BLACK PEARL BP086 ZHI SOU SAN (JIA WEI) PLATYCODON & STEMONA

ZHI SOU SAN (Jia Wei)
止嗽散（加味)
Platycodon & Stemona Formula
Product Code: BP086

TCM Actions
Clears the Lung and resolves Phlegm, disseminates the Lung Qi and redirects it downwards to relieve coughing; mildly releases the Exterior.

Indications
Upper respiratory tract infections, acute bronchitis, acute tracheitis, pertussis (whooping cough), acute pneumonia.

Dosage & Course Of Treatment
8 pills, 3 times daily, half to one hour away from food.

Course of treatment: 2 to 4 weeks.

Signs and Syndromes
Wind-Heat invasion of the Lung Phlegm-Heat obstruction of the Lung Residual Exterior Wind

Productive cough with viscous yellow sputum that is difficult to expectorate

Persistent URTI symptoms

Itchy throat

Mild chills and fever

Tongue is normal

Pulse is moderate and floating

Cautions & Contraindications
None noted.

Comments
This is a variant of Zhi Sou San (Stop Coughing Powder) from ‘Medical Revelations’ (yi xue xin wu) by Cheng Guo-peng (a.k.a Chen Zhong-ling), 1732, a concise and clinically oriented text that is still widely used amongst Chinese physicians. The formula was developed in order to treat an attack on the Lung by exogenous Wind. When the pathogen enters the Lung it transforms into Heat. The pathogens obstruct the Lung Qi dynamic, resulting in the development of Phlegm. This manifests clinically with a deep cough and yellow sputum that may be quite viscous and difficult to expectorate. This scenario generally occurs as a consequence of an acute upper respiratory infection, i.e. Wind attack on the Exterior (either Wind-Cold or combined Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat). This formula is therefore suitable for two different scenarios: either an acute stage or a subacute stage presentation. In the former, the exogenous pathogen has passed from the Exterior into the Lung or has attacked the Lung directly. In the latter condition an incompletely resolved Exterior syndrome progresses to an interior one (i.e. the pathogens enter the Lung). There may or may not be a concomitant mild residual Exterior syndrome. This formula has been enhanced with the addition of Fritillaria bulb (zhe bei mu) and Citrus fruit exocarp (jie hong), the actions of which are described below. Finally, it should be noted that the formula’s Chinese name emphasises the fact that the cough to be treated is a deep productive one (sou) as opposed to a dry explosive one (ke). The synergistic actions of the herbs are as follows:

• Fritillaria bulb (zhe bei mu), Aster root (zi wan), Cynanchum rhiz. (bai qian), Stemona root (bai bu): clear Phlegm-Heat from the Lung, redirect the Lung Qi downwards and alleviate coughing

• Citrus fruit pericarp (chen pi), Citrus fruit exocarp (jie hong), Platycodon root (jie geng): disseminate the Lung Qi and redirect it downwards

Ingredients
FRITILLARIA THUNDBERGI, BULB (zhe bei mu) – 浙貝母 – 54.5 mg
ASTER TATARICUS, ROOT (zi wan) – 紫菀 – 54.5 mg
CYNANCHUM STAUNTONII, RHIZ. (bai qian) – 白前 – 54.5 mg
STEMONA SESSIFOLIA, ROOT (bai bu) – 白部 – 36.3 mg
SCHIZONEPETA TENUIFOLIA, HERB TOP FLOWERING (jing jie) – 荊芥 – 36.3 mg
CITRUS RETICULATA, FRUIT PERICARP (chen pi) – 陳皮 – 36.3 mg
CITRUS RETICULATA, FRUIT EXOCARP (jie hong) – 桔紅 – 36.3 mg
PLATYCODON GRANDIFLORUS, ROOT (jie geng) – 桔梗 – 36.3 mg
GLYCYRRHIZA URALENSIS, ROOT (gan cao) – 甘草 – 30.2 mg