Our product line taps into the wealth of time-tested formulas in Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and practice, treatment of diseases and illness always comes second to the general well being of the people. These supplements provide a natural alternative remedy to different conditions.

Cold and Allergy Formulas

After consulting with Dr. Chun-han Zhu and Dr. Chunze Zhu, who are both Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners and Acupuncturists in Massachusetts, we found an interesting list of TCM formulas they often use for coping with cold and allergies. In his Clinical Handbook of Chinese Prepared Medicines by Dr. Chun-han Zhu differentiates the symptoms in two general patterns: wind cold and wind heat. Accordingly he provides two different sets of formulas for these situations.

Wind Heat

GANMAO QING 20041

Primary Functions and Applications: Ganmao Qing dispels wind-heat and reduces inflammation, and is used primarily to eliminate fever due to wind-heat. It is prescribed in cases of tonsillitis accompanied by fever, and in cases of chronic or acute trecheitis. Symptoms indicating its use include sore throat, fever, headache, and cough with phlegm. However, because of the heat-clearing and fire-toxin-resolving functions of all the herbs in this formula, the medicine is appropriate for a wide range of disorders in which heat is present.

Viral infections sometimes lead to underlying bacterial infection. In early stages of viral infection, for examples, the patient will have clear phlegm and a runny nose. Later, however, if the viral stage has led to an underlying bacterial infection, the phlegm will have become yellow. This medicine is indicated in these later stages, where heat signs are present.

Ganmao Qing is a mild remedy, and is best used in mild cases, for children, or as a prophylactic when a patient suspects pathogenic exposure

Composition and Rationale: This formula contains three herbs, Isatis root, Isatis leaf and andrographis, each of which has the same general function as a broad-spectrum antibiotic. In Traditional Chinese Medical terms, it clears heat and resolves fire toxin. It is interesting to not that all three herbs belong to the category of heat-clearing agents, and although none by itself has the property of expelling wind, they attain that property in combination.

YIN CHIAO CHIEH TU PIEN (YIN QIAO JIE DU) 50127

Source: Wen Bing Tiao Bian (More Discussions on Febrile Disease), Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

Primary Functions and Applications: Yin Chiao Tablet is used primarily to dispel wind heat in the spring and summer, and to treat the early (wei) stage of seasonal febrile diseases. Guiding symptoms include a possible slight aversion to wind, headache, thirst, cough, and sore throat. Fever may or may not be present. The tongue in such cases will be red with a white or yellowish coating. The pulse will be floating (indicating the presence of wind) and rapid (indicating the presence of heat). It may be used in cases of common cold, flu, and acute cases of pneumonia, bronchitis, pharyngitis, otitis media, parotitis, measles, and tonsillitis.

Composition and Rationale: Yin Chiao Jie Du Pian is extremely popular, and is widely used in China to treat the early stages of common colds and flu. Japanese honeysuckle, forsythia, isatis, burdock, and lophantherum remove heat and clear fire toxin; Japanese honeysuckle, schizonepeta, and Chinese mint clear wind; platycodon soothes the throat and diffuses the lung; lophatherum relieves thirst and promote salivation.

ISATIS ROOT GRANULE (BAN LAN GEN) 22266 - for children


Primary Functions and Applications: Isatis Root Granule removes toxic heat, reduces heat in blood, cures sore throat, and reduces swelling. It is prescribed in cases of tonsillitis accompanied by fever. Symptoms indicating its use include sore throat, fever, headache, and cough with phlegm. However, because of the heat-clearing and fire-toxin-resolving functions of all the herbs in this formula, the medicine is appropriate for a wide range of disorders in which heat is present, including prevention and treatment of hepatitis and measles infections. Because of its granular form it is perhaps more receptive by children.

Composition and Rationale: Isatis root and isatis leaf have the same general function as a broad-spectrum antibiotic. In Traditional Chinese Medical terms, it clears heat and resolves fire toxin.

Wind Cold

EXPELLIN EXTRACT (CHUAN XIONG CHA TIAO WAN) 41135

Source: Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang (The People's Welfare Pharmacies), Song Dynasty (960-1279)

Primary Functions and Applications: Expellin Extract expels wind cold, relieves headache due to the invasion of exogeous wind (as well as headaches from rhinitis and sinusitis), and is indicated when such symptoms as chills, fever, and stuffy nose are prominent. It is used in the treatment of all headaches, including migraine and chronic, located in any of the following channels: shaoyang (sides of head), jueyin (top of head), taiyang (back of head, neck, upper back) and yangming (forehead).
Contraindications: Do not use Expellin Extract in case of headache due to depletion of qi, blood, or yin, or when the headache has been caused by the ascension of yang.
Composition and Rationale: Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien is extremely popular, and is widely used in China to treat the early stages of common colds and flu. Japanese honeysuckle, forsythia, isatis, burdock, and common lophantherum remove heat and clear fire toxin; Japanese honeysuckle and peppermint clear wind.

GINSENG & MENTHA EXTRACT (REN SHEN BAI DU WAN) 41172

Primary Functions and Applications: Use for exopathic pathogens of wind, cold and damp due to deficiency of antipathogenic qi. Used for cold, flu, cough, hayfever.

Works well with simultaneous occurrence of chills and fever, headache, heavy sensation of the body, stuffy nose, cough and white phlegm.

