Bai Tou Weng Tang - 白頭翁湯 - Pulsatilla Decoction

English:	Pulsatilla Decoction
Also Known As:	Anemone Combination

Herbs And Actions

Pharmaceutical Latin	Pin Yin	Dosage	Actions
Rx. Pulsatillae	Bai Tou Weng	3-30g	Principle herb for treating dysenteric disorders, relieves Fire toxin, especially at the Blood level, clears Damp-Heat and stops diarrhea. With Huang Lian and Qin Pi, for Damp-Heat or epidemic dysenteric disorders.
Rz. Coptidis	Huang Lian	3-10g	Clears Damp-Heat, especially from the Stomach and Intestines.
Cx. Phellodendri	Huang Bai	3-12g	Clears Damp-Heat from the Lower Jiao. With Huang Lian, assists Bai Tou Weng in clearing Damp-Heat and relieving dysentery.
Cx. Fraxini	Qin Pi	3-15g	Astringes diarrhea, drains Damp-Heat and enhances the actions of the other herbs. With Bai Tou Weng and Huang Bai, for hot dysenteric disorders. With Bai Tou Weng and Huang Lian, for diarrhea or dysentery with tenesmus due to Damp-Heat.

Formula Actions

• Clears Heat
• Relieves toxicity
• Cools the Blood
• Alleviates dysenteric disorders

Syndromes

• Damp-Heat in Colon (Damp-Heat Dysentery)
• Hot dysenteric disorder due to Heat and toxin searing the Stomach and Intestines
• Jue Yin Stage dysenteric disorder due to Heat
• Dysentery due to Toxic-Heat in the Stomach & Intestine (Secondary source)

Clinical Manifestations

Abdominal pain Tenesmus A burning sensation around the anus Leukorrhea with a reddish discharge Diarrhea containing more blood than pus

Thirst with a desire to drink Maybe short, dark urination T: Red C: Yellow P: Wiry and rapid

Treats

Acute or chronic enteritis Dysentery Acute eye disorders due to Damp-Heat Amoebic dysentery Colitis Pneumonia Conjunctivitis Abdominal pain Diarrhea as a complication of AIDS/HIV Anorexia Diverticulitis Ulcerative colitis

Leukorrhea Acute urinary tract infections Acute conjunctivitis Postpartum enteritis Gastroenteritis Pelvic inflammatory disease Irritable bowel syndrome Oliguria Diarrhea Crohn's disease Profuse perspiration

Contraindications And Herb/Drug Interactions

Notes

• Compared with Shao Yao Tang: Bai Tou Weng Tang treats Toxic-Heat in the Stomach and Intestines (T: red, P: wiry) with more blood than pus in the stool, while Shao Yao Tang treats Large Intestine Damp-Heat with Qi and Blood stagnation (T: greasy, P: slippery) with equal blood and pus.

