Jin Fei Cao San金沸草散

Inula Powder

Releasing the Exterior 解表剂Release Wind-Cold 辛温解表

Ingredients7 herbs

HerbDosageWhat it does in this formula

旋Xuan Fu Hua旋覆花Inulae Flos90gA flower that descends: sends qi and phlegm downward instead of up 麻Ma Huang麻黄去节Ephedrae Herba90gReleases wind-cold and diffuses the Lung 前Qian Hu前胡Peucedani Radix90gDescends qi and dissolves phlegm while still venting wind 荆Jing Jie Sui荆芥穗Schizonepetae Spica120gLight and upward-moving, it lifts wind off the surface 甘Zhi Gan Cao甘草炙Glycyrrhizae Radix Praeparata30gEases the throat and harmonizes the formula 半Zhi Ban Xia半夏洗净，姜汁浸Pinelliae Rhizoma preparatum30gDries phlegm-damp at its source and stops nausea

赤Chi Shao赤芍药Paeoniae Radix Rubra30gMoves blood in the chest so the fullness eases

Indications

Disperses wind-cold from the surfaceDirects qi downward and transforms phlegmStops cough with copious sputum

Wind-cold attacking the exterior with phlegm-damp obstructing the Lung. Compared with Zhi Sou San, the exterior signs are still active and the phlegm is much more abundant.

Clinical Manifestations

Cough with plenty of white phlegm at the start of a cold
Chills and fever with a runny nose and a wet cough
Chest and rib fullness with cough
Cough that worsens in cold air

TongueWhite, greasy coating

PulseFloating

Health Categories

Respiratory HealthEnergy & FatigueAllergy ReliefCold & Flu Relief

Modern Applications

Acute bronchitis Productive cough Common cold Post-viral cough Rhinitis

Common adjustments

Wheezing with the cough — add Xing Ren 杏仁 and Zi Su Zi 紫苏子
Cough turning dry as the cold resolves — switch to Zhi Sou San
Phlegm turning yellow — add Huang Qin 黄芩 and Zhe Bei Mu 浙贝母

Contraindications

Not for a dry cough from Lung yin deficiency or from dryness, and not for a hot phlegm cough with thick yellow sputum and thirst. Xuan Fu Hua's fine hairs irritate the throat, so it must be decocted in a cloth bag; Ma Huang carries its usual cautions.

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

Pregnancy

Avoid in pregnancy. Ma Huang and Ban Xia are both present and Chi Shao moves blood; a practitioner treating a cough in pregnancy will build from milder material instead.

Related Formulas

Zhi Sou San止嗽散

References

Source Bo Ji Fang 《博济方》 · Northern Song

Classical source as given in the source fields (pre-1900, public domain).
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 under 止嗽散, 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.