wei jing tang

Reed Decoction

About wei jing tang

Wei Jing Tang, Reed Decoction, is Lu Gen, Yi Yi Ren, Dong Gua Ren and Tao Ren. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that clear Heat from the organs, and records it as transforming Phlegm, expelling pus and dispelling Blood stasis.

Ingredients

Herb	Amount
lu gen	30 g
yi yi ren	30 g
dong gua ren	24 g
tao ren	9 g

Actions and indications

Clears Heat from the Lungs

Phlegm-Heat and Blood Stasis with pus in the Lungs (Lung abscess), from Wind-Heat toxin
Lung Heat, including lingering Heat while recovering from a febrile illness
Low or slight fever with chills; thirst but little wish to drink; dry mouth and throat
Eye disorders from toxic Heat blazing upward
Tongue red with a yellow greasy coat; pulse slippery and rapid

Transforms Phlegm and expels pus

Cough with copious, thick, foul-smelling sputum that is purulent, streaked with blood, or like rice porridge
Cough that may also be dry
Dry, scaly skin and red rashes

Dispels Blood Stasis

Chest pain, mild or worse on coughing, sometimes reaching the shoulder or back

Modern uses

Lung abscess
Pneumonia
Bronchiectasis
Acute and chronic bronchitis
Asthmatic bronchitis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including acute flare-ups
Upper respiratory tract infection
Pertussis
Measles
Lung cancer
Hemoptysis
Cough
Dyspnea
Fever
Recovery from febrile disease
Eye disorders
Dry skin

Symptoms

Chest pain
Chills
Cough
Dry cough
Dry mouth
Dry skin
Foul-smelling sputum
Hemoptysis
Low-grade fever
Purulent sputum
Rash
Sputum difficult to expectorate
Thirst
Thirst with no desire to drink

Modifications

Before pus forms, with Lung Heat: + jin yin hua, + yu xing cao
After pus forms, with pus in the sputum: + jie geng, + chuan bei mu, + gan cao
Measles showing Lung Heat: + sang bai pi, + chuan bei mu, + huang qin
Too much sputum: + ting li zi
Convalescence from febrile illness, with lingering Heat and a stubborn, phlegmy cough: + si gua luo, + gua lou pi, + pi pa ye
Marked Lung Heat and yellow or purulent sputum in pneumonia or acute bronchitis: + jie geng, + chai hu, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, − yi yi ren
Cough and laboured breathing in pneumonia (combined with Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang)
Lung abscess (combined with Huang Lian Jie Du Tang)
Measles once the rash is out, with ongoing fever and productive cough: + tao ren, + sang bai pi, + zhe bei mu
Intense Heat: + huang qin, + zhi zi, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + gan cao
Cough bringing up a lot of sputum: + jie geng, + xing ren, + chuan bei mu, + hua shi
Severe cough with blood in the sputum: + bai mao gen, + ou jie, + hua rui shi

Show all 40 modifications

Phlegm-Heat cough: + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + huang qin, + jie geng
Constipation: + da huang
Cough bringing up pus: + jie geng, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + chi shao, + huang lian
Purulent cough plus intense Heat and thirst: + jie geng, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + chi shao, + huang lian, + shi gao, + zhi mu, + zhi zi
Purulent cough plus intense toxic Heat: + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + chi shao, + huang lian, + ban zhi lian, + ban bian lian, + zi hua di ding
Purulent cough plus chest fullness, wheezing and much sputum: + jie geng, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + chi shao, + huang lian, + ting li zi, + sang bai pi, + gua lou
Purulent cough plus chest pain: + jie geng, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + chi shao, + huang lian, + yu jin, + yan hu suo
Purulent cough plus constipation: + jie geng, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + chi shao, + huang lian, + da huang, + zhi shi
Purulent cough plus blood-streaked sputum: + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + huang lian, + bai mao gen, + ou jie, + bai ji, + mu dan pi, − tao ren
Purulent cough plus injured Yin: + jie geng, + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + chi shao, + huang lian, + di gu pi, + qing hao, + bie jia
Purulent cough, alternative set without Tao Ren: + yu xing cao, + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + zhe bei mu, + huang lian, − tao ren
Taken together with the patent medicine Yunnan Bai Yao
Coughing up blood: + yu xing cao, + bai mao gen, + ou jie, + huang qin
Coughing up blood that is heavy or hard to stop: + yu xing cao, + bai mao gen, + ou jie, + huang qin
Coughing up blood plus hard coughing and breathlessness (combined with Yunnan Bai Yao): + yu xing cao, + bai mao gen, + ou jie, + huang qin, + zhi ma huang, + zi su zi
San Qi in place of Yunnan Bai Yao: + san qi
Coughing up blood plus constipation: + yu xing cao, + bai mao gen, + ou jie, + huang qin, + da huang, + gua lou ren
Coughing up blood plus Yin deficiency in convalescence: + yu xing cao, + bai mao gen, + ou jie, + huang qin, + di gu pi, + qing hao
Pus formation: + lian qiao, + huang qin, + ju hua, + yu xing cao, − tao ren
Lung cancer from Lung Heat and Damp: + si gua luo, + xing ren, − dong gua zi
Lung cancer from Lung Heat and Damp, unable to lie flat: + si gua luo, + xing ren, + ting li zi, + da zao, − dong gua zi
Lung cancer from Lung Heat and Damp, breathless from bronchi compressed or blocked by lobar pneumonia: + si gua luo, + xing ren, − dong gua zi
Lung abscess: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + yu xing cao, + gua lou, + jie geng, + gan cao
Lung abscess (combined with Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang): + zi su zi, + lai fu zi, + bai jie zi
Lung abscess plus high fever and thirst: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + yu xing cao, + gua lou, + jie geng, + gan cao, + shi gao, + zhi mu
Lung abscess plus a high fever that persists: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + yu xing cao, + gua lou, + jie geng, + gan cao, + pu gong ying, + zi hua di ding, + zhi zi
Lung abscess plus heavy bleeding from the lungs: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + yu xing cao, + gua lou, + jie geng, + gan cao, + sheng di huang, + bai ji
Lung abscess plus much sputum, breathlessness and a distended chest: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao, + huang qin, + yu xing cao, + gua lou, + jie geng, + gan cao, + sang bai pi, + ting li zi

Cautions

contraindication Early cough before pus has formed, Cold-type Phlegm, or Lung deficiency
caution Weak, cold or deficient constitutions: its cooling, draining and Blood-moving herbs can deplete them, especially over a long course
caution A true Lung abscess or serious lung infection needs medical diagnosis and treatment; the formula is an adjunct, not a replacement
pregnancy Contraindicated in pregnancy; Tao Ren moves the Blood

Preparation

Decoction; the fresh reed stem is simmered first and crushed Tao Ren goes in near the end; dried Lu Gen can stand in for fresh reed stem

Names

Pinyin	wei jing tang
English Name	Reed Decoction

Classification

Category: Clear Heat from Organs