Gun Tan Wan, Vaporize Phlegm Pill, is calcined Meng Shi, Da Huang, Huang Qin and Chen Xiang. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that scour Phlegm and open the orifices, and records it as driving out Phlegm and draining Fire.

Herb

Amount

30 g

240 g

240 g

15 g

Actions and indications

Drains Fire

Stubborn, deep-seated Phlegm-Fire with marked excess Heat, disturbing the Heart and Stomach
Phlegm-Heat in the Liver and Gallbladder: dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, facial tics
Dry, hard stools and constipation
Tongue red at the tip with a thick, greasy yellow coat; pulse slippery, rapid and forceful, or wiry and rapid

Drives out Phlegm

Phlegm-Fire harassing the Heart: mania and withdrawal (Kuang-Dian), agitation, restlessness, ceaseless shouting or singing, sometimes violence
Incoherent speech, a blank stare, fright, clouded consciousness and very strange dreams
Palpitations, anxiety and insomnia; in severe cases palpitations that do not let up can lead to coma
Cough and wheeze with thick, sticky yellow sputum that is hard to bring up
Full, stifled chest and epigastrium, a choking feeling, no interest in food
Blocked nose with a thick, foul, yellow, turbid discharge
Sudden, deep joint pain that is hard to describe or severe and stabbing; wriggling movements of the eyes and mouth
Nodules in the neck; dull complexion

Modern uses

Mania
Insanity
Psychosis
Schizophrenia
Bi-polar disorder
Hysteria
Neurosis
Anxiety neurosis
Anxiety
Insomnia
Epilepsy
Seizure disorder
Pediatric seizure disorder
Viral encephalitis
Stroke
Hypertension
Migraines
Palpitations
Dizziness
Vertigo
Meniere's disease
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Tinnitus
Deafness
Ear pain
Otitis externa
Chronic suppurative otitis media
Otorrhea
Nasosinusitis
Excessive secretion accompanying pharyngitis
Tongue pain
Cough
Tenacious sputum
Tracheitis
Acute bronchitis
Bronchial asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Respiratory complaints with heavy phlegm
Long-standing congestion with fever
Various symptoms of tuberculosis
Acute gastritis
Constipation
Esophageal cancer
Stomach cancer

Symptoms

Anxiety

Chest fullness

Chest oppression

Choking sensation

Coma

Constipation

Cough

Dizziness

Dream-disturbed sleep

Dry stools

Dull eyes

Epigastric distention

Fear

Incoherent speech

Insomnia

Involuntary movements

Joint pain

Loss of consciousness

Lusterless complexion

Mania

Nasal congestion

Nasal discharge

Neck mass

Palpitations

Poor appetite

Restlessness

Shouting

Social withdrawal

Stabbing pain

Tics

Tinnitus

Violent behavior

Wheezing

Yellow sputum

Modifications

Stroke involving Phlegm, Fire, internal Wind and excess Yang

Stroke with internal Wind, excess Yang and Phlegm (combined with Da Cheng Qi Tang)

Stroke, alternative combination with Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang

Stroke from internal Wind with excess Yang

Coronary heart disease from Phlegm-Fire harassing the Heart (combined with Xiao Xian Xiong Tang): + dan shen, + yu jin, + zhu ru

Coronary heart disease, alternative combination with Zeng Ye Cheng Qi Tang

Coronary heart disease from Phlegm-Fire, with severe pain (combined with Xiao Xian Xiong Tang): + dan shen, + yu jin, + zhu ru, + dan nan xing, + zhe bei mu, + zhi shi

Coronary heart disease from Phlegm-Fire, with mental confusion (combined with Xiao Xian Xiong Tang): + dan shen, + yu jin, + zhu ru, + shi chang pu, + yuan zhi

Coronary heart disease from Phlegm-Fire, with confusion or unconsciousness (combined with Xiao Xian Xiong Tang): + dan shen, + yu jin, + zhu ru, + zhi bao dan

Coronary heart disease from Phlegm-Fire, short of breath (combined with Xiao Xian Xiong Tang): + dan shen, + yu jin, + zhu ru, + sang bai pi, + ting li zi

Tongue pain: + dan nan xing, + tian zhu huang

Severe tongue pain: + dan nan xing, + tian zhu huang, + mu tong, + sheng di huang

Cautions

caution Taken as pills, never as a decoction; Meng Shi has to be calcined before use

contraindication Weak, deficient, elderly or frail patients: the hard purging can injure Spleen and Stomach Qi; if used at all, only briefly under supervision when excess Heat is clearly confirmed

pregnancy Contraindicated in pregnancy

lactation Contraindicated while breastfeeding, because of the strong purgative Da Huang

contraindication The postpartum period

contraindication Stubborn Phlegm without Heat, or Phlegm that comes from Cold and deficiency of the Spleen and Stomach or from Yin-deficient dryness

caution Short courses only: stop, or change to a gentler formula, once the stools pass and the acute signs ease

caution Mania, psychosis and seizure disorders need proper medical diagnosis and care; this formula does not replace it

Pinyin

gun tan wan

English Name

Vaporize Phlegm Pill

gun tan wan

About gun tan wan

Ingredients