Bu Fei Tang, Tonify the Lungs Decoction, is Ren Shen, Huang Qi, Shu Di Huang, Wu Wei Zi, Zi Wan and Sang Bai Pi. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that tonify Qi.

Herb

Amount

9 g

24 g

24 g

6 g

9 g

12 g

Actions and indications

Tonifies Lung Qi

Lung Qi deficiency of long standing, not a fresh cough from an external attack
Weak chronic cough that gets worse with exertion
Shortness of breath and shallow, gasping breathing, worse for talking or activity
Low, weak voice, fatigue, low energy, apathy and reluctance to speak
Pale face
Stifling feeling in the chest

Stabilises the Exterior

Spontaneous sweating, dislike of cold and a tendency to catch colds easily
Occasional chills and fever

Nourishes Yin and Blood

Astringes Lung Qi, directs it downward, resolves Phlegm and stops cough

Wheezing, with scant, thin sputum
Tongue pale with a thin white coat; pulse weak, feeble and weak, or big and deficient

Modern uses

Cough
Common cold
Influenza
Upper respiratory tract infection
Fever
Chronic bronchitis
Emphysema
COPD
Asthma
Dyspnea
Gasping
Pulmonary tuberculosis
Allergic rhinitis
Allergic sinusitis
Hay fever
Nasal congestion
Spontaneous perspiration
Fatigue
Weakness
Palpitations
Facial edema
Polyuria
Urinary incontinence
Enuresis
AIDS/HIV
Cough and asthma in HIV/AIDS

Modifications

Severe Qi deficiency (combined with Si Jun Zi Tang)

Kidney deficiency (combined with Ren Shen Ge Jie San)

Cough with thin mucus: + bai zhu, + fu ling, + gan jiang, + kuan dong hua, − sang bai pi

Spontaneous sweating: + mu li, + ma huang (gen), + fu xiao mai

Polyuria (combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang): + fu ling, − sheng ma, − chai hu

Polyuria without Lung symptoms (combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang): + fu ling, + qian shi, + jin ying zi, + tu si zi, − sheng ma, − chai hu, − sang bai pi, − zi wan

Polyuria with a tendency to catch colds (combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang): + fu ling, + fang feng, − sheng ma, − chai hu

Polyuria with a severe cough (combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang): + fu ling, + kuan dong hua, + hou po, − sheng ma, − chai hu

Polyuria with Phlegm-Damp blocking the Lungs (combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang): + fu ling, + zhi ban xia, + jie geng, − sheng ma, − chai hu

Oppressed chest: + bai zhu, + gan cao

Polyuria with Food stagnation (combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang): + fu ling, + mai ya, + lai fu zi, + shan zha, − sheng ma, − chai hu

Oppressed chest with a tendency to catch colds: + bai zhu, + gan cao, + fang feng

Show all 28 modifications

Oppressed chest, Lungs congested by Phlegm-Damp: + bai zhu, + gan cao, + zhi ban xia, + fu ling, + chen pi
Oppressed chest with copious Phlegm: + bai zhu, + gan cao, + jie geng, + zhi ke, − shu di huang, − wu wei zi
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient, Qi deficiency predominating: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen, + shan yao, + ge jie
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient, Yin deficiency predominating: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen, + bai he, + yu zhu
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient, with severe rapid panting: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen, + he zi, + bai guo
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient, with a tendency to catch colds: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen, + fang feng, + bai zhu
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient, with Phlegm-Damp blocking the Lungs: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen, + zhi ban xia, + fu ling, + chen pi
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient, mainly cough: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen, + xing ren, + zi su zi
Asthma, Lung Qi and Yin deficient, with Spleen Qi deficiency: + mai men dong, + nan sha shen, + dang shen, + bai zhu
Enuresis: + gan jiang, + zhi gan cao
Asthma: + xing ren, + hou po
Urinary incontinence (combined with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang): + fu ling, + yi zhi ren, − chai hu
Chronic bronchitis, Lung-Spleen Qi deficiency: + kuan dong hua, + bai zhu, + fu ling, + zhi gan cao, − shu di huang, − sang bai pi
HIV/AIDS: + fu ling, + bai zhu, + zhi gan cao
Cough and asthma in HIV/AIDS (combined with Liu Jun Zi Tang): − gan cao

Cautions

contraindication An acute exterior attack of Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat, with fever, chills or a floating pulse; release the exterior first, as the tonic and astringent herbs can trap the pathogen

contraindication Excess-type cough from Phlegm-Heat or Damp-Phlegm, with forceful coughing and thick yellow or copious phlegm; the tonics may thicken the phlegm or lock in Heat

Pinyin

bu fei tang

English Name

Tonify the Lungs Decoction

bu fei tang

About bu fei tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Tonifies Lung Qi

Stabilises the Exterior

Nourishes Yin and Blood

Astringes Lung Qi, directs it downward, resolves Phlegm and stops cough

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification