bai hu tang

White Tiger Decoction

About bai hu tang

Bai Hu Tang, White Tiger Decoction, is Shi Gao, Zhi Mu, Zhi Gan Cao and Geng Mi. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that clear Heat from the Qi level, and records it as draining Stomach Fire and generating fluids to relieve thirst.

Ingredients

Herb	Amount
shi gao	30 g
zhi mu	9 g
zhi gan cao	3 g
geng mi	9 g

Actions and indications

Clears Qi-level Heat and drains Stomach Fire

Heat at the Yang Ming channel or Qi level, once a cold-damage pathogen has moved inside and no exterior signs are left
Qi-level Stomach Heat, and Jue Yin Heat
The 'four bigs': high fever, heavy sweating, great thirst and a big, flooding pulse
High fever without chills and with a dislike of heat; red face, red or congested eyes and headache
Irritability, restlessness and anxiety; delusions, and delirious talk in serious cases
Toothache, bleeding gums and nosebleed; burning or itching skin
General weakness, possibly heavy laboured breathing, and sometimes a cold-sensitive upper back or severe chills
Abdominal fullness that is soft to pressure, and copious urination

Generates fluids and relieves thirst

Intense thirst with a strong wish for cold drinks
Dry lips, mouth and tongue, and rough, dry skin
Tongue dry, red at the tip and sides, with a dry yellow or white coat; pulse flooding and forceful, slippery and rapid, or large and forceless

Modern uses

Encephalitis B
Meningitis
Pneumonia
Lobar pneumonia
Bronchial asthma
Heat stroke
High fever
Common cold
Influenza
Measles
Scarlet fever
Typhoid fever
Hemorrhagic fever
Erysipelas
Fever in some cancers
Diabetes mellitus
Hyperthyroidism
Acute stomatitis
Gastritis
Constipation
Abdominal fullness and distention
Chronic hepatitis
Viral hepatitis
Pyelonephritis
Thrombocytopenic purpura
Epistaxis
Nasal pain
Red eyes
Headache
Toothache
Gingivitis
Periodontitis
Eczema
Dermatitis
Recalcitrant allergic dermatitis
Psoriasis
Pruritis
Persistent weeping of burn wounds
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatism
Rheumatic fever
Osteoarthritis
Sciatica
Eclampsia
Emotional disorders
AIDS/HIV
Weakness
Profuse perspiration

Symptoms

Abdominal distention
Anxiety
Aversion to cold
Aversion to heat
Bleeding gums
Burning sensation
Chills
Delirium
Delusions
Dry lips
Dry mouth
Dry skin
Epistaxis
Flushed face
Headache
High fever
Irritability
Itching
Polyuria
Preference for cold drinks
Red eyes
Restlessness
Rough skin
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Thirst
Toothache
Weakness

Modifications

Stomach Qi deficiency as well: + geng mi, + shan yao
Exterior Wind-Cold: + cong bai, + dan dou chi, + xi xin
Red, swollen eyes with a splitting headache: + huang lian, + huang qin
Lung Heat and Stomach Fire with gingivitis, headache, nosebleed, dry mouth, thirst and constipation: + da huang
Wasting-thirst, or Heat badly damaging Fluids with thirst, irritability and constant hunger, or hyperthyroidism: + tian hua fen, + lu gen, + mai men dong
Febrile disease with Heat toxin: skin blotches, irritability, restlessness, confusion and insomnia (combined with Huang Lian Jie Du Tang)
Encephalitis and meningitis: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao
Convulsions: + ling yang jiao, + gou teng, + di long
Excess Heat using up Fluids and Yin: + mai men dong
Summerheat with thirst (combined with San Wu Xiang Ru Yin)
Gingivitis and toothache: + huang lian, + huang qin, + bai zhi
Constipation with thirst and sweating: + da huang, + mang xiao

