on back half, slippery and weak pulse. After 15 doses, she recovered completely.
Four, Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Formula derived from Gui Zhi Tang with Magnolia Bark, Apricot Kernel, and Guallu Xiebai Banxia Tang: Cinnamon Twig, Magnolia Bark, Licorice, Fresh Ginger, Red Peony, Guallu Peel, Garlic Chives, Zhi Shi, Apricot Kernel, Pinellia, Salvia, Scutellaria, Codonopsis, Polygala. It has promoting lung Qi, regulating Qi, activating meridians, and resolving fluid retention. Used for spontaneous pneumothorax with shortness of breath and chest tightness. A 45-year-old man, after excessive labor and chest trauma, suddenly felt abnormal sounds in the chest, followed by shortness of breath, chest tightness, rapid breathing, pale face, cold sweat. X-ray revealed "large right-sided pneumothorax with minor pleural effusion." Emergency treatment eased breathing, but other symptoms persisted. Tongue was pale red with thin yellow coating, pulse was soft and weak. After 15 doses of the above formula, the condition stabilized.
Five, Severe Chronic Pulmonary Heart Disease
Formula derived from Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang, Zhi Shi Xie Bai Gui Zhi Tang, and Xiao Xian Xiong Tang: Stephania, Astragalus, Atractylodes, Licorice, Coptis, Whole Guallu, Pinellia, Zhi Shi, Garlic Chives, Magnolia Bark, Cinnamon Twig, Ginseng, Five Lingzhi, Salvia, Perilla Seed. It has strengthening heart and lung, resolving phlegm turbidity, and activating blood vessels. Indicated for pulmonary heart deficiency, blood stasis, Qi stagnation, and phlegm obstruction. A 53-year-old woman had recurrent cough, shortness of breath, and edema for over ten years. Recently, cold weather worsened chest tightness and breathlessness, shortness of breath with effort, cold intolerance, cyanosis, facial and foot edema, poor appetite, bloating, pale dark purple tongue with thin yellow coating, prominent purple sublingual veins, deep, wiry, fine, weak pulse—diagnosed as chronic cor pulmonale. After 12 doses, condition improved. Subsequently, the formula was made into pills and taken for three months. She has remained symptom-free for over three years.
Six, Cough and Shortness of Breath with Hypertension
Formula derived from Mai Men Dong Tang, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang, and Xiao Xian Xiong Tang: Ginseng, Ophiopogon, Pinellia, Xuan Fu Hua (wrapped), Coptis, Whole Guallu, Apricot Kernel, Moutan, Tortoise Shell, Earthworm, Five Lingzhi. It has nourishing heart and lung, lowering phlegm-fire, and calming cough. Suitable for severe cough and hypertension due to heart-lung deficiency, liver Qi rebellion, and phlegm transforming into fire. A 55-year-old man had cough and shortness of breath for over twenty years, coughing with throat irritation, worse with anger, accompanied by headache, dizziness, head fullness, tinnitus, facial flushing, chest and rib fullness, blood pressure consistently around 160/110 mmHg. Tongue was purple-red with tender texture, thin yellow peeling coating, wiry slippery weak pulse, deep and涩 at left guan position. After 15 doses, symptoms improved. Subsequently, the formula was made into honey pills and taken for three months. No recurrence for three years.
Respiratory system diseases, especially stubborn and severe cases, often result from viruses, bacteria, allergies, causing phlegm, fluid, Qi, blood, and fire stagnation, with deficiency of righteous Qi and excess of pathogenic factors, leading to cough, asthma, edema, etc. Therefore, treatment should follow principles like "warming medicine to harmonize" and "stopping reverse flow and descending Qi." Using these classical formulas to warm yang, resolve fluid retention, open and resolve phlegm, and nourish yin and activate meridians yields good results.