Chinese: 吴氏连梅汤
Pinyin: Wú Shì Lián Méi Tāng
Other names: Master Wu's Coptis and Mume Decoction
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that dispel Summer-Heat and preserve Body Fluids
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: DiabetesSupraventricular tachycardia
- Drains Heat
- Preserves Body Fluids
- Transforms Yin
Contraindications: This formula is contraindicated for summer-heat damage without severe loss of... This formula is contraindicated for summer-heat damage without severe loss of Body Fluids. The presence of thirst, irritability, and restlessness are not indications unless they are accompanied by a submerged and thin pulse, a dry, cracked tongue, or other signs of wasting. see more
Source date: 1798 AD
Source book: Systematic Differentiation of Warm Pathogen Diseases
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.
Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Goldthread Rhizomes (Huang Lian) as a principal ingredient.
Invented in 1798 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that dispel Summer-Heat and preserve Body Fluids. Its main actions are: 1) drains Heat and 2) preserves Body Fluids.
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 Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as supraventricular tachycardia or diabetes for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the five ingredients in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang helps treat.
The five ingredients in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang
Huang Lian is a king ingredient in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Goldthread Rhizomes (Huang Lian)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: GallbladderHeartLarge intestineLiverSpleenStomach
Category: Herbs that clear Heat and dry Dampness
Huang Lian is bitter and cold. It enters the Heart to drain pathogenic Summer-Heat, removing the root cause of this pathology. Combitnation of Chinese plum and Goldthread rhizome is well established in Chinese materia medica. Goldthread rhizome drains the Heat without injuring the normal Qi, while it also prevents the restraining action of Chinese plum from improperly retaining the pathogenic Heat in the body. Furthermore, the bitterness of Goldthread rhizome, focuses the sourness of Chinese plum on the Yin aspect of the fluids that were damaged within the Lesser Yin.
Wu Mei is a deputy ingredient in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
2. Chinese Plums (Wu Mei)
Part used: Dried ripe fruit
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sour
Meridian affinity: Large intestineLiverLungSpleen
Category: Herbs that stabilize and bind
Wu Mei is sour, astringent, and warm. It enters the Stomach to generate Yang Body Fluids and stop the thirst. Thus it is a specific herb for treating wasting and thirsting. Combitnation of Chinese plum and Goldthread rhizome is well established in Chinese materia medica. Goldthread rhizome drains the Heat without injuring the normal Qi, while it also prevents the restraining action of Chinese plum from improperly retaining the pathogenic Heat in the body. Furthermore, the bitterness of Goldthread rhizome, focuses the sourness of Chinese plum on the Yin aspect of the fluids that were damaged within the Lesser Yin.
Mai Dong is an assistant ingredient in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
3. Dwarf Lilyturf Roots (Mai Dong)
Part used: Dried root tuber
Nature: Cool
Meridian affinity: HeartLungStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency
Mai Dong is sweet and cooling. It tonifies the water to stop the thirst and extinguish the Wind. Its sweetness is restrained by the sourness of Chinese plum and guided toward transformation into Yin.
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
4. Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang)
Part used: Prepared dried root tuber
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartKidneyLiver
Category: Herbs that cool the Blood
Di Huang is sweet and cooling. It tonifies the water to stop the thirst and extinguish the Wind. Its sweetness is restrained by the sourness of Chinese plum and guided toward transformation into Yin.
E Jiao is an assistant ingredient in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
5. Donkey-Hide Gelatin (E Jiao)
Part used: Solid glue prepared from the dried or fresh skin of donkeys
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: KidneyLiverLung
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
E Jiao tonifies the Blood and increases the Yin Body Fluids. It also softens the Liver to extinguish the Wind and assisting the Kidneys to govern the water. It is black in color and sinking in nature, also serves as an envoy that guides the formula into the Interior and the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin Stage.
Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang is used to treat Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps
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 Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang is mostly used to treat the pattern "Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Supraventricular tachycardia Diabetes
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang treats supraventricular tachycardia" for instance. Rather, Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang is used to treat Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps, which is sometimes the root cause behind supraventricular tachycardia.
Now let's look at Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang.
'Heat' as a body pattern in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Heat pattern in Chinese Medicine
Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps
Pulse type(s): Fine (Xi), Rapid (Shu)
Tongue color: Red
Tongue shape: Cracked
Symptoms: Wasting Thirsting Paralysis Irritability Restlessness muscle spasms muscle paralysis Heat in the Heart mental disturbances Clouding of consciousness
Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps. This pattern leads to symptoms such as wasting, thirsting, heat in the heart and irritability. Patients with Summer-Heat entering the Lesser Yin and Terminal Yin warps typically exhibit fine (Xi) or rapid (Shu) pulses as well as a red tongue with a peeled coating.
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