BLUE DRAGON EXTRACT (XIAO QING LONG TANG WAN) 41165

Primary Functions and Applications: Use for retention of harmful fluid wit external cold, manifesting fever, chills, no sweating, cough, asthma, chest distress, expectoration of profuse diluted sputum; or difficulty in lying flatly due to severe asthma and cough, or heaviness of the body, edema and puffiness, a tongue with whhite slippery coating, and superficial pulse.

At different stages of a cold, symptoms such as cough, sore throat, and rhinitis may occur. These are also allergy symptoms which are considered as exogenous pathogen patterns in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr. Chunze Zhu lists the following out of years of experience:

Cough

BRONCHY RELEEVER (MA XING ZHI KE PIAN) 41181

Source: This herb formula is a modification of Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang, a popular formula for cough and asthma that first appeared in the Han dynasty medical classic, Shang Han Lun.

Primary Functions and Applications: Bronchy Releever suppresses cough, relieves asthma, clears lung heat, and eliminates phlegm. It is used to treat cough caused by lung heat due to wind-heat; to treat asthma associated with lung heat; and to treat cases of acute bronchitis and acute flare-ups of chronic bronchitis in the presence of heat signs. Since this formula clears heat and reduces high fever, it is used in cases of pneumonia, influenza, and bronchitis.

Composition and Rationale: Platycodon opens the lung, reduces phlegm, and discharges pus from pulmonary abscess. Chinese licorice suppresses cough, clears heat, and eliminates phlegm. Apricot suppresses cough and relieves asthma. Tangerine lowers counter flow of qi and eliminates phlegm. Gypsum clears heat and disperses fire. Honey moistens the lung and suppresses cough.

FRITILLARY BULB EXTRACT (CHUAN BEI JING) 50012

Primary Functions and Applications: Fritillary Bulb Extract relieves cough, eliminates phlegm, and moistens the lungs. It may be used in cases of acute or chronic cough with copius expectoration, acute or chronic bronchitis, and asthma.

In cases where cough and phlegm are due to exogenous pathogens, diaphoretic formulas such as MULBERRY LEAF & CHRYSANTHEMUM (for wind heat patterns) or EXPELLIN EXTRACT (for wind cold patterns) must be included in the therapy.

Composition and Rationale: Fritillary moistens the lung, clears heat, suppresses cough, and eliminates phlegm; polygala eliminates phlegm, schisandra suppresses cough and relieves asthma; platycodon and tangerine eliminate phlegm; and Chinese licorice harmonizes the other herbs, moistens the lungs, and usppresses cough.

CONCENTRATED FRITILLARY & LOQUAT EXTRACT (CHUAN BEI PI PA GAO) 22202
Source: A modifiied formula from that recorded in Wen Re Lun (Treaties on Seasonal Febrile Diseases), Ye Gui, 1746 C.E.
Primary Functions and Applications: Concentrated Fritillary & Loquat Extract clears lung heat, suppresses cough, moistens the lung, and relieves asthma (by promoting counterflow/down-bearing of lung qi). It is used in cases of cough caused by lung heat, with such symptoms as difficult expectoration of phlegm and sore throat, and is effective in both acute and chronic cases. Smoker's cough may also be relieved with its use.

Concentrated Fritillary & Loquat Extract may be used to nourish lung yin, and to treat pulmonary tuberculosis accompanied by expectoration of blood. Symptoms in such cases include dry cough with little or no phlegm. Such cases are usually indicative of yin depletion, which gives rise to internal heat, low fever, and dryness of the mouth and throat.

Composition and Rationale: Loquat leaf suppresses cough and eliminates phlegm. Sichuan fritillary clears lung heat, moistens the lung, suppresses cough, and eliminates phlegm. Tremella strengthens yin, clears lung heat, moistens the lung, and suppresses cough. Tangerine lowers counterflow lung qi and eliminates phlegm. Apricot moistens the lung and suppress cough.

Sore Throat

HOUTELING CAPSULES (HOU TE LING) 22141

Primary Functions and Applications: Houteling Capsules reduces inflammation and dissipates bind, disinhibits throat and relieves pain. Use for acute and chronic faucitis, tonsillitis, parotitis.

Composition and Rationale: Isatis removes toxic heat, reduces heat in blood, cures sore throat, and reduces swelling. Trichosanthes clears and transforms phlegm due to wind heat. It both cools and moistens, and is especially useful for cough with chest pain and thick, difficult-to-expectorate sputum. It unbinds the qi in the chest and is used for accumulations orp phlegm in chest leading to pain. Phragmites relieves thirst adn promotes salivation. Belleric myrobalan is laxative and it relieves pain.

Rhinitis

CONGESTLESS (BI YUAN) 33115

Primary Functions and Applications: Congestless is used to dispel wind heat and to open nasal passages. It is indicated in conditions of acute or chronic rhinitis and sinusitis. Guiding symptoms include runny nose, yellowish, thick, foul-smelling nasal mucus (indicative of bacterial infection), stuffy nose or obstruction in the nose, and in cases of nasal polyps and local blood stasis.

Composition and Rationale: Xanthium and magnolia open nasal passages and expel wind; clilleaalpina clears blood heat, controls bleeding, and moves blood; Japanese honeysuckle clears heat in the upper burner, reduces inflammation, and resolves fire toxin; chrysanthemum clears wind heat, relieves headache, and brightens the eyes.

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