Bai Tou Weng Tang, Pulsatilla Decoction, is Bai Tou Weng, Huang Lian, Huang Bai and Qin Pi. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that clear Heat from the organs, and records it as clearing Heat, resolving toxicity and cooling the Blood to stop dysentery.

Herb

Amount

6 g

9 g

9 g

9 g

Actions and indications

Clears Heat and resolves toxicity

Damp-Heat or Heat-toxin dysentery, with Heat and toxin scorching the Stomach and Intestines
Dysentery of the Jue Yin stage caused by Heat
A burning feeling around the anus, thirst with a wish to drink, perhaps low fever, and short, dark urination
Tongue red with a yellow coat; pulse wiry and rapid

Cools Blood and stops dysentery

Abdominal pain and tenesmus with foul stools that contain more blood than pus
Reddish vaginal discharge

Modern uses

Dysentery
Bacillary dysentery
Amoebic dysentery
Acute or chronic enteritis
Postpartum enteritis
Gastroenteritis
Colitis
Ulcerative colitis
Crohn's disease
Diverticulitis
Irritable bowel syndrome
Diarrhea
AIDS/HIV-related diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Anorexia
Pneumonia
Conjunctivitis
Acute conjunctivitis
Acute Damp-Heat eye disorders
Leukorrhea
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Acute urinary tract infections
Oliguria
Profuse perspiration

Modifications

Indigestion: + shan zha, + zhi shi, + bing lang

Chills and fever from invading Wind-Cold: + ge gen, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin

Abdominal pain with tenesmus: + mu xiang, + bing lang

Chills and fever from invading Wind-Cold (alternative): + ge gen, + jing jie, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao

Severe tenesmus: + mu xiang, + bing lang, + bai shao

Dysentery, stools dark with blood: + sheng di huang, + mu dan pi

Severe tenesmus (alternative): + mu xiang, + bing lang, + bai shao, + gan cao, + zhi ke

Painful, hot, swollen eyes: + ju hua, + mu dan pi, + hong hua

Abdominal pain with tenesmus (alternative): + mu xiang, + zhi ke, + bai shao, + dang gui

Marked fever and Heat: + ma chi xian, + jin yin hua

Dysentery with inability to eat: + dang shen, + mai men dong, + shi lian zi, + shi chang pu, − huang bai