Modifications

For indigestion:		For Wind-Cold attack with chills and fever:
+ Fr. Crataegi	Shan Zha	+ Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen
+ Fr. Citri Aurantii Immaturus	Zhi Shi	+ Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
+ Sm. Arecae	Bing Lang	+ Fr. Forsythiae	Lian Qiao
For tenesmus with abdominal pain:		+ Rx. Scutellariae	Huang Qin
+ Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang	Or
+ Sm. Arecae	Bing Lang	+ Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen
For severe tenesmus:		+ Hb. Schizonepetae	Jing Jie
+ Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang	+ Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
+ Sm. Arecae	Bing Lang	+ Fr. Forsythiae	Lian Qiao
+ Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	For dysentery with dark bloody stool:
Or		+ Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang
+ Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang	+ Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
+ Sm. Arecae	Bing Lang	For hot, swollen, painful eyes:
+ Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	+ Flos Chrysanthemi	Ju Hua
+ Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao	+ Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
+ Fr. Aurantii	Zhi Ke	+ Flos Carthami	Hong Hua
Or		For severe fever and Heat:
+ Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang	+ Hb. Portulacae	Ma Chi Xian
+ Fr. Aurantii	Zhi Ke	+ Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
+ Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	For food-denial dysentery:
+ Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui	- Cx. Phellodendri	Huang Bai
For urinary frequency:		+ Rx. Codonopsis	Dang Shen
+ Caul. Akebiae	Mu Tong	+ Rx. Ophiopogonis	Mai Men Dong
+ Rz. Imperatae	Bai Mao Gen	+ Hb. Sinocrassulae Indicae	Shi Lian Zi
+ Hb Lysimachiae	Jin Qian Cao
For Blood Deficiency:		+ Rz. Acori Tatarinowii	Shi Chang Pu
+ Colla Corii Asini	E Jiao	For bacillary dysentery:
+ Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao	+ Rx. Sanguisorbae	Di Yu
For coma and convulsion:		+ Hb. Agrimoniae	Xian He Cao
+ Calm the Palace Pill with Cattle Gallstone An Gong Niu Huang Wan		+ Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
For amoebic dysentery:
Or		+ Per. Granati	Shi Liu Pi
+ Purple Snow Pill Zi Xue Dan		Or
- Rz. Coptidis	Huang Lian
For amoebic dysentery with nausea and vomiting:		+ Rx. Sanguisorbae	Di Yu
+ Kudzu, Scutellaria and Coptis Decoction Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang		+ Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis	Ku Shen
+ Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum	Zhi Ban Xia	Or
+ Kudzu, Scutellaria and Coptis Decoction Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang
For amoebic dysentery with abdominal pain:
For amoebic dysentery with high fever and aversion to Cold:
+ Kudzu, Scutellaria and Coptis Decoction Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang
+ Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	+ Kudzu, Scutellaria and Coptis Decoction Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang
For amoebic dysentery with Blood in the stools:
+ Kudzu, Scutellaria and Coptis Decoction Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang		+ Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
For acute colitis:
+ Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua	+ Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
For colitis in remission:		+ Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui
+ Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo	+ Charred Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua Tan
+ Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae	Bai Zhu
For pneumonia due to Wind-Heat Attacking the Lungs:
+ Sm. Persicae	Tao Ren
For pneumonia with damaged Yin and Fluids:		+ Sm. Armeniacae	Xing Ren
+ Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang	+ Hb Ephedrae	Ma Huang
+ Rx. Scrophulariae	Xuan Shen	+ Hb. Houttuyniae	Yu Xing Cao
+ Cx. Lycii	Di Gu Pi	+ Fol. Isatidis	Da Qing Ye
+ Rx. Trichosanthis	Tian Hua Fen	For pneumonia with Heat in the Qi and Blood levels:
For pelvic inflammatory disease with postpartum bleeding:
+ Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang
+ Charred Rz. Dryopteris	Guan Zhong Tan	+ Rx. Scrophulariae	Xuan Shen
+ Rx. Glehniae/ Adenophorae	Sha Shen
+ Hb. Leonuri	Yi Mu Cao
For pelvic inflammatory disease with spontaneous perspiration due to Qi Deficiency:		+ Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae	Dan Shen
+ Rx. Astragali	Huang Qi	+ Hb. Hedyotis	Bai Hua She She Cao
+ Rx. Codonopsis	Dang Shen	For pelvic inflammatory disease with Stomach Heat:
For pelvic inflammatory disease with lower abdominal pain:
+ Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
+ Rz. Cyperi	Xiang Fu	+ Hb. Taraxaci	Pu Gong Ying
+ Sm. Citri Reticulatae	Ju He	For pelvic inflammatory disease with Fluid Accumulation in the pelvic region:
For pelvic inflammatory disease with anorexia:
+ Per. Citri Reticulatae	Chen Pi	+ Sm. Coicis	Yi Yi Ren
+ Poria	Fu Ling	+ Hb. Dianthi	Qu Mai
+ Fr. Amomi	Sha Ren	For pelvic inflammatory disease with dry stools :
For Toxic-Heat dysentery:		+ Rx. et Rz. Rhei	Da Huang
+ 30g Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua	For Toxic-Heat dysentery with muscle spasms, cramps or convulsions:
