Chinese: 荆防败毒散
Pinyin: Jīng Fáng Bài Dú Sàn
Other names: Schizonepeta and Saposhnikovia Powder to Overcome Pathogenic Influences，Schizonepeta and Ledebouriella Combination
Number of ingredients: 13 herbs
Formula category: External formulas for External disorders
Mother formula: Ren Shen Bai Du San
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: MumpsBoilsEczema and six other conditions
- Releases the Exterior
- Dispels Wind and Dampness
- Augments Qi
Contraindications: Contraindicated for Heat or Damp Heat cases due to the warming and drying... Contraindicated for Heat or Damp Heat cases due to the warming and drying actions of the many ingredients. see more
Source date: 1550 AD
Source book: Multitude of Marvelous Formulas for Sustaining Life
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Jing Fang Bai Du San is a 13-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Japanese Catnip (Jing Jie), Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng), Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo) and Pubescent Angelica Roots (Du Huo) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1550 AD, it belongs to the category of external formulas for External disorders. Its main actions are: 1) releases the Exterior and 2) dispels Wind and Dampness.
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Jing Fang Bai Du San is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Wind-Cold. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as common cold, influenza or mumps for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the thirteen ingredients in Jing Fang Bai Du San, we review the patterns and conditions that Jing Fang Bai Du San helps treat.
The thirteen ingredients in Jing Fang Bai Du San
Jing Jie is a king ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Japanese Catnip (Jing Jie)
Part used: Aerial portion and flowers, or the spikes only (in which case it is called Jing Jie Sui)
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Pungent
Jing Jie relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold. It is especially effective in pronounced Cold invasion patterns.
Fang Feng is a king ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng)
Fang Feng relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold. It is especially effective in pronounced Cold invasion patterns.
Qiang Huo is a king ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
3. Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo)
Qiang Huo dispels Wind Cold from the Exterior, dispels Dampness and alleviates
pain. It treat the symptoms of fever and chills without sweating, headache, and common pain and soreness.
Du Huo is a king ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
4. Pubescent Angelica Roots (Du Huo)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: BladderKidney
Category: Herbs that dispel Wind and Dampness
Du Huo dispels Wind Cold from the Exterior, dispels Dampness and alleviates
pain. It treat the symptoms of fever and chills without sweating, headache, and common pain and soreness.
Chuan Xiong is a deputy ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
5. Szechuan Lovage Roots (Chuan Xiong)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: GallbladderLiverPericardium
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Chuan Xiong assists the two key herbs in releasing the Exterior, invigorates the Blood and dispels Wind. It strengthens the the formula's pain relieving action, particularly in the head and neck.
Chai Hu is a deputy ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
6. Bupleurum Roots (Chai Hu)
Chai Hu releases the Exterior, reduces the fever, and expels the pathogenic influences. Together with Wild mint, they are especially useful in releasing pathogenic influences from the muscle layer.
Bo He is a deputy ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
7. Wild Mint (Bo He)
Bo He releases the Exterior, reduces the fever, and expels the pathogenic influences. Together with Bupleurum root, they are especially useful in releasing pathogenic influences from the muscle layer.
Jie Geng is an assistant ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
8. Platycodon Roots (Jie Geng)
Jie Geng invigorates Qi in the chest by directing it upwards, so as to ease chest discomfort. When combining with Qi descending herb Bitter orange, it is very power in invigorating Lung Qi, expelling Phlegm and stopping coughing, as they interact with Phlegm removing herb Hogfennel root.
Qian Hu is an assistant ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
9. Hogfennel Roots (Qian Hu)
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Cool
Qian Hu works together with Platycodon root and Bitter Orange in invigorating Lung Qi, expelling Phlegm, and stopping the coughing. It also works with Poria-cocos mushroom in transforming Phlegm and strengthening the Spleen.
Zhi Ke is an assistant ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
10. Bitter Oranges (Zhi Ke)
Part used: Dried ripe fruit
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomach
Category: Herbs that regulate Qi
Zhi Ke invigorates Qi in the chest by directing it upwards, so as to ease chest discomfort. When combining with Qi descending herb Bitter orange, it is very power in invigorating Lung Qi, expelling Phlegm and stopping coughing, as they interact with Phlegm removing herb Hogfennel root.
Fu Ling is an assistant ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
11. Poria-Cocos Mushrooms (Fu Ling)
Part used: Dried sclerotium
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartKidneyLungSpleen
Category: Herbs that drain Dampness
Fu Ling transforms Phlegm and strengthens the Spleen, when combing with Hogfennel root. It also releases Dampness and promotes urination. It is able to tonify without causing Stagnation or retention of pathogenic influences.
Sheng Jiang is an assistant ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
12. Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang)
In general Sheng Jiang's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold. Warms and circulates Qi in the Middle Burner. Calms a restless fetus and treats morning sickness. Treats seafood poisoning."
In the context of Jing Fang Bai Du San, it is used because it helps releasing the Exterior.
Gan Cao is an envoy ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
13. Liquorice (Gan Cao)
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
In general Gan Cao's main actions are as follows: "Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs."
In the context of Jing Fang Bai Du San, it is used because it harmonizes the actions of the other ingredients and assisting Ginseng in tonifying general Qi.
Jing Fang Bai Du San is used to treat Wind-Cold
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Jing Fang Bai Du San is mostly used to treat the pattern "Wind-Cold" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Wind-Cold here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Common cold Influenza Mumps Bronchitis Dysentery Boils Dermatitis Urticaria Eczema
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Jing Fang Bai Du San treats common cold" for instance. Rather, Jing Fang Bai Du San is used to treat Wind-Cold, which is sometimes the root cause behind common cold.
Now let's look at Wind-Cold, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Jing Fang Bai Du San.
'Cold' as a body pattern in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Cold pattern in Chinese Medicine
Wind-Cold
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Floating (Fu)
Symptoms: Fever Chills Sneezing Coughing No sweat Headaches No thirst Runny nose Body aches Sore throat Blocked nose Itchy throat Aversion to cold White watery mucus Occipital headaches Occipital stiffness
Jing Fang Bai Du San is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Wind-Cold. This pattern leads to symptoms such as aversion to cold, fever, sneezing and coughing. Patients with Wind-Cold typically exhibit tight (Jin) or floating (Fu) pulses.
This pattern is similar to Wind-Heat, but the Wind is combined with Cold rather than Heat. The shared symptoms are aversion to cold, sneezing, coughing, runny nose (with different mucus color), fever, occipital stiffness and ache. The different symptoms are the white watery mucus, no thirst, no... read more about Wind-Cold
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