Urinary frequency: + mu tong, + bai mao gen, + jin qian cao

Show all 50 modifications

Blood Deficiency: + e jiao, + gan cao
Bacillary dysentery: + di yu, + xian he cao, + mu xiang
Coma and convulsions (combined with An Gong Niu Huang Wan)
Amoebic dysentery: + shi liu pi
Coma and convulsions: alternatively combine with Zi Xue Dan
Amoebic dysentery (alternative): + di yu, + ku shen, − huang lian
Amoebic dysentery with vomiting and nausea (combined with Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang): + zhi ban xia
Amoebic dysentery, alternatively combined with Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang
Amoebic dysentery with abdominal pain (combined with Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang): + bai shao
Amoebic dysentery, high fever, aversion to Cold (combined with Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang): + jin yin hua
Amoebic dysentery with bloody stools (combined with Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang): + jin yin hua
Acute colitis: + mu dan pi, + dang gui, + jin yin hua tan
Colitis in remission: + yan hu suo, + bai zhu, + tao ren
Pneumonia from Wind-Heat invading the Lungs: + xing ren, + ma huang, + yu xing cao, + da qing ye
Pneumonia, Yin and Fluids injured: + sheng di huang, + xuan shen, + di gu pi, + tian hua fen
Pneumonia with Heat at both Qi and Blood levels: + sheng di huang, + xuan shen, + sha shen, + dan shen, + bai hua she she cao
Pelvic inflammation with bleeding after childbirth: + guan zhong tan, + yi mu cao
Pelvic inflammation with spontaneous sweating from Qi deficiency: + huang qi, + dang shen
Pelvic inflammation with Stomach Heat: + jin yin hua, + pu gong ying
Pelvic inflammation with lower abdominal pain: + xiang fu, + ju he
Pelvic inflammation with fluid collecting in the pelvis: + yi yi ren, + qu mai
Pelvic inflammation with poor appetite: + chen pi, + fu ling, + sha ren
Pelvic inflammation with dry stools: + da huang
Toxic-Heat dysentery: + jin yin hua, + bai jiang cao, + sheng di huang, + chi shao, + mu dan pi, + huai hua mi, + gan cao
Toxic-Heat dysentery with spasms, cramps or convulsions: + jin yin hua, + bai jiang cao, + sheng di huang, + chi shao, + mu dan pi, + huai hua mi, + gan cao, + gou teng, + shi jue ming
Toxic-Heat dysentery with severe cramping abdominal pain: + jin yin hua, + bai jiang cao, + sheng di huang, + mu xiang, + bing lang, + mu dan pi, + huai hua mi, + gan cao, + bai shao
Watery, bloody diarrhea in Toxic-Heat dysentery: + jin yin hua, + bai jiang cao, + sheng di huang, + chi shao, + mu dan pi, + huai hua mi, + gan cao, + wu mei, + huang qin tan, + di yu
Exterior signs with Toxic Heat: + jin yin hua, + bai jiang cao, + ge gen, + jing jie, + lian qiao, + gan cao, + chi shao, + huai hua mi
Damp-Heat toxin abdominal pain: + dang gui, + bai shao, + mu xiang, + yan hu suo
Damp-Heat toxin abdominal pain with fever: + dang gui, + bai shao, + mu xiang, + yan hu suo, + jin yin hua, + ma chi xian, + da huang
Damp-Heat toxin abdominal pain, stools with more blood than mucus: + dang gui, + bai shao, + mu xiang, + yan hu suo, + zi cao, + huai hua mi, + di yu
Damp-Heat toxin abdominal pain, stools with more mucus than blood: + dang gui, + bai shao, + mu xiang, + yan hu suo, + fu ling, + yi yi ren
Damp-Heat toxin abdominal pain with marked tenesmus: + dang gui, + bai shao, + mu xiang, + yan hu suo
Damp-Heat toxin abdominal pain with Spleen deficiency: + dang gui, + bai shao, + mu xiang, + yan hu suo, + dang shen, + bai zhu
Damp-Heat toxin abdominal pain with Liver Qi stagnation: + dang gui, + bai shao, + mu xiang, + yan hu suo, + xiang fu, + chai hu
Acute bacillary dysentery: + huang lian, + mu dan pi, + chi shao, + di yu, + ge gen
Coma, convulsions or toxic shock in acute bacillary dysentery (combined with An Gong Niu Huang Wan): + huang lian, + mu dan pi, + chi shao, + di yu, + ge gen
Dysentery in a Blood-deficient patient, as after childbirth: + zhi gan cao, + e jiao

Cautions

contraindication Deficient Spleen-Stomach Yang

contraindication Diarrhea or dysentery of a cold or deficient type: watery rather than bloody stools, cold limbs, dislike of cold and a weak pulse; its bitter cold would deepen the Cold

caution Not for long-term use, nor for chronic, deficient dysentery: all four herbs are bitter and cold with nothing tonifying, and prolonged or misplaced use harms Spleen and Stomach Yang

caution In weak or depleted patients use only with a qualified practitioner's guidance

caution Acute bloody or infectious diarrhea needs prompt assessment; the formula does not replace medical care

pregnancy Strongly cold and clearing: in pregnancy use only with a qualified practitioner's guidance

Pinyin

bai tou weng tang

English Name

Pulsatilla Decoction

bai tou weng tang

About bai tou weng tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Clears Heat and resolves toxicity

Cools Blood and stops dysentery

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification