Modified Poria Decoction

Herbal Tea Name: Modified Poria Decoction

Chinese Name: 加味茯苓饮

Formula

15 grams of Poria cocos, 10 grams of Alisma orientale, 6 grams of Atractylodes macrocephala, 3 grams of Cinnamomum cassia, and 20 grams of winter melon peel.

Main Ingredients

How To Make

Grind Poria cocos into a powder. Place Alisma, Atractylodes macrocephala, Cinnamomum cassia, and winter melon peel in a clay pot, add water, and decoct to extract the liquid. Strain out the residue, use the decoction in place of water, and add the Poria powder to cook into a thick decoction.

Efficacy

Warms and tonifies heart yang; calms the heart and soothes the spirit. Indicated for arrhythmias caused by fluid accumulation overwhelming the heart.

Usage

Consume in the morning and evening.

Commentary

Poria cocos act as the chief herb; neutral and sweet, bland in character, its action follows the Heart, Lung, Spleen, Kidney meridians, working chiefly to drain dampness, strengthen the spleen and calm the spirit. Alisma orientale (Ze-xie) joins as the supporting deputy, sweet, bland-cold in property, acting through the Kidney, Bladder meridians to promote urination, drain damp-heat and lower lipid. Atractylodes macrocephala (Bai-zhu) reinforces this deputy action, working to tonify the spleen, dry dampness, promote urination and secure the exterior. Among the assistants, Cinnamomum cassia while winter melon peel (Dong-gua-pi) (clear heat and promote urination). No dedicated envoy herb appears in this recipe, the actions being balanced among the active ingredients themselves. Collectively, the combination warm and tonify heart yang, calm the heart and soothe the spirit, addressing the arrhythmia pattern.

Modified Poria Decoction,From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Warms and tonifies heart yang; calms the heart and soothes the spirit. Indicated for arrhythmias caused by fluid accumulation overwhelming the heart.