Details of Notopterygium and Tuhuo Combination
Not much to look at, but qiang huo really opens up the head. Alternative Names
Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang
Notopterygium Decoction to Overcome Dampness
Notopterygium Conquer Dampness Decoction
Chiang Huo Sheng Shih Tang
Chiang-huo Dampness Overcoming Decoction
Notopterygium Damp-Expelling Decoction
Notopterygium and Tuhuo Combination
Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang
Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang
This formula has that aromatic smell and taste that made Vick’s Mentholatum rub famous. For this reason, it is best taken in tea form, you want to taste it, to smell it. It’ll help open up your nose and head. However we make it available in capsules too.
It is warming and drying in nature. This makes it especially effective for headaches or body aches aggravated (or induced) by rainy, humid, or cold weather .
This formula favors the top of the spine in the upper back. This area is where “wind” is said to most easily enter the body. Many of the acupuncture points on the back of the neck have the word “feng” or “wind” in their names.
Wind is a carrier for other weather energies that can clog things up in your body (leading to aches and pains). In this case, the wind can carry in cold and damp. This formula is great then for a common cold that includes neck and shoulder tension.
However, not all wind results in your typical cold symptoms. Sometimes, it is just a headache or body aches . That’s where this formula shines the brightest.
The damp-drying functions of this formula address a sense of heaviness or numbness in the body, or a muzzy foggy feeling in the head .
The cold-warming functions of this formula focus on stiffness of the neck and difficulty in rotating or bending the trunk .
One odd-ball symptom that is associated with this formula is “frequently frightened when lying down .” When this wind-cold-damp attacks at the back of the head or top of the spine, it is considered a superficial invasion. However if it goes a little deeper, it can get into other channels that connect to the heart and one’s emotions. Beyond that, I’m not 100% sure on why this happens, haven’t run into this symptom in practice.
Ingredients
Qiang Huo ็พๆดป notopterygium root, chiang-huo Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii
The Qiang Huo is a warm drying herb that pushes out the cold damp energy that is causing that heavy achy feeling in the upper back and head . In particular, this herb enters the upper portion of the Bladder channel.
Du Huo ็จๆดป pubescent angelica root, angelica root, tu-huo Radix Angelicae Pubiscentis
Du Huo is a warm drying herb that pushes out the cold damp qi energy that is causing achiness in the lower back . In particular, this herb enters the lower portion of the Bladder channel.
Chuan Xiong ๅท่ Sichuan lovage root, cnidium, chuanxiong root Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong
Man Jing Zi ่่ๅญ vitex fruit, vitex seed Fructus Viticis
These herbs are specific to the headache , but the Chuang Xiong assists in addressing the body aches as well.
Fang Feng ้ฒ้ขจ saposhnikovia root, ledebouriella root, siler Radix Ledebouriellae Divaricatae
Gao Ben ่ๆฌ Chinese lovage root, ligusticum root, kao-ben Rhizoma et Radix Ligustici
These two herbs support the Qiang Huo in removing the damp and cold from the Bladder channel resulting in less body aches and headache . That first herb’s name “fang feng” actually translates to “guards against wind” which is exactly what it is doing here in this formula.
Zhi Gan Cao ็็่ licorice root Radix Glycyrrhizae prep. [caution ]
Zhi Gan Cao harmonizes the formula so the harsh actions of some of the herbs don’t get out of hand to create side effects .
