2010 Year of the Tiger
Tiger (fixed element Wood): The year of the tiger qualities are traditionally unpredictable, generous, and passionate. Yes, the tiger can also be reckless and have a short temper. Most notably, the tiger is powerful.
Focus: Bai Hu Tang, The White Tiger Decoction: There are no tiger products in this formula. This formula uses raw Shi Gao (gypsum) which is bright white in color as is the White Tiger. Also, it is possible that this formula is named after the metal tiger spirit of the west. This tiger spirit appears in Autumn and marks the end of summer’s heat.
Ingredients:
Sheng Shi Gao (raw gypsum) 30 grams
Zhi Mu (Radix Anemarrheanae Asphodeloidis) 9 grams
Geng Mi (nonglutinous rice) 9-15 grams
Sheng Gan Cao (licorice, Radix Glycyrrhizae) 3 grams
Lu Gen (Rhizoma Phragmitis) 9 grams
This formula is for treating Wen Bing Qi Level Heat or Six Stage Yangming (Yang Brightness) Level Heat. It Clears Heat, Calms Mental Restlessness, Produces Jin-Ye (fluids), and Stops Thirst. It is for the treatment of the Four Bigs: big thirst, profuse sweating, large flooding pulse, and high fever. Infectious diseases including Summer Heat (heat stroke), lobar pneumonia, and cerebral infections including meningitis are traditionally treated with White Tiger. In addition to treating Lung Heat, White Tiger is also used for Stomach Fire disorders with indications such as swollen gums, headache, thirst, and epistaxis (bloody nose). This includes toothaches and gum infections. Other disorders treated with White Tiger include rheumatic arthritis of the Wind-Damp-Heat-Bi (joint)-Pain type.
Shi Gao, gypsum, is the chief ingredient of the formula. It is primarily composed of calcium sulphate. It has a powerful function to sedate fire in the Lung and Stomach especially when presenting with high fever, thirst, profuse sweating, and a strong flooding pulse. Of note, this correlates to the nutraceutical application for the treatment of high fever. Nutraceuticals are foods and food based supplements with medicinal properties. Calcium lactate has been traditionally used to treat high fevers in nutraceutical applications along with its use as an antacid.
