Chinese: 沙参麦门冬汤
Pinyin: Shā Shēn Mài Mén Dōng Tāng
Other names: Sha Shen Mai Men Tang, Glehnia and Ophiopogonis Decoction
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that disperse Dryness and moisten
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: DiabetesPneumoniaBronchitis and two other conditions
- Clears and nourishes the Lungs and Stomach
- Generates Body Fluids and moistens Dryness
Contraindications: This formula exemplifies the approach of fortifying while simultaneously... This formula exemplifies the approach of fortifying while simultaneously purifying and nurturing the Lungs and Stomach. However, it is not suitable for conditions marked by excessive heat that harms the body fluids. 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.
Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang is a 7-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Glehnia Roots (Bei Sha Shen), Dwarf Lilyturf Roots (Mai Dong) and Mulberry Leaves (Sang Ye) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1798 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that disperse Dryness and moisten. Its main actions are: 1) clears and nourishes the Lungs and Stomach and 2) generates Body Fluids and moistens Dryness.
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 Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis or pulmonary tuberculosis for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the seven ingredients in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang helps treat.
The seven ingredients in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang
Bei Sha Shen is a king ingredient in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Glehnia Roots (Bei Sha Shen)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Cool
Meridian affinity: LungStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency
Bei Sha Shen is cooling, sweet, and slightly bitter. Despite its moistening nature,
it is thought to dredge the Lungs. It is thus ideally suited for
conditions where the tonification of Lung Yin must be combined with the venting of pathogens to the Exterior.
Mai Dong is a king ingredient in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. 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 and it enters both the Lungs and Stomach.
It nourishes the Yin by generating Body Fluids by combining with Bai Sha Shen.
Sang Ye is a king ingredient in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
3. Mulberry Leaves (Sang Ye)
Part used: Dried leaves
Nature: Cold
Sang Ye clears Dry-Heat because of its acrid, cooling nature. In combination with Sha Shen and Mai Men Dong, it vents the pathogenic Heat and expels the Dryness while enriching and nourishing the Body Fluids of the Lungs and Stomach.
Yu Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Angular Solomon's Seal Roots (Yu Zhu)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: LungStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency
Yu Zhu nourishes the Yin and moistens Dryness. It enriches without causing any Stagnation. When Yu Zhu and Tian Hua Feng are used together, they support the chief herbs in generating Body Fluids and clearing internal Heat.
Tian Hua Fen is a deputy ingredient in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
5. Snake Gourd Roots (Tian Hua Fen)
Tian Hua Fen clears Heat and generates Yang Body Fluids. When Yu Zhu and Tian Hua Feng are used together, they support the chief herbs in generating Body Fluids and clearing internal Heat.
Bai Bian Dou is an assistant ingredient in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
6. Hyacinth Beans (Bai Bian Dou)
Part used: Dried ripe seeds
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Bai Bian Dou builds the Spleen and Stomach to assist the transportation and transformation. This herb is used here because damage to the Stomach Yin invariably affects the transportive and transforming functions of the Middle Burner and eventually damages the Spleen.
Gan Cao is an envoy ingredient in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
7. 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 Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang, it is used because it clears Heat and harmonizes the Middle Burner. It also regulates the functions of the other herbs.
Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang is used to treat Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency
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 Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang is mostly used to treat the pattern "Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Pneumonia Bronchitis Pulmonary tuberculosis Chronic gastritis Diabetes
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang treats pneumonia" for instance. Rather, Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang is used to treat Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency, which is sometimes the root cause behind pneumonia.
Now let's look at Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang.
The Lungs is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Fine (Xi), Rapid (Shu)
Tongue coating: Sticky coating
Tongue color: Red
Symptoms: Fever Thirst Dry throat Red tongue Scanty sputum Hacking cough
Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as dry throat, thirst, fever and scanty sputum. Patients with Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency typically exhibit fine (Xi) or rapid (Shu) pulses as well as a red tongue with sticky coating.
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