Lai Fu Zi Semen Raphani sativi
Shan Zha Fructus Crataegi
Shen Qu Massa Fermentata Medicinalis
Mai Ya Fructus Hordei vulgaris germinatus
Gan Cao Radix Glycyrrhizae uralensisExplanation
This remedy resolves retention of food and Dampness and moves Qi. It is indicated for retention
of food accompanied by stagnation of Qi causing an epigastric pain which is more severe than
that addressed by the previous two remedies.
Dietary Advice
The patient should simply eat less and more slowly.
Case History 14.2
Epigastric Pain: Retention of Food-Female, Age 45
A 45-year-old woman had been suffering from epigastric pain for 2 years. The pain was dull,
worse lying down, aggravated by pressing on the area, and accompanied by a slight nausea and
acidity. When the pain was bad she also became constipated and her appetite decreased. She also
had a slight feeling of fullness.
Besides this problem, she had also experienced some slight bleeding in between periods with
light-fresh blood for 4 months.
Her pulse was Slippery on the whole and Weak on the right side. Her tongue was Pale with a
slight Bluish-Purple tinge, teeth-marks and a sticky-white coating (Plate 14.1(376)).
Diagnosis This is a condition of mixed Deficiency and Excess. There is a
deficiency of Spleen-Qi manifesting with poor appetite, dull epigastric
pain, bleeding in between periods (Spleen-Qi not holding Blood), Weak
pulse and Pale tongue with teeth-marks. The Excess condition, due to
retention of food, manifests with constipation, nausea, pain which is
worse for pressure and on lying down, the Slippery pulse and the sticky
tongue coating. There is therefore a deficiency of Spleen- and
Stomach-Qi, as well as retention of food. In addition, there is also the
beginning of stasis of Blood in the Stomach as evidenced by the slight
Bluish-Purple tinge of the tongue body.
Treatment principle The treatment principle adopted was to tonify Spleen-Qi and resolve
retention of food. It was not necessary to deal with the stasis of Blood
directly as this would be resolved by itself once Spleen-Qi is tonified