San Ao Tang - 三拗汤 - Three-Unbinding Decoction

English:	Three-Unbinding Decoction
Also Known As:	Ma Huang, Licorice and Apricot Seed Combination San Niu Tang

Herbs And Actions

Pharmaceutical Latin	Pin Yin	Dosage	Actions
Hb. Ephedrae	Ma Huang	3-9g	Disperses Cold, Moves Lung Qi and stops wheezing, Releases the exterior. With Xing Ren, for Wind-Cold cough and wheezing.
Sm. Armeniacae	Xing Ren	3-9g	Stops cough and wheezing.
Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao	3-6g	Harmonizes the properties of other herbs, Moistens the Lungs, Resolves Phlegm, Stops cough and moderates.

Formula Actions

• Spreads Lung Qi
• Releases the Exterior

Syndromes

• Externally contracted Wind Cold

Clinical Manifestations

Head and body aches Nasal congestion Coughing Wheezing Copious thin, white sputum Aversion to Cold Hoarseness Chest distention

Gasping Anhidrosis Fullness in the chest Sneezing Distention and pain in the head T: Normal C: Thin white P: Superficial or Normal

Treats

Common cold Loss of voice Asthma Pertussis Influenza Cough Gasping

Bronchitis Arthralgia Headache Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Pneumonia Hoarseness

Contraindications And Herb/Drug Interactions

Notes

Modifications

For severe Wind-Cold:		For Excess thick, difficult to expectorate sputum:
+ 9g Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi	+ 12g Per. Trichosanthis	Gua Lou Pi
Or		+ 12g Sm. Benincasae	Dong Gua Zi
+ 9g Hb. Schizonepetae	Jing Jie	For Lung Heat:
+ 9g Rx. Saposhnikoviae	Fang Feng	+ Gypsum	Shi Gao
For headache, rhinitis and body aches:		For rheumatism and arthritis:
+ Rz. Atractylodis	Bai Zhu	+ Sm. Coicis	Yi Yi Ren
+ Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi	For weak patients with a cold or the flu:
For colds and flu:		+ Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata	Zhi Fu Zi
+ Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi	For fevers with thirst:
For fever with acute itching:		+ Gypsum	Shi Gao
+ Cinnamon Combination Gui Zhi Tang		+ Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi
For the beginning cough stage of pertussis:		+ Rz. Zingiberis	Sheng Jiang
+ Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Decoction Sang Ju Yin		+ Fr. Jujube	Da Zao
For coughing:
+ Powder of Natural Indigo and Cyclina Dai Ge San		+ Apricot Kernel and Perilla Leaf Powder Xing Su San
For coughing with more External Cold symptoms:		For coughing with dyspnea:
+ Apricot Kernel and Perilla Leaf Powder Xing Su San
+ Apricot Kernel and Perilla Leaf Powder Xing Su San
+ 10g Fr. Perillae	Zi Su Zi
+ 9g Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi	For coughing with symptoms of Internal Dampness:
For pneumonia:
- Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao	+ Apricot Kernel and Perilla Leaf Powder Xing Su San
+ 9g Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum	Zhi Ban Xia
+ 10g Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis	Hou Po
+ 9g Fr. Perillae	Zi Su Zi
+ 9g Sm. Raphani	Lai Fu Zi	+ 10g Rz. Atractylodis	Cang Zhu
+ 9g Sm. Sinapis	Bai Jie Zi	+ 15g Sm. Coicis	Yi Yi Ren
+ 6g Per. Citri Reticulatae	Chen Pi	For pneumonia with cold extremities and a slimy tongue coat:
- Rx. Glycyrrhizae	Gan Cao
+ 9g Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum	Zhi Ban Xia
+ 9g Fr. Perillae	Zi Su Zi
+ 9g Sm. Raphani	Lai Fu Zi
+ 9g Sm. Sinapis	Bai Jie Zi
+ 6g Per. Citri Reticulatae	Chen Pi
+ 6g Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata	Zhi Fu Zi
+ 3g Hb. Asari	Xi Xin