Show all 80 modifications

Belching with a stifling feeling in the epigastrium: + zhi ban xia, + zhu ru
Alternating chills and fever: + chai hu
Wind-Heat invasion on top of Qi-level warm-disease Heat (combined with Yin Qiao San)
Alternating chills and fever: alternatively combine with Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Twitching muscles and delirium with high fever, thirst and irritability: + shui niu jiao, + gou teng
Xiao Ke thirst with Stomach Heat: + tian hua fen, + lu gen, + mai men dong
Painful, swollen gums with thirst and dry stools: + xuan shen, + huai niu xi
Headache: + bai zhi, + gao ben
Measles or toxic skin lesions (combined with Sheng Ma Ge Gen Tang)
Stomach Fire with gingivitis, headache, fever and thirst: + xi xin
Large pulse without strength: + ren shen
Painful, swollen joints: + gui zhi, + cang zhu
Heat Bi with Qi-level Heat: + huang bai, + huang lian, + zhi zi, + hu zhang
Heat Bi with Qi-level Heat and unremitting high fever: + huang bai, + huang lian, + zhi zi, + hu zhang, + mang xiao, + da huang
Red, swollen joints with severe pain (combined with Xi Jiao Tang and Zi Xue Dan): + ren dong teng, + huai niu xi, + sang ji sheng, + ru xiang, + qin jiao, + bai mao gen, + sheng di huang, + hu zhang
Psoriasis (combined with Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang)
High fever from a viral infection: + chai hu, + ge gen, − geng mi, − gan cao
Encephalitis B: + ban lan gen, + lian qiao, + ge gen
Rheumatism: + zhi chuan wu, + ru xiang, + mo yao
Asthma from severe accumulated Heat, with Phlegm-Heat turning into Fire: + gua lou, + zhe bei mu, + huang qin, + lu gen
High fever: + tian hua fen, + tai zi shen, + chai hu, + ban lan gen, + jin yin hua, + chong lou
High fever with constipation, coma and delirium: + tian hua fen, + tai zi shen, + chai hu, + ban lan gen, + jin yin hua, + chong lou, + da huang, + mang xiao, + shi chang pu
High fever (alternative): + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + lu gen, + dan zhu ye
High fever, toxic Heat in the Lungs: + tian hua fen, + tai zi shen, + chai hu, + ban lan gen, + jin yin hua, + chong lou, + yu xing cao, + sang bai pi, + huang qin
High fever, gums swollen and painful: + tian hua fen, + tai zi shen, + chai hu, + ban lan gen, + jin yin hua, + chong lou, + huang lian, + zhi zi
High fever with purpura: + tian hua fen, + tai zi shen, + chai hu, + ban lan gen, + jin yin hua, + chong lou, + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen, + mu dan pi
High fever, sudden tightness in the chest: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + lu gen, + dan zhu ye, + hou po
High fever, Qi and Yin depleted: + ren shen
High fever, intense thirst: + tian hua fen, + lu gen
High fever, intense thirst (alternative): + xi yang shen
Thrombocytopenic purpura: + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen
Thrombocytopenic purpura with nosebleed or bleeding gums from Heat or Yin deficiency: + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen, + sheng ma, + huang qin, + zhi zi, + bai mao gen
Thrombocytopenic purpura with coughing blood from Heat: + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen, + yu jin, + ou jie, + e jiao, + qian cao gen
Thrombocytopenic purpura with blood in stool or vomit: + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen, + san qi, + bai ji, + di yu, + huai hua mi
Thrombocytopenic purpura with blood in the urine: + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen, + xiao ji, + pu huang, + dan zhu ye, + mu tong
Thrombocytopenic purpura, uterine bleeding: + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen, + lian fang tan, + zong lu pi, + ce bai ye (tan)
Blood stasis after purpura bleeding, with purpura, hematoma, enlarged spleen and a purple tongue: + shui niu jiao, + xuan shen, + tao ren, + hong hua, + san qi
Sciatica with Damp-Heat: + bai mao gen, + bei xie, + zhu ru, + yi yi ren, + sang zhi, + mu gua, + cang zhu, + can sha
Sciatica with Fluid deficiency: + bai mao gen, + bei xie, + zhu ru, + yi yi ren, + sang zhi, + sheng di huang, + mai men dong
Sciatica with muscle and vessel spasms: + bai mao gen, + bei xie, + zhu ru, + yi yi ren, + sang zhi, + di long, + huai niu xi
Residual pathogens at the Wei level: + sang ye, + bo he
