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Cura x Cura

Huang Qin Tang黄芩汤

Scutellaria Decoction

Clearing Heat 清热剂Clear Organ Heat 清脏腑热

Ingredients4 herbs

Indications

Clears heat and stops the diarrhoeaHarmonizes the middle, relieves cramping painProtects the fluids and the stomach qi

Heat diarrhoea and early heat dysentery: heat descends into the Intestines and drives the stool out, while the abdominal muscles cramp against it. Two herbs cool, two soften — no draining and no purging are needed at this stage.

Clinical Manifestations

  • Watery diarrhoea with fever and a bitter taste
  • Cramping abdominal pain relieved by pressure of warmth
  • Early dysenteric diarrhoea before pus and blood appear
  • Gastroenteritis with heat signs
  • Loose stools with abdominal pain during a febrile illness
TongueRed with a yellow coating
PulseRapid

Health Categories

Digestive HealthCold & Flu Relief

Modern Applications

DiarrhoeaGastroenteritisEnteritisAbdominal crampingFebrile diarrhoea

Common adjustments

  • Nausea and vomiting alongside — add Zhi Ban Xia 制半夏 and Sheng Jiang 生姜 — Huang Qin Jia Ban Xia Sheng Jiang Tang
  • Pus and blood appear in the stool — the pattern has become a true dysentery — move to Shao Yao Tang 芍药汤 or Bai Tou Weng Tang 白头翁汤
  • Severe cramping — increase Bai Shao 白芍 with the licorice

Contraindications

Not for diarrhoea of Spleen deficiency cold, with undigested food in a watery stool and a cold abdomen. Not for diarrhoea from food stagnation, which needs the stagnation cleared first. Fever with diarrhoea in a child or an older adult calls for medical assessment because of the dehydration risk.

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

Pregnancy

Generally compatible in pregnancy under practitioner supervision — Huang Qin is in fact a classical fetus-quieting herb for heat patterns, and nothing here purges. Fever with diarrhoea in pregnancy should still be assessed medically.

Related Formulas

References

Source Shang Han Lun 《伤寒论》 · Eastern Han

「太阳与少阳合病，自下利者，与黄芩汤。」
— 《伤寒论》(classical source, public domain)
  1. 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.