San’ao Tablet is a kind of Chinese patent medicine. It has the efficacy of promoting the lung and relieving the surface, and is used for the symptoms of wind-cold attacking the lungs, such as heavy cough, cough with much sputum, white sputum and thin sputum; and the above symptoms are seen in the mild condition of acute bronchitis.
San’ao Tablet consists of ephedra, bitter almond, licorice and ginger. It is made by adding a flavor of ginger on the basis of San’ao Tang. San’ao Tang, originated from Zhang Zhongjing, the medical sage of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and included in the Northern Song Dynasty’s “Taiping Huimin Hejiaobu Fang”, is composed of three medicines: ephedra, almonds and licorice.
The addition of ginger enhances the efficacy of San’ao Tablet in promoting lung circulation and dispersing cold, as ginger is effective in removing evil Qi from the surface of the body by sweating and warming the lungs to relieve cough. In addition, ginger can warm the lung and stop vomiting (treating vomiting caused by stomach cold by warming the spleen and stomach), and can harmonize the stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract caused by ephedra in the formula.
The adverse reactions and contraindications of San’ao Tablet are not known. It should also be noted that it should be used with caution by athletes. It is contraindicated for those who are allergic to any of the components of the product. The drug needs to be used under the guidance of a doctor, and should not be used blindly on its own.