Xing Su San, Apricot Kernel and Perilla Leaf Powder, is Zi Su Ye, Qian Hu, Xing Ren, Jie Geng, Zhi Ke, Chen Pi, Fu Ling, Ban Xia, Sheng Jiang, Da Zao and Gan Cao. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that gently disperse and moisten Dryness.

Herb

Amount

6 g

6 g

6 g

6 g

6 g

6 g

6 g

6 g

6 g

2 g

3 g

Actions and indications

Gently disperses cool Dryness

Cool Dryness attacking the Lung from outside, like a mild Wind-Cold joined with Dryness
Chills with a low fever, aversion to Cold, no sweating and a mild headache
General body aches
Dry nasal passages and a dry throat without thirst
Tongue pink with a thin, dry white coat; pulse wiry, or floating and wiry, or tight

Disperses Lung Qi, soothes the Lung and stops cough

Cough that is dry in feel yet brings up thin, watery or frothy white sputum
Throat that tickles or itches, or is sore
Blocked, stuffy nose with sneezing and sticky discharge
Possibly wheezing

Resolves Phlegm and transforms thin fluids

Phlegm-Damp present alongside a Wind-Cold cough
Nausea, vomiting or drooling

Modern uses

Common cold
Influenza
Upper respiratory tract infection
Acute and chronic bronchitis
Autumn dry cough
Cough
Tracheitis
Bronchiectasis
Asthma
Dyspnoea
COPD
Emphysema
Hoarseness
Sore throat
Acute tonsillitis
Allergies
Sinusitis
Nasal congestion
Headache
Fever

Modifications

Severe headache: + fang feng, + chuan xiong

Cough with much sputum: + fu ling, + chen pi, + zhi ban xia

Headache at the forehead or brow bone: + bai zhi

Headache at the forehead or brow bone, alternative herbs: + zi wan, + chuan bei mu

No sweating and a tight or very wiry pulse: + qiang huo

Abdominal fullness with diarrhoea: + cang zhu, + hou po

Strong aversion to Cold: + cong bai, + dan dou chi

Marked fever, but not when diarrhoea and abdominal fullness are present: + huang qin

Headache: + gao ben, + fang feng

Greater Heat or fever: + chai hu, + huang qin

Dry mouth and thirst: + huang qin, + shi gao

Stronger exterior Wind-Cold: + fang feng, + jing jie

Show all 39 modifications

Severe cough: + zi wan, + kuan dong hua
Cough that persists after sweating: + zi su geng, − zi su ye
Cough that persists after sweating, alternative herbs: + feng mi, + chao ma huang
Wind-Cold cough, with or without dyspnoea (combined with Ding Chuan Tang)
Badly itching throat with aversion to Cold: + fang feng, + jing jie
Runny, blocked nose: + xi xin, + cang er zi
Little sputum: − zhi ban xia, − fu ling
Wind-Cold-Damp with profuse Phlegm, a stifling chest and full epigastrium: + hou po, + cang zhu
Cough: + sha shen, + gua lou, + sang bai pi, + zhe bei mu, − zhi ke, − fu ling, − sheng jiang, − da zao
Phlegm cough (combined with Er Chen Tang)
Phlegm cough, alternative herbs: + zi su zi, + ting li zi
Nausea and vomiting: + huo xiang
Need for more moistening: + mai men dong, + sha shen
Qi deficiency with a weak constitution: + dang shen
Dryness that has injured fluids and turned to Heat: + lian qiao, + zhi zi, + bai he, − fu ling, − zhi ke
Cough with dyspnoea: + huang qin, + sang bai pi, + bai bu, − zi su ye, − zhi ke, − sheng jiang, − da zao
Dislike of Wind and Cold: + chuan bei mu, − zhi ban xia
Dislike of Wind and Cold while Dryness is turning into Heat: + chuan bei mu, + lian qiao, + zhi zi, + bai he, − zhi ban xia, − zhi ke, − fu ling
Cough (combined with San Ao Tang)
Cough and dyspnoea (combined with San Ao Tang): + zi su zi
Cough with stronger exterior Cold signs (combined with San Ao Tang): + gui zhi
Cough with internal Damp signs (combined with San Ao Tang): + hou po, + cang zhu, + yi yi ren
Swollen, sore throat: + jiang can, + chan tui
Swollen, sore throat with fever: + chai hu, + sheng ma
Swollen, sore throat with thirst or dry mouth: + mai men dong, + xuan shen
Swollen, sore throat with headache: + chuan xiong, + man jing zi
Swollen, sore throat with itching and dry cough: + tian hua fen, + chuan bei mu

Cautions

contraindication Warm Dryness (dry cough, scant sputum, thirst and Heat signs) or Wind-Heat: this formula suits cool Dryness only, and the wrong choice aggravates the condition

contraindication Lung Yin deficiency with a dry cough: Ban Xia, Chen Pi and Sheng Jiang are warm and drying and would deplete fluids further

contraindication Phlegm-Heat or Damp-Heat types of cough

pregnancy Contains Ban Xia, which carries the usual caution in pregnancy

Pinyin

xing su san

English Name

Apricot Kernel and Perilla Leaf Powder

xing su san

About xing su san

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Gently disperses cool Dryness

Disperses Lung Qi, soothes the Lung and stops cough

Resolves Phlegm and transforms thin fluids

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification

Support