Ke Xue Fang
Star咳血方 (Coughing of Blood Formula)
Source: Dan Xi Xin Fa (1481)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Ke Xue Fang (Coughing of Blood Formula), from the Dan Xi Xin Fa, is used to clear fire; transform phlegm; preserve the Lung; stop cough and bleeding.
Presentation: excess Liver-fire attacking the Lung; coughing blood, blood-streaked sputum; thick sputum difficult to expectorate; bitter taste; irritability; sharp chest and hypochondriac pain; red cheeks; constipation; tongue: red with yellow coating; pulse: wiry and rapid.
Syndrome: Syndrome of bleeding.
Composition strategy:
- for upper-body bleeding use substances that move downward and inward
- though bleeding is in the Lung, draining Liver-fire is primary
Source: Yang Y. Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010, p. 292.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Qing Dai
as printed: Qing Dai (Indigo naturalis)
|
6g | 15.38% | Jun (Chief) | drain excess Liver-fire, cool blood |
|
Zhi Zi
as printed: Zhi Zi (Gardeniae fructus)
|
9g | 23.08% | Jun (Chief) | drain Liver-fire, cool blood |
|
Hai Fu Shi
as printed: Hai Fu Shi (Pumex)
|
9g | 23.08% | Chen (Deputy) | remove sticky thick sputum |
|
Gua Lou Ren
replaces Yang's Gua Lou Gen (root); Chen and Qiao both print the seed; Chen: oil removed
|
9g | 23.08% | Chen (Deputy) | clears heat, moistens dryness and dissolves phlegm |
|
He Zi
as printed: He Zi (Chebulae fructus)
|
6g | 15.38% | Zuo (Assistant) | preserve Lung-Qi dispersed by intense cough |
Energetics dose-weighted
The formula's overall nature, taste balance and channel reach, weighted by each herb's dose. Classical formulas often pair warm and cool herbs on purpose, so a net figure summarises the mix — it doesn't describe every herb in it.
Nature
Net cold (-1.69)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 85%, neutral 15%.
Taste
- sweet 23%
- sour 8%
- bitter 31%
- salty 39%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Lung 100%
- Large intestine 39%
- Stomach 23%
- Heart 23%
- Kidney 23%
- Liver 15%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
Dose-weighted from each herb's recorded nature, taste and channels (missing values are left out, never counted as neutral). It describes the composition — it is not a recommendation.
Preparation
Source: powder and form pills with honey and ginger juice, dissolved in the mouth; dose unspecified. May be decocted at the doses in parentheses.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 601.
Relationships
Full-screen graph →Click a node for details · double-click to expand it · Ctrl/⌘ + scroll or two fingers to zoom and pan.
Formula Network
Formulas that share herbs with this one — the closer to the centre, the stronger the match. Click a node to explore.
Similar Formulas by composition
Match score combines dosage-weighted composition (cosine, 70%) with shared-herb overlap (Jaccard, 30%).
Traditional formula information is for educational purposes only. Herbal formulas should be prescribed by a qualified practitioner — dosages and combinations are individualized and can interact with medications.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Ke Xue Fang.
No notes yet.