IIntroduction: Fuzi Decoction (附子汤) is derived from the “Treatise on Cold Damage” (《伤寒论》) and has the effect of warming the meridians and dispersing cold. It is primarily used to treat Shaoyin syndrome, characterized by a harmonious mouth and severe cold in the back; Shaoyin syndrome with body pain, cold hands and feet, joint pain, and a deep pulse.

Fuzi Decoction

Author: Men Chunde

【Ingredients】

Fuzi (Aconiti Radix) 12g, Fuling (Poria) 9g, Renshen (Ginseng) 6g, Baizhu (Atractylodes) 12g, Sheng Baishao (White Peony) 9g

【Dosage】Decoct in water for oral administration.【Indications】Yang deficiency with internal cold and dampness, characterized by joint pain, cold limbs, white and slippery tongue coating, and a deep, weak pulse.【Formula Interpretation】The kidney and heart are both part of the Shaoyin, akin to the extremes of water and fire, mutually dependent and restraining, forming the basis of life. If their function is lost, all organs will be ineffective. Shaoyin is the organ of cold water, thus severe cold damage often enters the Shaoyin, leading to the most severe conditions in this meridian. Over the years, I have applied Fuzi Decoction to verify this principle. In this formula, Fuzi enhances fire and promotes the original Yang, warming the meridians and dispersing cold; Renshen greatly tonifies the original Qi, generating Qi and blood; Fuling strengthens the spleen and resolves dampness, also benefiting heart Qi; Baizhu tonifies Qi and strengthens the spleen, dispelling cold and dampness; Baishao nourishes the Ying and harmonizes blood to benefit liver Yin. The combination of these herbs is appropriate and comprehensive, making it an excellent formula for treating overall Yang deficiency with cold and dampness.【Clinical Applications】1. Cold Deficiency Type HepatitisExample: A male patient, 38 years old, presented with emaciation and a pale complexion. He reported general weakness, restless sleep, dizziness, lower back and leg pain, right flank distension and pain, cold limbs, and morning eyelid and ankle swelling. His pulse was weak and deep, and his tongue was pale with a white coating. Hospital examinations showed: phospholipid cholesterol flocculation test (10), thyme phenol flocculation test (++), transaminases at 280U. The Western diagnosis was “hepatitis,” and after three months of treatment, no improvement was seen. After repeated differentiation, I concluded that this was primarily due to Yang deficiency and cold stagnation, so I prescribed Fuzi Decoction. Prescription: Fuzi 12g, Fuling 9g, Dangshen (Codonopsis) 15g, Baizhu 12g, Sheng Baishao 9g, decocted and taken before meals.Second visit: The patient reported that after taking the medicine, he experienced abdominal rumbling and increased bowel activity, and after taking two doses the next day, the flank pain significantly reduced, and the eight-year history of cold and body pain disappeared. His pulse remained weak, so I prescribed one dose of Fuzi Decoction and one dose of “Danggui Sini Decoction” (当归四逆汤).Third visit: The patient stated that after taking the medicine, he felt comfortable all over, with warm hands, a rare sensation in eight years. Upon examination, his pulse was now slippery and active, so I prescribed Guipi Decoction (归脾汤) and Xiaoyao San (逍遥散), each for three doses, to be taken alternately. Two months later, he returned to the hospital for a follow-up, and the results showed that the double flocculation signs had disappeared, and transaminases were at 16U. The hospital was astonished, stating that it was now normal.Example: The wife of a man, 32 years old, had given birth to a daughter in the second year of marriage but had been unable to conceive for over thirteen years despite various treatments. After taking “Yishen” (益肾) and “Bushen” (补肾) formulas, she still could not achieve her wish. The couple, anxious and distressed, invited me for treatment. The woman reported cold limbs, lower abdominal pain and distension, absence of menstruation, general fatigue, excessive sleepiness, and insomnia, which had persisted for years. Upon examination, her pulse was deep and strong. I prescribed Fuzi Decoction for her to take every other day for a month, then reassess. After a month of medication, she reported feeling lively all over, with all pains gone, regular menstruation, and dark red menstrual flow. Upon examination, all six pulses were deep. I instructed her to continue for another week. By the following month, she unexpectedly gave birth to a healthy baby boy.Some students inquired about this principle, and I explained: Fuzi Decoction does not directly lead to conception; rather, the woman had pure lower Jiao Yang deficiency, with insufficient Yang Qi to promote transformation throughout the body, leading to a robust blood and Qi environment for conception, thus allowing Yin and Yang to interact, resulting in pregnancy.2. Uterine ProlapseThis condition often arises from postpartum strain and damage to kidney Yang, leading to spleen Qi sinking. Symptoms include dull pain in the lower abdomen, weakness in the waist and limbs, a feeling of heaviness in the perineum, coldness, and palpitations, which can be treated with Fuzi Decoction.3. Sexual DysfunctionFor treating sexual dysfunction, cold limbs, and a deep pulse.4. Thromboangiitis ObliteransFor