MA HUANG TANG

Induce Sweating & Release the Exterior • Dispel Wind-Cold • Calm Wheezing

Unlike gentler formulas that harmonize the body, Ma Huang Tang is designed to "force open" the pores and blast a pathogen out of the system through strong diaphoresis (sweating).

Symptoms

Aversion to Cold: Intense chills that do not improve even with many blankets or warm clothes.

Lack of Sweating: The skin is dry and the pores are "locked tight" by the cold.

Body Aches: Severe "stabbing" pain in the joints, lower back, and neck (as if the cold is "contracting" the muscles).

Headache: A heavy, tight headache, usually at the back of the head or vertex.

Respiratory Distress: Wheezing, coughing, or a feeling of constriction in the chest.

Key Indicator: "Tai Yang Cold Excess"—where the cold has clamped the surface of the body shut so tightly that the "Defensive Qi" cannot circulate, leading to a build-up of internal pressure and pain.

Tongue: Pink body with a thin, white coating.

Pulse: Floating (Fu) and Tight (Jin).

Ingredients

Gui Zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus)

Raw Herbs: 6.0g | Granules: 28.6g

Xing Ren (Armeniacae Semen)

Raw Herbs: 9.0g | Granules: 57.1g

Zhi Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix Prep.)

Raw Herbs: 3.0g | Granules: 14.3g

Description

The technical brilliance of Ma Huang Tang lies in its "Ventilation" strategy. It treats the body like a house that has been frozen shut, where the pressure inside (Lung Qi) is rising because the windows (pores) won't open.

Opening the Lungs: In TCM, the "Skin" and the "Lungs" are linked. When the skin is locked by cold, the Lungs cannot "breathe" properly. Xing Ren ensures that as the pores open, the internal pressure in the Lungs is directed downward, instantly relieving wheezing.

Short and Sharp: This formula is not meant for long-term use. It is a "strike" formula—once the patient achieves a mild sweat and the body aches subside, the formula has done its job.

Posology

Raw Herbs:

Decoct in 800ml of water.

Granules:

3 to 6g daily, taken with hot water.

Note: After taking the formula, the patient should stay in bed, covered with a warm blanket, and perhaps drink a bowl of hot rice porridge to encourage a mild, even sweat.

Cautions

STRICTLY CONTRAINDICATED for patients with spontaneous sweating. If the patient is already sweating, this is a "Deficiency" pattern (Tai Yang Zhong Feng), and Ma Huang Tang will cause dangerous fluid loss. Weak Constitution: Use with extreme caution in the elderly, children, or those with severe Qi/Blood deficiency.