Gua Lou Xie Bai Bai Jiu Tang瓜蒌薤白白酒汤
Trichosanthes, Chinese Chive and Wine Decoction
Ingredients3 herbs
Indications
The milder grade of chest painful obstruction: chest yang is insufficient and phlegm-turbidity has risen into the chest, but qi has not yet knotted hard nor started surging up from below.
Clinical Manifestations
- Chest and back pain with a sense of oppression
- Wheezing, cough with sputum on exertion
- Shortness of breath in cold weather
- Mild recurrent chest tightness without a knotted, driven quality
Health Categories
Modern Applications
Common adjustments
- Fullness knotted below the heart with qi surging upward — move to the principal formula by adding Zhi Shi 枳实, Hou Po 厚朴 and Gui Zhi 桂枝
- Phlegm heavy, unable to lie flat — add Zhi Ban Xia 制半夏
- Cold pain pronounced — add Gui Zhi 桂枝 and Gan Jiang 干姜
- Patient must avoid alcohol — the wine may be omitted and the decoction made with water alone, accepting some loss of unblocking power
Contraindications
Chest pain may be cardiac; sudden, severe or radiating pain, or pain with breathlessness or sweating, requires urgent conventional assessment first. The classical preparation contains rice wine and is unsuitable for anyone avoiding alcohol, including people with liver disease or on medication that interacts with it. Not for chest oppression arising from heat or yin deficiency.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.
Pregnancy
Not appropriate in pregnancy as classically prepared, because the decoction is made with rice wine. Chest pain in pregnancy needs conventional assessment; any herbal treatment is a practitioner's decision.
Related Formulas
References
Source Jin Gui Yao Lue 《金匮要略》 · Eastern Han
「胸痹之病，喘息咳唾，胸背痛，短气，寸口脉沉而迟，关上小紧数，栝蒌薤白白酒汤主之。」
- Classical source (public domain), cited in the source-quote section.
2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— pattern analysis cross-checked.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.