Classic formula · Treat dryness
Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
养阴清肺汤 Nourish the Yin and Clear the Lungs Decoction
For a dry, burning sore throat in a dry person: a throat that is red, raw, and swollen, with hoarseness, a dry cough, and a dry mouth, where the trouble is heat on a yin-deficient base rather than a fresh cold. Written for diphtheria; now the throat formula for heat and dryness.
A throat that has been sanded. Cooling it alone leaves it dry; wetting it alone leaves it hot. This formula does both, which is why it works where lozenges do not.
Also sold as: Yang Yin Qing Fei Wan · Yang Yin Qing Fei Gao (the syrup)
Who Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang is for
This formula is chosen for one pattern. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Dry, burning, swollen sore throat
- Hoarseness
- Dry cough with little phlegm
- Dry mouth, mild fever
- Chronic pharyngitis in a dry person
- Recurring sore throats that are not infections
- Tongue
- Red with little coat.
- Pulse
- Thin and rapid.
What is in Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheng Di Huang Fresh Rehmannia Root | 12 g | Chief | Raw rehmannia cools and nourishes yin. |
| Mai Dong Mai Dong Ophiopogon Root Tuber | 9 g | Deputy | Ophiopogon moistens the Lung and throat. |
| Xuan Shen Figwort Root Use caution | 9 g | Deputy | Scrophularia cools the throat and clears toxic heat. |
| Bai Shao White Peony Root | 5 g | Assistant | White peony nourishes yin. |
| Mu Dan Pi Tree Peony Bark Use caution | 5 g | Assistant | Tree peony bark cools the blood. |
| Chuan Bei Mu Sichuan Fritillary Bulb | 5 g | Assistant | Fritillary bulb moistens and clears the throat. |
| Bo He Peppermint Use caution | 3 g | Envoy | Mint vents the heat from the throat. |
| Gan Cao Raw Licorice Root Use caution | 3 g | Envoy | Licorice soothes the throat. |
How Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang works
Rehmannia, ophiopogon, and peony refill the fluids. Scrophularia and peony bark cool the heat and the blood. Fritillary and mint open the throat. Licorice soothes. It is the throat version of the dry-cough formulas.
Actions in classic terms
- Nourishes yin and clears the Lung
- Cools the throat and relieves toxic heat
Common changes to Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- A very swollen throat add Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao Honeysuckle and forsythia for toxic heat.
- Hoarseness that lingers add Mu Hu Die, Chan Tui Herbs for the voice.
Cautions with Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
- Cool and moist. Not for a sore throat with chills and a white coat, which is wind-cold.
- Not for a weak Spleen with loose stools.
- A sore throat with high fever, white patches, or trouble breathing needs urgent care, not a formula.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as syrup, teapills, granules, decoction.
- Syrup
- As the label directs, usually three times a day
- Course
- One to two weeks.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
Often sold as a syrup, Yang Yin Qing Fei Gao, with the characters 养阴清肺. Eight ingredients led by raw Rehmannia, Ophiopogon, and Scrophularia.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
- Bai He Gu Jin Tang 百合固金汤 For the dry cough with blood-streaked phlegm, where the chest matters more than the throat.
- Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang 沙参麦冬汤 Lighter, for dryness after a fever with a tickly cough and no real sore throat.
Conditions where Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, and indications.
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.