treating thromboangiitis obliterans with significant cold pain and local ischemia in the affected fingers (toes), the efficacy is excellent.5. Kidney AtrophyExample: A female patient, 28 years old, had been unable to conceive for eight years after marriage, with blood pressure consistently around 190/120mmHg. Several hospitals in Shijiazhuang and Beijing diagnosed her with “right renal artery stenosis, right kidney atrophy, right kidney failure, and renal hypertension,” advising that the only treatment was to remove the right kidney. The patient refused surgery and later sought treatment in Datong through a referral. Upon examination, she appeared pale, with cold hands and feet, reluctance to drink water, soreness in the lower back, lower limb edema, dizziness, delayed menstruation with scanty dark flow, pale tongue with a white coating, and a deep, thin pulse.Diagnosis: Heart and kidney Yang deficiency, with blood vessel obstruction. I first prescribed Sini Decoction (四逆汤) and Danggui Sini Decoction, to invigorate Yang and unblock the vessels, with each formula for two doses, taken alternately. After taking the medicine, her limbs gradually warmed, and her spirit improved, with blood pressure at 150/90mmHg. The couple was overjoyed with the improvement, and upon re-examination, her symptoms had significantly improved, but her pulse remained deep and thin, so I prescribed Fuzi Decoction and Baizhu Fuzi Decoction for two courses.Upon re-examination: Blood pressure was normal, and the patient was able to come for a visit on her own. I then prescribed formulas to invigorate Yang, warm the meridians, and nourish Qi and blood, with over eighty doses taken, and all symptoms disappeared. Later, follow-ups at hospitals in Shijiazhuang and Beijing confirmed that her right kidney function had returned to normal, with two-thirds recovery of right kidney atrophy, and blood pressure was normal. Two years later, I learned through correspondence that the patient had given birth to a healthy baby girl, and both mother and child were well.This condition falls under the TCM categories of “organ atrophy” and “deficiency syndrome,” often clinically presenting as functional decline and insufficient Yang Qi as the main symptoms, but can also exhibit so-called “reversal” symptoms. Therefore, treatment must be thorough and balanced, focusing on functional regulation.I boldly proposed using Sini-type formulas to invigorate Yang and warm the circulation, allowing the “reversal” symptoms to become “normal,” which illustrates that even severe and chronic conditions can be effectively treated through differentiation.6. Chronic NephritisFor treating chronic nephritis with body pain, cold limbs, swelling, and reluctance to drink, with a deep pulse.7. Rheumatoid ArthritisFor treating rheumatoid arthritis with joint pain, cold sensitivity, and palpitations, with a deep pulse.8. “Dry Mouth” SyndromeExample: A female patient, 69 years old, presented with dry mouth and difficulty speaking. She had previously taken Yin-nourishing and dryness-relieving formulas, but her condition worsened. Upon examination, the patient had a pale complexion, cold limbs, dry mouth with reluctance to drink, a deep and thin pulse, and a dry, pale tongue. This was due to the decline of the Mingmen fire, which was unable to generate warmth, so I prescribed Fuzi Decoction for three doses, and she recovered.“The Suwen states: ‘Yang Qi is like the sky and the sun; if it loses its place, it shortens life and does not manifest, thus the heavenly cycle must be illuminated by sunlight.’ It also states: ‘The essence of Yin and Yang is that Yang must be dense to be solid.’ When Yang is dense, evil cannot invade externally, and essence does not deplete internally, indicating that one must rely on Yang Qi for life.When Yang Qi is deficient, it can either be a sudden loss or a gradual decline. For sudden loss, one should urgently draw fire back to its source, and Zhang Zhongjing often uses raw Fuzi, but it must be combined with dried ginger; for gradual decline, cooked Fuzi is often used to invigorate Yang and warm the circulation, supplementing slowly. In clinical practice, I identify Yang deficiency through the four major symptoms: deep pulse, cold limbs, pale complexion, and reluctance to drink water. Any patient exhibiting these symptoms, especially with severe chronic conditions, is treated with Fuzi Decoction or similar formulas, following the “invigorate Yang” method, which has shown extensive efficacy.Note:Please follow medical advice for specific treatment and medication!Source: TCM Book Friends Association, this article is excerpted from “Men Chunde’s Clinical Essentials,” published by the People’s Health Publishing House, Author: Men Chunde. Please indicate the source when reprinting.

Click “Read the original text“↙ for more exciting content

Three of the most miraculous contemporary TCM masters, why do they not live long? Ni Haixia, Li Yangbo, Wang Zhenglong. The ovaries make women charming, but they also age them. The best medicine for protecting the ovaries is here. This formula for clearing turbidity and removing stasis is especially suitable for the obese. This Chinese patent medicine is excellent for treating all liver diseases and is worth understanding more than Xiaoyao Wan.