Ma Huang Tang, Ephedra Decoction, is Ma Huang, Gui Zhi, Xing Ren and Zhi Gan Cao. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that release Exterior Cold, and records it as inducing sweating to disperse Wind-Cold and diffusing the Lungs to stop wheezing.

Herb

Amount

9 g

6 g

9 g

3 g

Actions and indications

Releases the Exterior, induces sweating and disperses Wind-Cold

Exterior Wind-Cold of the excess type (Tai Yang cold damage), including the first stage of Wind-Cold Bi
Fever or low fever with strong chills and dislike of cold, and no sweat at all despite the fever
Headache, stiff neck and back, and aches all over the body
Nose blocked, or running with watery discharge; sneezing
No thirst
Early eruptive stage of measles when the same sweatless excess picture is present
Tongue pink with a thin, moist white coat; pulse floating and tight

Diffuses the Lungs and stops wheezing

Wind-Cold attacking the Lungs
Cough or wheezing with a full, oppressed chest
White sputum, thin and watery or frothy, coughed up
Gasping and laboured breathing, possibly asthma
Throat itchy or tickly

Modern uses

Common cold
Influenza
Upper respiratory tract infection
Fever
Headache
Migraine
Cough
Asthma
Bronchial asthma
Acute bronchitis
Lobar pneumonia
Pulmonary emphysema
COPD
Dyspnea
Gasping
Rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis
Allergies
Hay fever
Sinusitis
Allergic sinusitis
Nasal congestion
Nasal pain
Epistaxis
Wind-Cold nosebleeds
Sore throat
Acute pharyngitis
Otitis media
Toothache
Rheumatoid arthritis where inflammation is intense but brief
Painful obstruction
Whole body pain
Neck pain and stiffness
Lumbar strain
Periarthritis of the shoulder
Cervical spine disease
Ankylosing spondylitis
Traumatic arthropathy
Sciatica
Trigeminal neuralgia
Peripheral neuropathy
Numbness
Paresthesia
Raynaud's disease
Phlebitis
Scleroderma
Urticaria
Eczema
Pediatric psoriasis
Solar dermatitis
Chilblains
Acute glomerulonephritis
Glomerulonephritis
Acute nephritis
Pyelonephritis
Ascites
Pericardial effusions
Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
Enuresis
Infantile enuresis
Painful menstruation
Abdominal masses
Difficult labor
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Early stages of mastitis

Modifications

Dampness: + cang zhu

Bi from Wind, Cold and Damp, early stage: + bai zhu

Accompanying Yang deficiency: + huang qi

Sore throat: + tian hua fen, + she gan, − gui zhi

Wheezing and tight chest with thin, watery white sputum: + zi su zi, + chen pi, + sang bai pi, + fu ling

Psoriasis in children (combined with Si Wu Tang)

Cough and asthma with plenty of clear sputum, plus headache, aching body, fever and mild chills: + qian hu, − gui zhi

Bi from Wind, Cold and Damp, severe: + cang zhu, + qin jiao, + ren dong teng

Interior Heat: + shi gao

Accompanying deficiency of Qi and Blood: + huang qi, + ren shen, + shu di huang

Alternative additions, indication unclear: + shi gao, + zhi mu

Further alternative additions, indication unclear: + shi gao, + huang qin

Show all 48 modifications

Wind-Cold invasion together with Dampness: + fang feng, + qiang huo, + bai zhu
Injury from trauma together with Wind-Cold: + tao ren, + hong hua
Aching muscles from an attack of Wind-Cold-Damp: + cang zhu, + yi yi ren
Cold only slight: − gui zhi
Interior Heat as well, with a higher fever and thirst with vexation: + shi gao
Cough or panting: + zi su zi, + sang bai pi, − gui zhi
Cough: + pi pa ye
Cough with a lot of sputum: + pi pa ye, + dan nan xing, + zhi ban xia
Cough with sticky yellow sputum: + pi pa ye, + huang qin, + shi gao
Cough with a hoarse voice and sore throat: + pi pa ye, + he zi, + tian hua fen
Cough with thick, sticky sputum that is hard to bring up, and a red tongue with thin coat: + pi pa ye, + xuan shen, + mai men dong, + sha shen
Cough with tiredness and heavy sweating: + pi pa ye, + huang qi, + fang feng
Peripheral neuropathy: + ju luo, − xing ren
Bedwetting: − xing ren
Bedwetting in summer: + ma huang, − xing ren
Bedwetting in winter: + ma huang, − xing ren
Bedwetting with Qi deficiency: + dang shen, − xing ren
Bedwetting with Yang deficiency: + ba ji tian, + yi zhi ren, − xing ren
Mastitis: + pu gong ying, + jin yin hua
Mastitis with blocked milk flow: + pu gong ying, + jin yin hua, + lou lu
Severe wheezing with rapid panting: + zi su zi, + qian hu
Oppressed chest: + jie geng, + zhi ke
No exterior signs: + zhi ma huang, − gui zhi, − ma huang
Copious thin white sputum (two or three of these herbs): + zhi ban xia, + chen pi, + zhi tian nan xing, + bai jie zi
Severe fullness and stuffiness in the chest: + jie geng, + zhi ke, + zi su geng
Stiff, painful neck: + ge gen
Pain all over the body: + qiang huo, + du huo
Pain all over the body, with sweating: + qiang huo, + du huo, + bai shao, + sheng jiang, + da zao, − ma huang
Pain all over the body, with headache: + qiang huo, + du huo, + chuan xiong, + bai zhi
Pain all over the body, with a stiff neck: + qiang huo, + du huo, + ge gen, + bai shao
Severe pain all over the body with a cold feeling: + qiang huo, + du huo, + gan jiang, + yan hu suo
Pain in the nose: + xi xin, + jie geng
Pain in the nose, with a blocked nose: + xi xin, + jie geng, + bai zhi
Pain in the nose, with fever and dislike of cold: + xi xin, + jie geng, + qiang huo, + chai hu
Pain in the nose, with cough and white Phlegm: + xi xin, + jie geng, + zhi ban xia, + chen pi
Pain in the nose, with headache: + xi xin, + jie geng, + chuan xiong, + qiang huo

Cautions

contraindication Sweating already present, including Tai Yang Wind-Cold with spontaneous sweating; the formula is only for the pattern without sweat, and using it otherwise risks excessive sweating that harms Yang Qi and fluids

contraindication Deficiency of Yin, Blood or Qi, or heavy sweating already present, since strong sweating drains fluids and upright Qi further

contraindication Bleeding that comes from Yin deficiency

contraindication Wind-Heat, or Heat from a bacterial or skin infection

contraindication Lin syndrome, or urination that is already copious

contraindication A weak pulse or general debility

caution Stop as soon as sweating begins; aim for a light, even sweat, never a drenching one, and use only for short courses

caution Hypertension, heart disease or an overactive thyroid: use with great caution or avoid, because Ma Huang stimulates and raises blood pressure

caution Elderly or constitutionally weak patients: use with caution or avoid

pregnancy Use with caution or avoid in pregnancy

caution Ma Huang contains ephedrine-type alkaloids; ephedra supplements are restricted or banned in several countries (a US ban since 2004), and ephedrine is controlled in many places and in competitive sport

caution With interferon for hepatitis C: the formula is reported to lessen the drug's side effects

Pinyin

ma huang tang

English Name

Ephedra Decoction

ma huang tang

About ma huang tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Releases the Exterior, induces sweating and disperses Wind-Cold

Diffuses the Lungs and stops wheezing

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification

Support