External Cold: + cong bai, + dan dou chi
Exterior Dampness: + cang zhu
To clear Heat and generate Fluids more strongly: + jin yin hua, + lu gen, + shi hu
Severely damaged Stomach Yin: + li pi, + ou jie, + lu gen, + mai men dong, + bi qi
Qi damaged by extreme Heat: + ren shen
Shaoyang disharmony: + chai hu, + huang qin
High fever with heavy sweating: + ren shen
Internal Liver Wind from Liver Yang: + ling yang jiao, + gou teng, + ju hua
High fever with heavy sweating (alternative): + xi yang shen, + mai men dong, + wu wei zi
Heavy sweating and intense thirst: + tian hua fen, + lu gen
Severe heatstroke: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + ban lan gen, + da qing ye
Heatstroke with marked Fluid damage: + shi hu, + tian hua fen, + lu gen
Heatstroke from toxic Heat with petechiae, confusion, irritability and restlessness: + huang lian, + huang qin, + huang bai, + zhi zi
Rheumatic fever: + gui zhi, + yi yi ren, + ren dong teng, + sang zhi, + huang bai, + chi shao, + qin jiao
Rheumatic fever with erythema annulare and nodules under the skin: + gui zhi, + yi yi ren, + ren dong teng, + sang zhi, + huang bai, + chi shao, + qin jiao, + dan shen, + hong hua, + zi cao
Rheumatic fever from Qi-level Heat: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + sang zhi, + huai niu xi, + mu gua, + guang fang ji, + qin jiao, + gui zhi, + cang zhu, + xi xian cao, + jiang huang, + xi he liu
Rheumatic fever from Qi-level Heat with exterior signs: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + sang zhi, + huai niu xi, + mu gua, + guang fang ji, + qin jiao, + gui zhi, + cang zhu, + xi xian cao, + jiang huang, + xi he liu, + jing jie, + bo he, + niu bang zi, + dan dou chi
Rheumatic fever from Qi-level Heat with a severe sore throat: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + sang zhi, + huai niu xi, + mu gua, + guang fang ji, + qin jiao, + gui zhi, + cang zhu, + xi xian cao, + jiang huang, + xi he liu, + huang qin, + shan dou gen, + ma bo, + she gan, + jie geng
Rheumatic fever from Qi-level Heat with high fever: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + sang zhi, + huai niu xi, + mu gua, + guang fang ji, + qin jiao, + gui zhi, + cang zhu, + xi xian cao, + jiang huang, + xi he liu, + huang lian, + huang bai, + zhi zi
Nasal pain: + xin yi hua, + pu gong ying
Nasal pain with thirst: + xin yi hua, + pu gong ying, + sheng ma, + da qing ye
Nasal pain with nosebleed: + xin yi hua, + pu gong ying, + zhu ye (dan), + ou jie
Nasal pain with bad breath (combined with Zi Xue Dan): + xin yi hua, + pu gong ying, + jin yin hua, + zhi zi
Nasal pain with constipation: + xin yi hua, + pu gong ying, + da huang, + mang xiao
Diabetes: + sheng di huang, + tian men dong, + mai men dong, + tian hua fen, + huang lian, + huang qin, − geng mi
Diabetes with thirst, drinking a lot and passing much urine: + sheng di huang, + tian men dong, + mai men dong, + tian hua fen, + huang lian, + huang qin, + shi hu, + wu wei zi, − geng mi
Diabetes with cold sweats and fatigue: + sheng di huang, + tian men dong, + mai men dong, + tian hua fen, + huang lian, + huang qin, + ren shen, − geng mi

Cautions

contraindication Fever from Spleen and Stomach deficiency, with spontaneous sweating, great fatigue, dislike of wind and a floating, empty pulse
contraindication True Cold with false Heat: fever yet a wish to be warm, no desire for fluids, restless limbs in a patient who is otherwise subdued, and a pulse that is flooding but weak
contraindication Yang Ming organ (Fu) pattern
contraindication Exterior symptoms still present, such as fever with chills or body aches
caution Take care when the pulse is floating, wiry and thin, or when it is deep
caution Take care when there is no thirst or no sweating
caution A very cold, mineral-heavy formula for genuine, vigorous excess Heat only; used for the wrong pattern it can harm Spleen and Stomach Yang, and it can upset a weak, cold Stomach even when some Heat is present

Preparation

Decoction: Shi Gao is crushed, then everything simmers with uncooked rice until the grains are soft; strain and take warm in several doses over the day

Names

Pinyin	bai hu tang
English Name	White Tiger Decoction

Classification

Category: Clear Heat from Qi Level