Ji Ming San, Powder to Take at Cock's Crow, is Bing Lang, Mu Gua, Wu Zhu Yu, Chen Pi, Zi Su Ye, Jie Geng and Sheng Jiang. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that warm and transform water and Dampness. Its name says when it is taken.

Herb

Amount

36 g

30 g

6 g

30 g

9 g

15 g

15 g

Actions and indications

Promotes the movement of Qi and directs turbidity downward

Pattern: leg Qi (jiao qi) from Cold-Damp, or from Wind-Damp, settled in the legs and feet
Spasm or cramping that surges upward toward the abdomen and chest (running piglet)
In severe cases, a stifling feeling in the chest and epigastrium with overwhelming nausea

Disperses Cold and transforms Dampness

Calves and feet swollen, heavy and weak, so walking is difficult
Numbness, coldness or pain in the feet and calves
Dislike of cold
Tongue normal with a greasy white coat; pulse deep and slow, or floating

Modern uses

Beriberi
Filariasis
Edema
Restless leg syndrome

Modifications

Wind-Damp type: sweats easily, dislikes wind, pulse floating: + gui zhi, + fang feng

Cold-Damp with no sweating, aching body and a deep, slow pulse: + rou gui, + zhi fu zi

Lower Jiao Damp-Heat: − wu zhu yu, − sheng jiang

Cold-Damp leg Qi surging up to the Heart, with palpitations, a cold oppressed chest and a pulse that can barely be felt: + chen xiang, + rou gui, + zhi fu zi, − chen pi, − zi su ye, − jie geng

Combine with San Miao Wan

Heavier Dampness, with a stifling chest, poor appetite, heavy body and greasy tongue coat: + cang zhu, + fu ling, + hou po

Edema with Qi deficiency: + huang qi

Chronic edema: + han fang ji, + huai niu xi

Edema with Yang deficiency: + zhi fu zi

Restless leg syndrome: + ji xue teng

Cautions

contraindication Without major changes, not for leg Qi arising from Damp-Heat, Dryness or Yin deficiency, since its warming, drying herbs would aggravate them

pregnancy Contraindicated in pregnancy; it contains Bing Lang and Wu Zhu Yu, both cautioned in pregnancy

caution Wu Zhu Yu, a hot and strongly drying herb, is traditionally kept away from deficiency-Heat of Yin

caution Bing Lang breaks and can weaken Qi; use carefully with Qi deficiency of the Middle Jiao or loose stools

caution Beriberi from confirmed thiamine deficiency needs thiamine, not this formula

Pinyin

ji ming san

English Name

Powder to Take at Cock's Crow

ji ming san

About ji ming san

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Promotes the movement of Qi and directs turbidity downward

Disperses Cold and transforms Dampness

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification