Classic formula · Tonify qi
Sheng Mai San
生脉散 Generate the Pulse Powder
Three herbs for qi and yin lost together. For the person who is short of breath, sweating, dry-mouthed, and worn out, with a thin weak pulse: after summer heat, a fever, a long cough, or a long illness. One herb restores the qi, one the fluid, and one holds both in.
A runner at the end of a hot race: breath gone, mouth dry, sweat pouring, pulse thin. Ginseng gives back the breath, ophiopogon the water, and schisandra closes the pores so neither leaks away again.
Also sold as: Sheng Mai Yin · Sheng Mai Wan · Ginseng and Ophiopogon Formula
Who Sheng Mai San is for
This formula is chosen for 3 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Shortness of breath with a weak voice
- Sweating that will not stop, especially in heat
- Dry mouth and throat, thirst
- Chronic cough with little sticky phlegm in a weak person
- Palpitations and a thin weak pulse
- Exhaustion after summer heat or a fever
- Recovery from a long illness with dryness
- Tongue
- Red and dry with little coat.
- Pulse
- Thin, weak, or empty.
What is in Sheng Mai San
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ren Shen Ginseng Use caution | 9 g | Chief | Ginseng restores the qi. American ginseng is used when heat is strong; codonopsis when the case is mild. |
| Mai Dong Mai Dong Ophiopogon Root Tuber | 9 g | Deputy | Ophiopogon restores the fluids and moistens the Lung. |
| Wu Wei Zi Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit Use caution | 6 g | Assistant | Schisandra holds in the qi and the sweat. |
How Sheng Mai San works
Qi and fluid are lost together in heat, fever, and long illness, and the sweating keeps draining both. Ginseng rebuilds the qi, ophiopogon the fluid, and schisandra's sourness closes the leak. Three herbs, one job each, and the pulse comes back, which is where the name comes from.
Actions in classic terms
- Augments the qi and generates fluids
- Holds in the yin and stops sweating
Common changes to Sheng Mai San
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Strong heat add Xi Yang Shen remove Ren Shen American ginseng is cooler.
- Heavy sweating add Huang Qi, Fu Xiao Mai Astragalus and light wheat.
Cautions with Sheng Mai San
- Not during an active fever, cold, or cough with lots of phlegm. Schisandra holds things in, including an infection.
- Not for exhaustion from heat stroke with a high fever; that needs cooling first.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, oral liquid, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day, the usual label dose
- Oral liquid
- As the label directs; the liquid form is common in summer
- Course
- One to four weeks.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Sheng Mai San
The box reads Sheng Mai San, Sheng Mai Yin, or Sheng Mai Wan with the characters 生脉. Three ingredients: Ginseng, Ophiopogon, and Schisandra.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Sheng Mai San
- Mai Wei Di Huang Wan 麦味地黄丸 The same Lung herbs on the Liu Wei base, for a chronic dry cough with Kidney signs.
- Yu Ping Feng San 玉屏风散 Stops sweating by guarding the surface in a weak person without the dryness.
Conditions where Sheng Mai San comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and cautions.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.