Saponaria, Ophiopogon, and Almond Decoction

Category: Herbal Tea

Herbal Tea Name: Saponaria, Ophiopogon, and Almond Decoction

Chinese Name: 沙参麦冬杏仁饮

Formula

20 grams of Saponaria root, 20 grams of Ophiopogon tuber, 20 grams of almonds, and 20 grams of honey.

Main Ingredients

How To Make

Rinse the Saponaria root, Ophiopogon tuber, and almonds separately. Place them together in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and decoct twice for 30 minutes each time. Combine the two decoctions, return the mixture to the clay pot, and simmer over low heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add honey, and stir until well blended.

Efficacy

Moistens the lungs, clears dryness, quenches thirst, and promotes fluid production. Suitable for patients with lung dryness and yin deficiency during the recovery phase of pneumonia.

Usage

Take one dose in the morning and one in the evening.

Commentary

Saponaria root functions as the chief herb. Slightly bitter-cold in property, it channels into the Lung, Stomach meridians, and works to clear heat, resolve phlegm and relieve cough. Ophiopogon tuber (Mai-dong) takes the deputy (minister) role, sweet, slightly bitter-slightly cold in property, acting through the Stomach, Lung, Heart meridians to nourish yin, moisten the lung, generate fluids and calm the heart. Almonds (Xing-ren) reinforce this deputy action, working to descend lung qi and relieve cough and wheezing. Honey (Feng-mi) acts as the coordinating (envoy) herb, working to moisten the lung and harmonize the formula and unite the separate actions into one. United, the ingredients moisten the lungs, clear dryness, quenches thirst, promote fluid production, addressing the root disturbance of the yin deficiency and yin pattern.

Saponaria, Ophiopogon, and Almond Decoction，From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Moistens the lungs, clears dryness, quenches thirst, and promotes fluid production. Suitable for patients with lung dryness and yin deficiency during the recovery phase of pneumonia.

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