Zhu Ling Tang猪苓汤

Polyporus Decoction (Polyporus Combination)

Expelling Dampness 祛湿剂Promote Urination and Leach Out Damp 利水渗湿

Ingredients5 herbs

HerbDosageRoleWhat it does in this formula

猪Zhu Ling猪苓去皮Polyporus10g君 ChiefOpens the urinary route and drains the water that has stopped below 茯Fu Ling茯苓Poria10g臣 DeputyDrains damp alongside Zhu Ling and steadies the Spleen 泽Ze Xie泽泻Alismatis Rhizoma10g臣 DeputyDrains water and leads heat out through the urine 阿E Jiao阿胶Corii Asini Colla10g佐 AssistantNourishes yin and blood so draining does not leave the patient dry 滑Hua Shi滑石碎Talcum10g佐 AssistantCools and frees the urinary passage, easing burning and dripping

Indications

Promotes urination and drains dampnessClears heat from the lower burnerNourishes yin while draining

Water and heat binding with yin already injured: fluid stops in the lower burner, heat joins it, and the yin the heat has consumed cannot be ignored while the water is drained. Hence a formula that opens the urine and cools while E Jiao holds the yin steady.

Clinical Manifestations

Scanty, burning, dripping urination
Blood in the urine with lower abdominal fullness
Fever with thirst and difficult urination
Restlessness and insomnia alongside urinary difficulty
Diarrhea with cough, nausea and thirst in the Shaoyin presentation

TongueRed with a thin white or thin yellow coating

PulseThin and rapid, or floating and rapid

Health Categories

Urinary & Bladder HealthImmune Support

Modern Applications

Urinary tract infection Cystitis Hematuria Urinary calculi Nephritis Dysuria

Common adjustments

Blood in the urine — add Bai Mao Gen 白茅根, Xiao Ji and Pu Huang 蒲黄
Marked damp-heat with burning on urination — add Che Qian Zi 车前子, Bian Xu 萹蓄 and Qu Mai 瞿麦
Stones with colicky pain — add Jin Qian Cao 金钱草 and Hai Jin Sha 海金沙
Restlessness and insomnia prominent — add Zhi Zi 栀子 and Dan Zhu Ye 淡竹叶

Contraindications

Zhang Zhong-jing warns against it where sweating has been profuse and the thirst comes from a dried-out Stomach — draining the urine on top of that only deepens the dryness. It is likewise wrong for urinary difficulty of yang deficiency, where the water is cold rather than hot, and it is used cautiously in weak digestion with loose stools, since Hua Shi and the draining herbs are cold.

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

Pregnancy

Used during pregnancy only under practitioner supervision — Hua Shi is traditionally given with caution to pregnant patients, and a strongly draining formula is not for casual use while pregnant.

References

Source Shang Han Lun 《伤寒论》 · Eastern Han

「若脉浮发热，渴欲饮水，小便不利者，猪苓汤主之。」
— 《伤寒论》(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）— 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.