Ge Gen Tang (Kudzu Decoction)

Sub-Category:

• Formulas that Release Early-Stage Exterior Disorders

Pattern:

• Excess Wind-Cold
• Simultaneous Tai Yang and Yang Ming Syndromes

Actions:

• Promotes sweating to dispel Wind Cold and release the exterior
• Generates fluids and releases the muscle layer.

Indications:

• Chills and fever without sweating, aversion to cold
• Rigid or stiff neck and upper back muscles.
• Possible diarrhea or nausea, irritability or insomnia, or headache with mixed Tai Yang and Yang Ming syndromes.

Possible Tongue Appearance:

• Normal to slightly red tongue with a thin white coat

Possible Pulse Patterns:

• Floating and tight pulse

Western Uses:

• Common Cold
• Influenza
• Stomach Flu
• Acute Cervical Myositis
• Headache
• Stiff Neck
• Frozen Shoulder
• Urticaria
• Allergic Rhinitis
• Early Stage Polio or Encephalitis

Cautions, Contraindications, Herb Drug Interactions:

• Use cautiously in cases with hypertension

Originally Appeared In:

• On Cold Damage (Shang Han Lun)

Combined Channels of all herbs in this formula:

• Stomach, Spleen, Lungs, Bladder, Heart, Liver

Substances in this Formula (7 Total):

	Ge Gen (Pueraria, Kudzu Root) 葛根 Qty: 12 grams Chan: SP, ST Prop: Sweet, Spicy, Cool Latin: Radix Puerariae Cat: Cool, Spicy Herbs that Release the Exterior
	Ma Huang (Ephedra Stem) 麻黄 Qty: 9 grams Chan: LU, BL Prop: Spicy, Slightly Bitter, Warm Latin: Herba Ephedrae Cat: Warm, Spicy Herbs that Release the Exterior
	Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig, Cassia Twig) 桂枝 Qty: 6 grams Chan: HT, LU, BL Prop: Spicy, Sweet, Warm Latin: Ramulus Cinnamomi Cassiae Cat: Warm, Spicy Herbs that Release the Exterior
	Bai Shao (White Peony Root) 白芍 Qty: 6 grams Chan: LIV, SP Prop: Bitter, Sour, Cool Latin: Radix Albus Paeoniae Lactiflorae Cat: Herbs that Tonify Blood
	Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger Rhizome) 生姜 Qty: 9 grams Chan: LU, SP, ST Prop: Spicy, Warm Latin: uncooked Rhizoma Zingiberis Cat: Warm, Spicy Herbs that Release the Exterior
	Da Zao (Date, Jujube) 大枣 Qty: 12 pieces Chan: SP, ST Prop: Sweet, Warm Latin: Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae Cat: Herbs that Tonify Qi
	Gan Cao (Licorice Root) 甘草 Qty: 6 grams Chan: All 12 (Primarily the LU, HT, SP, ST) Prop: Sweet, Neutral Latin: Radix Glycyrrhizae Cat: Herbs that Tonify Qi