Chinese: 三子养亲汤
Pinyin: Sān Zi Yǎng Qīn Tāng
Other names: Three-Seed Decoction to Nourish One's Parents
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that warm and transform Phlegm-Cold
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: EmphysemaBronchial asthmaPediatric asthma and two other conditions
- Directs the Qi downward
- Transforms Phlegm
- Reduces harbored food
Source date: 1856 AD
Source book: Extensive Essentials of Miscellaneous 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.
San Zi Yang Qin Tang is a 3-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with White Mustard Seeds (Bai Jie Zi), Perilla Seeds (Zi Su Zi) and Radish Seeds (Lai Fu Zi) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1856 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that warm and transform Phlegm-Cold. Its main actions are: 1) directs the Qi downward and 2) transforms Phlegm.
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 San Zi Yang Qin Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs, Cold-Phlegm or Phlegm clogging the Lungs with Qi Stagnation. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma or emphysema for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the three ingredients in San Zi Yang Qin Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that San Zi Yang Qin Tang helps treat.
The three ingredients in San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Bai Jie Zi is a king ingredient in San Zi Yang Qin Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. White Mustard Seeds (Bai Jie Zi)
Bai Jie Zi has the distinctive ability to penetrate the Yin and restore movement to the Yang. It enters and warms the Lungs, regulates the Qi, and expels Phlegm.
Zi Su Zi is a king ingredient in San Zi Yang Qin Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Perilla Seeds (Zi Su Zi)
In general Zi Su Zi's main actions are as follows: "Stops coughing and wheezing, expels Phlegm and redirects Rebellious Lung Qi. Lubricates the Intestines."
In the context of San Zi Yang Qin Tang, it is used because it directs the Lung Qi downward and thereby stops the coughing and wheezing.
Lai Fu Zi is a king ingredient in San Zi Yang Qin Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
3. Radish Seeds (Lai Fu Zi)
Part used: Dried ripe seeds
Nature: Neutral
Meridian affinity: LungSpleenStomach
Category: Herbs that relieve Food Stagnation
Lai Fu Zi enters the Lung Channel to direct the Qi downward and transform Phlegm, and mobilizes the Spleen Channel to promote the flow of Spleen Qi and reduce harbored food.
Conditions and patterns for which San Zi Yang Qin Tang may be prescribed
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 San Zi Yang Qin Tang is used by TCM practitioners to treat three different patterns which we describe below.
But before we delve into these patterns here is an overview of the Western conditions they're commonly associated with:
Chronic bronchitis Bronchial asthma Emphysema Pediatric asthma Spasms of the diaphragm
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "San Zi Yang Qin Tang treats chronic bronchitis" for instance. Rather, San Zi Yang Qin Tang is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind chronic bronchitis.
Now let's look at the three patterns commonly treated with San Zi Yang Qin Tang.
The Lungs is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Slow (Chi)
Symptoms: Coughing Dizziness Cold hands Feeling of cold Phlegm in throat Feeling of heaviness White and watery sputum Feeling of cold in chest Feeling of oppression of the chest
San Zi Yang Qin Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs. This pattern leads to symptoms such as coughing, white and watery sputum, feeling of cold and cold hands. Patients with Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs typically exhibit slippery (Hua) or slow (Chi) pulses.
The pathological manifestations of this pattern are quite similar to the ones of Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs. The key differences are the symptoms of Coldness such as cold hands, cold feeling and feeling of cold in chest. This feature can be reflected by the white and watery sputum.
The typical... read more about Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs
Body Fluids (Jin Ye) is one of Chinese Medicine's vital subtances. Learn more about Body Fluids in Chinese Medicine
Cold-Phlegm
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Slippery (Hua), Slow (Chi)
Tongue coating: Thick white coating
Tongue color: Pale
Tongue shape: Swollen
Symptoms: Nausea Cold limbs Poor appetite White and watery sputum Feeling of oppression of the chest
San Zi Yang Qin Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Cold-Phlegm. This pattern leads to symptoms such as white and watery sputum, feeling of oppression of the chest, cold limbs and nausea. Patients with Cold-Phlegm typically exhibit deep (Chen), slippery (Hua) or slow (Chi) pulses as well as Pale and swollen tongue with white wet coating .
A famous saying in Chinese Medicine goes: "Phlegm has its source in the Kidneys, is then moved by the Spleen, and resides in the Lungs."
This couldn't be more obvious in Cold-Phlegm patterns. The "Cold" aspect of it is that it stems from a Fire Deficiency of the Gate of Life (Ming Men), which is... read more about Cold-Phlegm
The Lungs is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Phlegm clogging the Lungs with Qi Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua)
Tongue coating: Thick white coating
Symptoms: Poor appetite Digestive difficulties Focal distention of the chest Coughing and wheezing with copious sputum
San Zi Yang Qin Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Phlegm clogging the Lungs with Qi Stagnation. This pattern leads to symptoms such as coughing and wheezing with copious sputum, focal distention of the chest, poor appetite and digestive difficulties. Patients with Phlegm clogging the Lungs with Qi Stagnation typically exhibit slippery (Hua) pulses as well as a tongue with thick white coating.
Learn more about Phlegm clogging the Lungs with Qi Stagnation
Formulas similar to San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Bao He Wan is 14% similar to San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang is 12% similar to San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Ding Chuan Tang is 11% similar to San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Xuan Yu Tong Jing Tang is 10% similar to San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Si Jun Zi Tang is 0% similar to San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Liu Jun Zi Tang is 0% similar to San Zi Yang Qin Tang