2. Syndrome of Lung-Qi deficiency
Manifestations
Main symptoms
Shortness of breath, worse on exertion, a low and weak voice, reluctance to talk, spontaneous sweating, propensity to catch colds or having a common cold of long duration.
Secondary symptoms
Cough, phlegm, bright-white complexion, depression and lack of resolution and confidence.
Tongue
Pale with a white coating.
Pulse
Thready, superficial and rapid in the first position on the right side.
Associated disorders in western medicine
Common cold, influenza, chronic bronchitis, asthma, pulmonary emphysema, chronic sinusitis, skin disorders and depression.
Analysis of the syndrome
The Lung is a light, fragile organ that is unable to tolerate extreme dryness, cold or heat, and prefers to be moistened. Lung-Qi is generated from three sources:
• from the air, which is extracted by the Lung from inhalation
• from Nutritive-Qi, which is generated by food and drink by the transformation function of the Spleen
• from Defensive-Qi, which is generated by Source-Qi from the Kidney in the Lower-Jiao, strengthened by the Spleen-Qi in the Middle-Jiao and gathered in the Upper-Jiao.
Lung-Qi is formed by integrating the three kinds of Qi. It spreads over the whole body via its dispersing and descending functions. It stimulates or maintains the functions of the internal organs and vital activities of the whole body.
• When Lung-Qi is deficient, its dispersing and descending functions become weak. Patients may suffer from shortness of breath, which is worse on exertion, a low and weak voice and reluctance to talk.
• When the Defensive-Qi is too weak to control the pores and protect the body, spontaneous sweating, a propensity to catch colds and a common cold of long duration are often present.
• If the Lung-Qi fails to spread the fluid as mist in the Upper-Jiao, there may be cough with phlegm.
• The Lung houses the Po at a mental level. When Lung-Qi is deficient, depression and lack of confidence may exist.
• The pulse signs indicate the Qi deficiency, particularly in the Lung position, and there is a reaction of the weakened Lung-Qi to pathogenic factors.
Treatment principle: Tonify the Lung-Qi
Herb selection principles and formula composition strategies
• First, herbs that are sweet and moist, enter the Lung and Spleen meridians, and have the function of tonifying the Spleen-Qi and Lung-Qi without a harsh and drying nature are selected.
• Second, herbs that tonify the Kidney-Qi and herbs that tonify the blood and Lung-Yin so as to strengthen the Lung-Qi are selected.
• Third, herbs that can disperse and descend the Lung-Qi, and therefore smooth the Qi movement in the Upper-Jiao, are selected along with sour or astringent herbs that can stabilize the Lung-Qi.
Structure of the formula and selection of herbs
Chief: Directly tonify the Lung-Qi, or tonify the Spleen-Qi so as to strengthen the Lung-Qi
Ren Shen ( Ginseng radix) and Sheng Huang Qi ( Astragali radix)
Ren Shen and Sheng Huang Qi are two strong herbs for tonifying the Qi. They are characterized by their quick action. Both are sweet and slightly warm, and enter the Spleen and Lung meridians. Sweetness possesses tonifying and moistening qualities and the slight warmth may gently strengthen the Yang, which further generates the Qi. They strongly tonify the Spleen-Qi, strengthen the Middle-Jiao, and promote the function of the Spleen to generate blood, essence and body fluids. When the Spleen-Qi is strong enough, it can transport the Qi to the Lung so as to strengthen the Lung-Qi and the Defensive-Qi. Both herbs are very effective for treating Lung-Qi deficiency.
Ren Shen is particularly able to tonify the Source-Qi, grasps the Qi that is sent downward by the Lung, and therefore improves quick and shallow respiration. It can also strengthen the Defensive-Qi, and is used to counter the propensity to catch the common cold in people who have a poor constitution. It is often selected as chief in the formula to treat Qi deficiency in both Lung and Kidney.
Unlike Ren Shen, Huang Qi has no function in tonifying the Source-Qi. On the other hand, Huang Qi – in particular the raw version, called Sheng Huang Qi – has a strong ability to ascend Qi and enter the Lung meridian directly. It can strongly tonify the Lung-Qi, as well as strengthen the Defensive-Qi, promote the Qi and blood circulation on the surface of the body, and control the pores so as to strengthen and stabilize the exterior. Thus, Huang Qi is very often selected as chief in formulas to tonify the Lung-Qi and Defensive-Qi.
Bai He ( Lilii bulbus)
Bai He is sweet and slightly cold in nature and enters the Lung, Heart and Stomach meridians. It can be selected as chief in a formula to tonify the Lung-Qi. The strong point of this herb is that it moistens the Lung and smoothes the Qi, thus relieving depression, grief and restless sleep. It can moisten the Lung-Yin and clear heat. It has a lubricating property and is able to regulate the Qi movement in the Upper-Jiao. It treats dry cough, a tight sensation in the chest and difficulty in expectorating scanty and thick sputum.
Deputy: Nourish Yin and blood; tonify the Kidney-Qi in order to stabilize the Lung-Qi
Hu Tao Ren ( Juglandis semen) and E Jiao ( Asini corii colla)
Hu Tao Ren is sweet and warm, and enters the Kidney and Lung meridians. E Jiao is sweet and neutral, and enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. Both are moist in nature and are able to moisten the Lung and tonify the Kidney-essence and blood. They are mainly selected in formulas to treat chronic conditions of Lung-Qi deficiency where Kidney deficiency is obviously involved. The difference between these two substances is that Hu Tao Ren is more suitable for treating Kidney-Yin and Kidney-essence deficiency; E Jiao is better suited for use in cases of blood deficiency.
Mai Men Dong ( Ophiopogonis radix) and Bei Sha Shen ( Glehniae radix)
Mai Men Dong and Bei Sha Shen are sweet and cold, and enter the Lung meridian. Both tonify the Yin of the Lung primarily, and tonify the Lung-Qi secondly. They can tonify the Qi slightly and are particularly suitable for use in conditions where the Qi and Yin are both injured by pathological heat. They treat shortness of breath, dry cough, thirst and tiredness. However, Mai Men Dong is bitter, and its function of reducing heat is stronger than that of Bei Sha Shen. Moreover, it enters the Heart meridian, and if the patient suffers from restlessness, irritability and insomnia, which indicate a deficiency of Heart-Yin and Heart-Qi, Mai Men Dong is more suitable than Bei Sha Shen.
Shan Yao ( Dioscoreae rhizoma)
Shan Yao
Buy Membership for Complementary Medicine Category to continue reading. Learn more here
