yin qiao san & gan mao ling

Remedies for Cold and Flu… continued

Two (more / Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji discussed in my previous blog) preeminent formulas in our Chinese medicine pharmacy for resolving common cold and flu symptoms:

Yin Qiao San (or Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian/ Honeysuckle & Forsythia Tablets) has been relied upon by practitioners for many years to combat the common cold and influenza. Originally formulated in 1798, Yin Qiao San directly resolves 'heat toxins' with two herbs: Flos Lonicera(Honeysuckle)/ Jin Yin Hua and Fructus Forsythiae(Forsythia)/ Lian Qiao. They make up 36% of the formula. In Chinese herbal medicine, ‘heat toxins’ in this context are the viruses causing upper respiratory infections. The body-response to toxic viral invaders is fever(heat). Body temperature rises in order to literally burn up and out illness. The rest of the herbs in the formula join in to reduce fever, clear sore throat and push the heat toxins 'to the surface' and out of the body. Because the formula's active ingredients have such functionality and potency, Yin Qiao San has also been the foundation formula for pediatric measles and chicken pox.

Then, a formula from the modern times - Gan Mao Ling (Common Cold Effective Remedy). Only three decades old and not three centuries, Gan Mao Ling surpasses Yin Qiao San in treating the common cold, influenza and other upper respiratory infections. It is faster and more effective because the four component herbs — Radix Ilex/ Gang Mei Gen, Radix Evodia/ San Cha Ku, Radix Isatis/ Ban Lan Gen and Flos Lonicera/ Jin Yin Hua — are specifically antiviral and make up 74% of the formula. Twice as much of Gan Mao Ling is devoted to directly attacking the common cold and flu viruses when we compare to Yin Qiao San. Gan Mao Ling has taken the lead in treating colds and influenza. Its extensive and repeated use confirms the efficacy of this modern formula.

If you have one or both of these Chinese patent medicines in your medicine cabinet, you are well on your way to Taking Care of Colds and Flu anytime and every time.

As soon as you can, begin dosing with one or the other formula. My recommendation is to begin at the earliest stage with Gan Mao Ling, taking one, two or three doses that first day. This treatment may knock the cold or flu right out. If not and symptoms develop further, continue taking Gan Mao Ling and/or Yin Qiao San (take both with more initial severe symptoms) every three hours. If the cold/flu goes deeper settling into the chest and lungs especially with cough, we move to or add another more specific cough and/or phlegm formula. More on that in a soon to come blog…