Traditional Chinese Medicine Healing Herbs(TCMHH)

Diaphoretic Prescriptions Composed of Drugs Pungent in Flavor and Warm in Nature

Gegen Jia Banxia Tang

葛根加半夏汤 葛根加半夏湯
By the TCMHH editorial team Not medically reviewed How we work Updated 6 Oct 2026
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Name

The Prescription of Gegen Jia Banxia Tang

Source

The book Shang Han Lun

Ingredients

Ge Gen 12 g,Ma Huang 9 g,Zhi Gan Cao 6 g,Shao Yao 6 g,Gui Zhi 6 g,Sheng Jiang 6 g,Ban Xia 9 g,Da Zao 12 dates.

Explanation

Ge Gen: The principal drug, being sweet and pungent in flavor and cold in nature, removing pathogenic heat from the exterior, ascending the Qi of the spleen and stomach to treat diarrhea.

Gan Cao: Regulating the Qi of the middle-Jiao and tempering the actions of all the other ingredients.

Shao Yao: Regulating the nutrient system, dispelling pathogenic heat.

Sheng Jiang and Da Zao: Tempering the stomach and spleen.

Ma Huang and Gui Zhi: Relieving superficies syndrome by means of diaphoresis.

Ban Xia: Being pungent in flavor and warm in nature, dispersing accumulation of pathogens, letting the adverse flow of the stomach-Qi go downwards to arrest vomiting.

The Effect of Gegen Jia Banxia Tang

Effect

Relieve exterior syndrome by means of diaphoresis, relax the tendons and arrest vomiting.

Administrations

Decoct in water for oral dose to be taken three times a day.

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Sources and further reading

We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.

  • Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
  • Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
  • Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
  • NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.

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