Ephedra-Apricot-Shi-Gan Tang, or Ephedra-Apricot-Almond-Gypsum-Glycyrrhiza Soup, is a formula and dosage of four taels of ephedra, 50 almonds, two taels of roasted licorice, and one-half catty of gypsum. The dosage of ephedra is half that of gypsum.
Ephedra, Apricot, Gypsum and Licorice Soup is extracted from Zhang Zhongjing’s Treatise on Typhoid Fever, which treats the symptoms of wind-heat violating the lungs (wind-heat evils invading the lungs) or wind-cold stagnating and transforming into heat (evils staying for too long are transformed into heat evils), which are characterized by heat without sweating or sweating, shortness of breath, thirst for drink, and a floating, slippery, and numberless pulse. This formula has the efficacy of pungent, cool and cathartic, clearing the lung and calming asthma.
Ephedra in this formula can not only expel wind and relieve the symptoms, but also promote the lung so that the heat in the lung can reach the outside, so it is the principal medicine. The large dose of Gypsum as the subject can restrain the pungent and warm nature of Ephedra, so that it can disperse but not help the internal heat, and can also clear the heat in the lungs.
The combination of the two herbs can not only dissipate superficial evils (evils on the surface of the muscles) but also clear internal heat, with the effect of pungency, coolness and catharsis. Almonds promote the lungs and calm asthma. Combined with ephedra, the lung qi can be lowered and the wheezing and coughing can be calmed. The herb Glycyrrhiza glabra harmonizes all the medicines (harmonizing the medicinal properties of different Chinese medicines).
This formula is contraindicated for those with solid asthma and deficiency asthma due to wind-cold, and is contraindicated for athletes due to the presence of ephedra in the formula. Adverse effects are not known.
If there is any discomfort, please go to a regular hospital and use the medicine under the supervision of a physician.