Huang Qin Hua Shi Tang黄芩滑石汤

Scutellaria and Talcum Decoction

Expelling Dampness 祛湿剂Clear Heat and Expel Damp 清热祛湿

Ingredients7 herbs

HerbDosageWhat it does in this formula

黄Huang Qin黄芩Scutellariae Radix9gBitter and cold — dries damp and clears the heat bound within it 滑Hua Shi滑石Talcum9gBland and cold — leads damp-heat out through the urine 茯Fu Ling Pi茯苓皮Poriae Cutis9gDrains damp from the surface layers and reduces puffiness 大Da Fu Pi大腹皮Arecae Pericarpium6gMoves qi and disperses the abdominal distension damp has caused

白白蔻仁3g

通Tong Cao通草Tetrapanacis Medulla3gGuides the whole formula toward the urinary route 猪Zhu Ling猪苓Polyporus9gOpens the urinary exit for the damp

Indications

Clears heat and drains damp from the middle burnerFrees the water pathwaysRelieves recurring fever in damp-warmthDisperses abdominal distension

Damp-heat lodged in the middle burner in damp-warmth. Heat is bound inside damp, so sweating clears it only briefly and it rises again; neither releasing the exterior nor purging the interior will resolve it.

Clinical Manifestations

Damp-warmth with fever that recurs after sweating
Body aches with a slippery yellow tongue coating
Thirst with little desire to drink, or no thirst at all
Abdominal distension with scanty urine
Lingering fever in humid weather

TonguePale yellow, slippery coating

PulseModerate

Health Categories

Digestive HealthLiver Health & DetoxUrinary & Bladder HealthImmune SupportCold & Flu Relief

Modern Applications

Fever of unknown origin Typhoid fever Gastroenteritis Urinary tract infection Ascites

Common adjustments

Damp is heavier than heat — add Yi Yi Ren 薏苡仁 and Huo Xiang 藿香
Heat is heavier than damp — add Lian Qiao 连翘 and Zhi Zi 栀子
Nausea and vomiting — add Zhi Ban Xia 制半夏 and Zhu Ru 竹茹
Jaundice appears — add Yin Chen 茵陈

Contraindications

Wu Tang's caution applies directly here: this pattern cannot be sweated and cannot be purged, and mistaking it for a cold-damage pattern turns it into a complication. Clearing heat alone leaves the damp; draining damp alone lets the heat flare. Not for a dry warm disease with a red peeled tongue.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.

Pregnancy

Use with caution in pregnancy — the formula is cold and strongly draining, and a persistent fever in pregnancy needs medical assessment before any herbal treatment.

Related Formulas

References

Source Wen Bing Tiao Bian 《温病条辨》 · Qing

「脉缓身痛，舌淡黄而滑，渴不多饮，或竟不渴，汗出热解，继而复热，黄芩滑石汤主之。」
— 《温病条辨》(classical source, public domain)

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）— 附方 note and 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.