+ 30g Hb. Patriniae	Bai Jiang Cao
+ 18-30g Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang	+ 30g Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
+ 30g Hb. Patriniae	Bai Jiang Cao
+ 12-15g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	+ 18-30g Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang
+ 9-12g Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi	+ 12-15g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ 12-15g Flos Sophorae Immaturus	Huai Hua Mi
+ 9-12g Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
+ 3-6g Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao	+ 12-15g Flos Sophorae Immaturus	Huai Hua Mi
For Toxic-Heat dysentery with severe abdominal pain and cramping:
+ 3-6g Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao
+ 30g Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua	+ 12g Ram. cum Uncis Uncariae	Gou Teng
+ 30g Hb. Patriniae	Bai Jiang Cao
+ 18-30g Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang	+ 15g Concha Haliotidis	Shi Jue Ming
For Toxic-Heat dysentery with watery, bloody diarrhea:
+ 6-9g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
+ 9-12g Sm. Arecae	Bing Lang	+ 30g Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
+ 9-12g Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi	+ 30g Hb. Patriniae	Bai Jiang Cao
+ 12-15g Flos Sophorae Immaturus	Huai Hua Mi	+ 18-30g Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang
+ 12-15g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ 3-6g Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao
+ 15-18g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 9-12g Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
For Toxic-Heat Exterior signs:		+ 24-30g Flos Sophorae Immaturus	Huai Hua Mi
+ 30g Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua
+ 30g Hb. Patriniae	Bai Jiang Cao	+ 3-6g Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao
+ 15g Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen	+ 15g Fr. Mume	Wu Mei
+ 12g Hb. Schizonepetae	Jing Jie	+ 15g Charred Rx. Scutellariae	Huang Qin Tan
+ 15g Fr. Forsythiae	Lian Qiao	+ 30g Rx. Sanguisorbae	Di Yu
+ 3-6g Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao	For abdominal pain due to Damp-Heat toxin:
+ 12-15g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui
+ 12-15g Flos Sophorae Immaturus	Huai Hua Mi	+ 9g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 6g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
For abdominal pain due to Damp-Heat toxin with fever:		+ 6g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
For abdominal pain due to Damp-Heat toxin with discharge of more Blood than mucus in the stool:
+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui
+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui
+ 9g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 6g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang	+ 9g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 6g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo	+ 6g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
+ 12g Flos Lonicerae	Jin Yin Hua	+ 6g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
+ 18g Hb. Portulacae	Ma Chi Xian	+ 12g Rx. Arnebiae/ Lithospermi	Zi Cao
6g Rx. et Rz. Rhei	Da Huang
For abdominal pain due to Damp-Heat toxin with discharge of more mucus than Blood in the stool:		+ 9g Flos Sophorae	Huai Hua Mi
+ 9g Rx. Sanguisorbae	Di Yu
+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui	For abdominal pain due to Damp-Heat toxin with pronounced tenesmus:
+ 9g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui
+ 6g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
+ 6g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo	+ 12g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 12g Poria	Fu Ling	+ 6g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
+ 12g Sm. Coicis	Yi Yi Ren	+ 6g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
For abdominal pain due to Damp-Heat toxin with Spleen Deficiency:		For abdominal pain due to Damp-Heat toxin with Liver Qi Stagnation:
+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui	+ 9g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui
+ 9g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	+ 9g Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 6g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang	+ 6g Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
+ 6g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo	+ 6g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
+ 12g Rx. Codonopsis	Dang Shen	+ 9g Rz. Cyperi	Xiang Fu
+ 9g Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae	Bai Zhu	+ 9g Rx. Bupleuri	Chai Hu
For acute bacillary dysentery:
For acute bacillary dysentery with coma, convulsions or toxic shock:		+ 10g Rz. Coptidis	Huang Lian
+ 10g Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
+ 10g Rz. Coptidis	Huang Lian	+ 10g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ 10g Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
+ 10g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	+ 15g Rx. Sanguisorbae	Di Yu
+ 15g Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen
+ 15g Rx. Sanguisorbae	Di Yu
+ 15g Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen
+ Calm the Palace Pill with Cattle Gallstone An Gong Niu Huang Wan