Yin Qiao Tang银翘汤

Honeysuckle and Forsythia Decoction

Releasing the Exterior 解表剂Release Wind-Heat 辛凉解表

Ingredients6 herbs

HerbDosageRoleWhat it does in this formula

金Jin Yin Hua金银花Lonicerae Japonicae Flos15 g君 ChiefClears heat, resolves toxin and lifts residual pathogen outward 连Lian Qiao连翘Forsythiae Fructus9 g君 ChiefClears heat from the upper burner and disperses what is left of it 细Xi Sheng Di细生地Rehmanniae Radix12 g臣 DeputyRestores the yin that the illness and the purge consumed 麦Mai Men Dong麦门冬Ophiopogonis Radix12 g臣 DeputyGenerates fluids so a sweat becomes physically possible 竹Zhu Ye竹叶Lophatheri Herba6 g佐 AssistantClears residual heat from the heart and settles restlessness 甘Gan Cao甘草Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma3 g使 EnvoyHarmonizes and, with the sweet herbs, helps rebuild fluids

Indications

Nourishes yin and vents residual pathogenClears lingering heat after purgationRestores fluids so a sweat becomes possible

Yangming warm disease after purgation, with no sweat and a floating pulse: yin has been consumed by the illness and the purge, so venting alone would fail and tonifying alone would trap the pathogen.

Clinical Manifestations

Low fever persisting after a warm disease was purged
Dry mouth and throat with a floating pulse and no sweat
Convalescent fever with fluid depletion
Residual heat with restlessness and thirst

TongueRed with little coating

PulseFloating

Health Categories

Energy & FatigueCold & Flu Relief

Modern Applications

Post-infectious fever Convalescence Dehydration Persistent low-grade fever Dry mouth

Common adjustments

Yin badly depleted, tongue mirror-smooth — increase Sheng Di Huang 生地黄 and add Xuan Shen 玄参
Residual heat still evident with irritability — add Dan Zhu Ye 淡竹叶
Exterior signs still frank with chills — the pattern is still an exterior one — Yin Qiao San is the correct formula, not this

Contraindications

Not for the onset of a wind-heat cold, where the venting herbs of Yin Qiao San are what is needed. Its rich, cooling nature suits a fluid-depleted patient and sits poorly with a damp, loose-stooled digestion.

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

Pregnancy

Generally acceptable in pregnancy under practitioner supervision — it is a cooling, fluid-restoring formula with no Ma Huang, no purgatives and no blood-moving herbs. Persistent fever in pregnancy still requires medical assessment.

References

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

「阳明温病，下后无汗脉浮者，银翘汤主之。」
— 《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 under 银翘散, 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.