Initial Defense
Yin Qiao San, Sang Ju Yin
Kan Herbals
Resolves the Exterior, clears Heat and diffuses the Lung Qi.
Not in our system?
Connect with a practitioner to find out what products are best for you and gain access to product pricing.
- Herb: Honeysuckle flower, Forsythia fruit, White mulberry leaf, Platycodon root, Chinese mint herb, Schizonepeta herb, Scrophularia root, Chrysanthemum flower, Burdock fruit, Peucedanum root, Chinese licorice root and rhizome
- Herb (Pinyin): Jin yin hua, Lian qiao, Sang ye, Jie geng, Bo he, Jing jie, Xuan shen, Ju hua, Niu bang zi, Qian hu, Gan cao
- Pattern: Wind Heat affecting the Wei Qi and progressing towards Qi level Heat, Exterior Wind Heat invasion, External Wind invasion
- Actions: Resolves the exterior, clears Heat and diffuses the Lung Qi
- Indications: Supports a healthy immune system, Propensity towards being thirsty and drinking cold beverages, Occasional Heat in the throat or eyes, Occasional throat discomfort, Aversion to heat, wind sensitivity, feeling flushed, Occasional irritability and anxiety, Occasional headache
- Tongue: Dry or bright red with a thin white coat.
- Pulse: Floating, rapid.
Initial Defense combines the two most important formulas for expelling exterior Wind Heat invasion. They were both developed at the same time by the same author, Wu Ju-Tong, in Wen Bing Tiao Bian in 1798, for similar patterns and with similar ingredients. While “Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder” (Yin Qiao San) was a stronger formula to relieve invasions and Heat, “Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Decoction” (Sang Ju Yin) was designed to focus on the Lungs. The combination of these two formulas creates a formula that can address a very broad range of Wind Heat disharmonies.
PHYSICAL INDICATIONS
This formula will vent Wind and Heat invasions that are lodged in the Defensive (Wei) Qi level out through the skin. Initial Defense simultaneously relieves surface Wind Heat invasion and corrects disharmonies that have become lodged deeper in the interior at the Qi level. It helps to support a healthy immune system.
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL INDICATIONS
Initial Defense is primarily an exterior releasing formula, but will relieve occasional feelings of irritability and anxiety in the chest caused by Heat.
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT
Initial Defense (Yin Qiao San and Sang Ju Yin) is a combination of “Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder” (Yin Qiao San) and “Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Decoction” (Sang Ju Yin), first mentioned in the great classic, Systematic Differentiation (Wen Bing Tiao Bian), written by Wu Ju-Tong in 1798. We have modified this formula combination by adding Scrophularia root and Peucedanum root to more strongly dissipate Wind Heat from the Lung and moisten Yin, replacing Prepared soybean, Phragmites, Lophatherum and Apricot seed.
ABOUT THE HERBS
Honeysuckle flower clears Heat and external invasions. It has also been found useful in the early stages of Wind Heat invasions. It is sweet and cold, entering the Lung and Stomach meridians.
Forsythia fruit clears Heat and external invasions and expels Wind Heat. It is slightly cold and bitter, and enters the Heart, Liver and Gallbladder meridians. Combined with Honeysuckle flower, it clears external invasions lodged at the Qi level.
White mulberry leaf dispels Wind Heat and cools the Blood. It is cold, sweet and slightly bitter, entering the Lung and Liver meridians.
Platycodon root raises the Qi to the surface, vents the Lung Qi to protect the Interior and relieves occasional fullness in the chest. It enters the Lung and Stomach meridians.
Chinese mint herb clears Heat invasions, settles the stomach and relieves food and Qi stagnation. It is cool and pungent, entering the Lung and Liver meridians.
Schizonepeta herb relieves Wind, dries Damp, vents rashes and soothes itching. This herb can be used in either Wind Heat or Wind Cold patterns, and is utilized here because it vents Wind Heat without causing dryness. It is warm and pungent, and enters the Lung and Liver meridians.
Scrophularia root enriches the Yin element, downbears Fire and eliminates vexation. It is cold, bitter and salty, entering the Lung and Kidney meridians.
Chrysanthemum flower clears Wind Heat, calms and cools the Liver. It is cool, sweet and bitter, entering the Liver and Lung meridians.
Burdock fruit releases the surface to expel Wind Heat, and benefits the throat. Burdock fruit relieves Wind Heat rashes. It is acrid, slightly bitter and cold, entering the Lung and Stomach meridians.
Peucedanum root diffuses Wind Heat, regulates Qi,and disperses Phlegm. It dispels Wind Heat. It is slightly cold, bitter and acrid, entering the Lung and Spleen meridians.
Chinese licorice root and rhizome tonifies the Qi, benefits the Spleen and Stomach, and harmonizes the formula. It is sweet and neutral, and enters all the meridians.