San Sheng Yin

San Sheng Yin (Drink from Three Unprepared Ingredients), from Simple Book of Formulas (1191).

Actions: Dispels wind; Transforms phlegm; Disperses cold; Assists the yang

Indications: Loss of consciousness, overabundant and congested phlegm, halting and sluggish speech, inversion frigidity of the extremities; also deviation of mouth and eyes or hemiplegia with white tongue coating and submerged, hidden pulse

Pattern: Sudden wind-stroke with wind-phlegm in a patient with yang deficiency and phlegm-dampness

Cautions:

• Potentially highly toxic; use with extreme caution
• Decoct the three main herbs with sheng jiang for at least an hour; safe when it no longer irritates the mouth
• Discontinue once the effect is achieved
• Absolutely contraindicated with yin or blood deficiency, heat or fire, or ascendant Liver yang

Modifications:

• Submerged, hidden, and frail pulse: Add ren shen

Commentary: An intensified derivative of Wu Tou Tang using unprepared aconite and arisaema for acute life-threatening wind-phlegm stroke; several commentators regard it as treating cold rather than wind.

Category: Formulas that Dredge and Disperse External Wind.

Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 624.

Coarse powder; boil 15g in 2 cups water with 10 slices sheng jiang (an assistant) until half remains. Now a decoction with reduced dosage.