Zhu Ling Tang, Polyporus Decoction, is Zhu Ling, Fu Ling, Ze Xie, Hua Shi and E Jiao. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that promote urination and leach out Dampness, and records it as promoting urination while clearing Heat and stopping bleeding.

Herb

Amount

3 g

3 g

3 g

3 g

3 g

Actions and indications

Promotes urination

Water accumulating internally while Heat has already begun to injure fluids, so draining alone would harm Yin further
Difficult, scanty or painful urination, dribbling, with fever
Oedema, with distension and pain of the lower abdomen
Cough, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhoea when fluid metabolism is disturbed along with these signs
Damp-Heat diarrhoea in infants, with dry skin and sunken eyes

Clears Heat and stops bleeding

Heat stagnating together with retained water; Shao Yin Heat or Yang Ming patterns
Hot, bloody painful urination (Blood Lin), with blood in the urine when Heat damages the vessels

Nourishes Yin

Marked thirst with wish to drink that persists despite drinking
Heat disturbing the upper body: poor sleep, anxiety, irritability and restlessness
Fever that is worse at night; painful urination with Yin deficiency
Tongue red or dark red and dry, with a thin yellow coat, a dry yellow coat or none; pulse thin and rapid, or forceful and rapid

Modern uses

Urinary tract infection
Lower urinary tract infection
Cystitis
Interstitial cystitis
Urethritis
Pyelitis
Pyelonephritis
Nephritis
Glomerulonephritis
Acute glomerulonephritis
Degenerative nephritis
Kidney failure
Renal calculus
Urolithiasis
Cystolithiasis
Hydronephrosis
Hematuria
Oliguria
Uroschesis
Galacturia
Prostatitis
Benign prostatic hypertrophy
Hydrocele
Gonorrhea
Oedema
Cardiogenic oedema
Ascites
Bleeding from liver cirrhosis
Hemorrhagic shock
Uterine bleeding
Thrombocytic purpura
Enteritis
Acute gastroenteritis
Chronic gastritis
Colitis
Ulcerative colitis
Jaundice
Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal fullness and distension
Upper respiratory infections
Cough
Fever
Insomnia
Anxiety
Palpitations
Epilepsy
Perimenopausal syndrome
Eczema
Dry skin

Modifications

Yin deficiency with marked thirst: + sha shen, + tian hua fen

Bloody, painful urination (Xue Lin): + bai mao gen, + qu mai, + xiao ji

Hot, painful urination: + zhi zi, + bian xu

Hot, painful urination, alternative additions: + bai mao gen, + xiao ji

Severe diarrhoea with difficult urination: + sheng ma, − e jiao

Alternatively, combined with Xiao Ji Yin Zi

Blood in the urine: + bai mao gen, + xiao ji, + da ji

Stone Lin: + hai jin sha, + jin qian cao

Severe dysuria: + mu tong, + sheng di huang

Heat Lin: + zhi zi, + che qian zi

Frequent urination: + cang zhu, + bai zhu

Alternatively, combined with Ba Zheng San

Show all 31 modifications

Insomnia with irritability: + hu po, + zhi zi
Restlessness, irritability and thirst: + shi gao, + zhi mu
Urine retention after childbirth from Bladder dysfunction and Blood deficiency, with a full, cramping lower abdomen, irritability, thirst and a red tongue without coat (combined with Qing Xin Lian Zi Yin): + gui zhi
Urinary stones with blood in the urine: + pu huang, + da ji, + xiao ji, + di long
Urinary stones with severe colic: + bai shao, + mu gua
Urine retention with cold intolerance and pain of the low back and knees: + zhi fu zi, + rou gui
Urine retention with a weak, soft voice: + ren shen, + huang qi
Urine retention with painful urination and a full, distended lower abdomen: + chuan shan jia, + jin qian cao
Urine retention with poor appetite: + ji nei jin, + jian shen qu
Hydronephrosis with urinary stones: + jin qian cao, + hai jin sha, + shi wei, + wang bu liu xing, + huai niu xi, + ji nei jin
Hydronephrosis with frequent, urgent, painful urination: + mu tong, + bian xu
Hydronephrosis with constipation: + da huang
Hydronephrosis with blood in the urine: + qian cao gen, + mo han lian, + bai mao gen
Hydronephrosis with an enlarged prostate: + ze lan, + yi mu cao, + gui zhi
Milky urine: + huang bai, + bai mao gen, + bian xu
Jaundice: + yin chen
Interstitial cystitis (combined with Liu Wei Di Huang Wan)
Interstitial cystitis with Damp-Heat (combined with Liu Wei Di Huang Wan): + zhi mu, + huang bai
Interstitial cystitis with Qi stagnation (combined with Liu Wei Di Huang Wan): + wu yao, + chuan lian zi, + xiang fu

Cautions

contraindication Not for cases without Heat, or where Cold-type water accumulation predominates

contraindication Not where Heat is abundant and Yin is already severely damaged

contraindication Not for pronounced Damp, or Damp without Heat

contraindication Avoid with Spleen Yang deficiency and cold, watery diarrhoea

caution E Jiao is rich and cloying; take care when poor appetite or loose stools show a weak Spleen

pregnancy Strongly draining formulas are traditionally used cautiously in pregnancy; seek professional guidance

caution Haemorrhagic shock is a life-threatening emergency that needs hospital care, not herbs; urinary infection, kidney inflammation and blood in the urine need medical assessment

Pinyin

zhu ling tang

English Name

Polyporus Decoction

zhu ling tang

About zhu ling tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Promotes urination

Clears Heat and stops bleeding

Nourishes Yin

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification

Support