Mai Men Dong Tang, Ophiopogon Decoction, is Mai Men Dong, Ren Shen, Geng Mi, Da Zao, Gan Cao and Ban Xia. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that enrich Yin and moisten Dryness, and records it as nourishing Lung and Stomach Yin.

Herb

Amount

15 g

6 g

9 g

12 g

6 g

4.5 g

Actions and indications

Nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin and generates fluids

Yin deficiency of the Lungs and Stomach with Qi rebelling upward
Lung atrophy (Lung Wei); blazing Stomach Fire
Mouth and throat dry and uncomfortable, with thirst and hoarseness
Flushed face and heat in the palms, soles and chest
Scanty urine
Tongue red and dry with little or no coat; pulse thin and rapid, or deficient and rapid

Directs rebellious Qi downward

Cough or wheezing with Qi rushing upward, shortness of breath and asthma
Scanty, sticky sputum, sometimes yellow, that is hard to cough up
Coughing or spitting up frothy saliva

Benefits the Stomach and harmonizes the Middle Jiao

Hiccups, nausea and vomiting

Modern uses

Cough
Cough from interstitial pneumonia
Dry cough after infection or from medication
Pertussis
Pneumonia
Pulmonary atelectasis
Bronchiectasis
Acute or chronic bronchitis
Chronic tracheitis
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Dyspnea
Pulmonary tuberculosis
Tuberculosis of the pharynx
Acute and chronic pharyngitis
Chronic laryngitis
Hoarseness
Lip pain
Bad breath
Sjogren's syndrome
Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia
Lung cancer
Esophageal cancer
Radiotherapy side effects
Radiotherapy for breast cancer
Gastritis
Atrophic gastritis
Peptic ulcer
Esophageal reflux
Gastralgia
Stomach cramps
Indigestion
Hiccups
Nausea/Vomiting
Morning sickness
Diabetes
Hyperglycemia
Hypertension
Arteriosclerosis
Headache
Fever
Oliguria
Weakness

Modifications

Severe Yin deficiency with exhausted body fluids: + sha shen, + yu zhu, + shi gao, + dan zhu ye

Afternoon fever: + yin chai hu, + di gu pi

Stomach Fire: + bai shao

Severe loss of fluids: + sha shen, + yu zhu

Severe cough: + chuan bei mu, + gua lou ren

Dry mouth after radiotherapy, worse at night, with irritability, a dry tongue and rapid pulse: + ju hua, + tian hua fen, + sha shen, + shan yao, + mu dan pi

Thirst and irritability: + shi gao, + zhi mu

Burning epigastric pain or dry retching from Stomach Yin deficiency: + bai he

Stubborn nausea and vomiting from Stomach Yin deficiency: + shi hu, + pi pa ye

Morning sickness: + gou qi zi, + zhu ru, + sheng jiang

Stomach Yin deficiency gastritis with Liver-Stomach disharmony (combined with Si Ni San)

Stomach Yin deficiency gastritis with mixed Cold and Heat (combined with Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang)

Show all 47 modifications

Stomach Yin deficiency gastritis with a cold, deficient Spleen and Stomach (combined with Li Zhong Tang, or with Xiao Jian Zhong Tang)
Drier cough: + bai he, + tian men dong
Productive cough with thick mucus: + zhe bei mu, + sang bai pi, + zhu ru
Digestive upset as well: + sheng jiang, + chen pi
Lung Heat with Blood Heat: + shi gao, + zhi mu
Asthma: + zi su zi, + wu wei zi
Severe hacking cough: + pi pa ye, + xing ren
Hypertension and arteriosclerosis: + gou teng, + shi gao, + ju hua
Emphysema: + dan zhu ye, + shi gao
Qi and Yin injured by a pathogen lingering late in a febrile disease: + dan zhu ye, + shi gao, − da zao
Gastric ulcer: + shi hu, + tian hua fen, + bai shao, + nuo dao gen
Tidal fever: + yin chai hu, + di gu pi
Severe loss of fluids, fuller set: + sha shen, + yu zhu, + tian men dong
Yin-deficient asthma with Phlegm blockage: + chuan bei mu, + dong gua zi, + gua lou, + jie geng, + zhi ke, − geng mi
Asthma with Phlegm blockage and marked Yin deficiency: + chuan bei mu, + dong gua zi, + gua lou, + jie geng, + zhi ke, + nan sha shen, + bai he, − geng mi
Asthma with Phlegm blockage and Kidney Yin deficiency: + chuan bei mu, + dong gua zi, + gua lou, + jie geng, + zhi ke, + dang gui, + shu di huang, − geng mi
Severe Yin-deficient asthma with Phlegm blockage: + chuan bei mu, + dong gua zi, + gua lou, + jie geng, + zhi ke, + sang bai pi, + di long, − geng mi
Vomiting and nausea with badly depleted fluids: + yu zhu, + tian hua fen, + lu gen
Vomiting and nausea with dry stools: + sheng di huang, + huo ma ren, + gua lou ren
Vomiting and nausea with severe Yin deficiency: + shi hu, + sha shen, + tian hua fen
Frequent vomiting and nausea: + zhu ru, + chen pi, + pi pa ye
Vomiting and nausea with dry stools or constipation: + xuan shen, + huo ma ren, + feng mi
Vomiting and nausea with mild deficiency Heat: + hu huang lian, + di gu pi
Vomiting and nausea with epigastric pain: + bai shao, + gan cao
Vomiting and nausea with acid reflux and heartburn: + hai piao xiao
Vomiting and nausea with low stomach acid: + wu mei, + shi hu, + shan zha
Vomiting and nausea with atrophy of the stomach lining: + dan shen, + huang qi
Vomiting and nausea with Helicobacter pylori: + pu gong ying
Vomiting and nausea with Qi stagnation: + fo shou
Vomiting and nausea with Kidney or Liver Yin deficiency (combined with Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, or with Yi Guan Jian)
Peptic ulcer, hiccups severe: + shi di, + ding xiang
Peptic ulcer with vomiting from constrained Heat: + huang lian, + zhu ru
Peptic ulcer with constipation: + xuan shen, + sheng di huang
Marked Stomach Yin deficiency with thirst (one or more of these): + sha shen, + yu zhu, + shi hu
Thick, sticky sputum, difficult to cough up: + chuan bei mu, + gua lou pi

Cautions

contraindication Cough or wheezing from Wind-Cold, Phlegm-Damp or Phlegm-Heat, where an active pathogen or copious sputum would be trapped by its rich, moistening herbs

caution Take care with coughs and hiccups due to Wind-Cold or Heat

contraindication Dampness

contraindication Lung atrophy from deficiency Cold

caution High fever and irritability from exterior Heat: use with caution

caution Damp Spleen or weak digestion: use with care, as the fluid-generating herbs are hard to move

pregnancy Contains Ban Xia, which carries the usual caution in pregnancy; use the processed form

caution Keep Ban Xia apart from aconite (Wu Tou, Fu Zi), a classical incompatibility

caution With enalapril: reported to relieve the cough this drug can cause; also reported effective for cough provoked by capsaicin

Pinyin

mai men dong tang

English Name

Ophiopogonis Decoction

mai men dong tang

About mai men dong tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin and generates fluids

Directs rebellious Qi downward

Benefits the Stomach and harmonizes the Middle Jiao

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification