Ren Shen Bai Du San, Ginseng Powder to Overcome Pathogenic Influences, is Qiang Huo, Du Huo, Chuan Xiong, Chai Hu, Jie Geng, Zhi Ke, Qian Hu, Ren Shen, Fu Ling and Gan Cao. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that release an Exterior disorder where the Interior is deficient.

Herb

Amount

30 g

30 g

30 g

30 g

30 g

30 g

30 g

30 g

30 g

15 g

Actions and indications

Releases the Exterior and dispels Wind-Cold-Damp

Exterior Wind-Cold-Damp invading a person whose Qi is already weak, such as the elderly, the chronically ill, women after childbirth or young children
Strong chills and shivering, often worse than the fever (which may be high), with aversion to cold and little or no sweating
Heavy, aching head and body; stiff, painful head, neck and back
Blocked, stuffy nose with noisy breathing; cough with plenty of white sputum; fullness and oppression of the chest and diaphragm
At the start of dysentery when chills, fever and body aches are also present
Tongue of normal colour, or pale or slightly purple or with purple spots, with a white or thin white greasy coat; pulse floating and soggy, or superficial and rapid but forceless on pressure

Augments Qi

Underlying Qi deficiency: weak voice, tiredness and general frailty

Eliminates painful obstruction and stops pain

Wind-Cold-Damp Bi: joint pain that moves about, is worse with wind, cold and damp, and eases with warmth
Pain worse at night, stabbing pain, or pain that eases with movement
Cold, heavy joints; sore, painful limbs; hard movement; possible numbness and heaviness of the limbs
Weak muscles with slight swelling; local inflammation
Headache and dizziness

Circulates Qi and Blood

Muscle wasting from stagnant Qi and Blood
Pulse slippery, slightly rough, slow and soft, or wiry and tight

Modern uses

Common cold
Influenza
High fever
Feverish infection of the upper respiratory tract
Cough
Bronchitis
Pneumonia
Nasal congestion
Hoarseness
Mumps
Early-stage measles
Malaria
Dysentery, including its early stage
Diarrhoea
Acute viral hepatitis
Early-stage boils and carbuncles
Suppurative infections
Ulcers
Eczema
Allergic dermatitis
Urticaria
Genital herpes
Rheumatism
Rheumatic arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Gouty arthritis
Arthralgia
Bursitis
Neuralgia
Neck stiffness
Chronic lumbago
Headache
Dizziness
Eye disorders
Weakness
Puerperal fever

Symptoms

Anhidrosis

Aversion to cold

Back pain

Body aches

Chest fullness

Chest oppression

Chills

Cold limbs

Cough

Dizziness

Edema

Fatigue

Fever

Headache

Heavy head

Heavy limbs

High fever

Joint pain

Limited range of motion

Local redness

Nasal congestion

Neck pain

Numbness

Pain

Preference for warmth

Productive cough

Stabbing pain

Stiff neck

Swelling

Wandering pain

Weak voice

Weakness

White sputum

Modifications

Bi with Wind predominant: + fang feng

Bi with Cold predominant: + zhi fu zi

Bi with Damp predominant: + guang fang ji, + cang zhu, + yi yi ren

Bi of Wind, Cold or Damp type, first alternative: + zhi chuan wu, + zhi cao wu, + ma huang, + xi xin

Bi of Wind, Cold or Damp type, second alternative: + han fang ji, + cang zhu, + yi yi ren, + can sha

Bi of Wind, Cold or Damp type (combined with Xiao Huo Luo Dan)

Bi of Wind, Cold or Damp type, third alternative: + zhi fu zi, + zhi chuan wu

Bi of Wind, Cold or Damp type, fourth alternative: + mu gua, + wu jia pi

Fever: + zhi mu, + huang qin, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao

Pain mostly in the arms: + wei ling xian

Pain mostly in the arms, alternative additions: + wei ling xian, + sang zhi

Pain mostly in the legs: + huai niu xi

Show all 45 modifications

Pain mostly in the legs, first alternative: + mu gua
Pain mostly in the legs, second alternative: + wei ling xian, + jiang huang
Pain mostly in the legs, third alternative: + bai ji li, + huai niu xi, + mu gua, + xu duan
Lower back pain: + du zhong, + gou ji
Robust upright Qi with only mild exterior Cold signs: + jing jie, + fang feng, − ren shen
Robust upright Qi with only mild exterior Cold signs, alternative additions: + chuan niu xi
Marked Qi deficiency: + ren shen
Marked Qi deficiency, alternative additions: + huang qi
Robust constitution: use Jing Fang Bai Du San in place of this formula
Damp blocking the muscle layer, with marked aching and soreness of muscles and joints: + wei ling xian, + sang zhi, + qin jiao
Wind toxin with hidden papules, itching or eczema: + chan tui, + ku shen
Malaria-type disorders: + chai hu, + huang qin, + bing lang
Malaria-type disorders, alternative additions: + wei ling xian, + sang zhi, + guang fang ji
Dysentery-like illness: tenesmus, pain in the abdomen, and stools containing pus or blood: + mu xiang, + bai shao
Rashes or skin eruptions that have not fully come out (combined with Xiao Feng San)
Fever and thirst without aversion to wind or cold: + huang qin
Sores in their early stage: + lian qiao, + jin yin hua, − ren shen
No cough or sputum: − jie geng, − qian hu
No exterior Damp: − qiang huo, − du huo, − fu ling
No exterior Damp, alternative changes: + sang zhi, + ren dong teng, − jie geng, − qian hu
Dysentery at its onset: + mu xiang, + huang lian, − ren shen
Severe cough: + xing ren, + bai qian
Malaria: + cao guo, + bing lang
Malaria, alternative changes: + zhi ban xia, + zi wan, + bai bu, − qiang huo, − du huo, − chuan xiong
Respiratory tract infection: + tai zi shen, − ren shen, − gan cao
Acute viral hepatitis: + dang shen, + bai jiang cao, + pu gong ying, − ren shen
Jaundice in acute viral hepatitis: + dang shen, + yin chen, + jin qian cao, − ren shen
Mumps (parotitis): + kun bu, + tao ren, − sheng jiang
Mumps with marked Qi deficiency: + kun bu, + tao ren, + huang qi, − sheng jiang
Mumps with badly swollen parotid glands: + kun bu, + tao ren, + mu li, + xuan shen, + hong hua, − sheng jiang
Mumps with many abscesses and much discharge: + kun bu, + tao ren, + bai hua she she cao, + ban zhi lian, − sheng jiang
Genital herpes: + long dan cao, + ku shen, + chan tui, − bo he, − sheng jiang
Fever after childbirth: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao

Cautions

contraindication Heat patterns, exterior Wind-Heat or interior Heat alike, shown by fever outweighing chills, a red tongue, a sore throat or strong thirst

contraindication Channels obstructed by Damp-Heat

contraindication Yin deficiency with an exterior invasion; with underlying Yin deficiency use it cautiously if at all, since its warm, drying herbs consume Yin

contraindication People who are strong and have no deficiency beneath the exterior pattern

contraindication Spontaneous or profuse sweating already present, as further dispersing would injure the fluids

caution Meant for a short course while the exterior pattern is acute; stop once it resolves, as it is not a tonic to take long term

pregnancy Contains Chuan Xiong, which invigorates the Blood; use in pregnancy only under professional guidance

Pinyin

ren shen bai du san

English Name

Ginseng Powder to overcome Pathogenic Influences

ren shen bai du san

About ren shen bai du san

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Releases the Exterior and dispels Wind-Cold-Damp

Augments Qi

Eliminates painful obstruction and stops pain

Circulates Qi and Blood

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification