Release the Muscle Layer is regulating and promoting nutrient and defensive qi, recovering the function of nutrient and defensive qi for the sake of excreting sweat and expelling evil. Gui Zhi Tang is typical representative of it. Compare with Ma Huang Tang syndrome, Gui Zhi Tang syndrome is deeper, according to Zang Fu organs belonging, Ma Huang Tang syndrome stays at lung, main treatment purpose is dispersing lung; Gui Zhi Tang syndrome stays at spleen and stomach, treatment purpose aims to reinforcing spleen and stomach. Therefore, the fundamentality of Gui Zhi Tang is reinforcing spleen-stomach and expelling evils. First of all, when we analyze the principle of its prescription, Gui Zhi Tang belongs to pungency-sweet-warm prescription, besides the function of Releasing the Muscle Layer and expelling wind it can regulate and reinforce middle jiao and strengthen stomach qi as well. In addition, it is required to take gruel after taking of Gui Zhi Tang, using the energy of grain to tonify spleen and stomach. The principle of the prescription is tonifying spleen and stomach in order to reinforce nutrient and defensive qi, promoting the whole body, connecting exterior and interior, regulating yin and yang, harmonizing qi and blood, activating collaterals. We can use Gui Zhi Tang widely on the basis of clear understanding of the theory mentioned above. The disharmony of nutrient qi and defensive qi can also not caused by external disease, the basic symptoms are fever, sweating, no external syndrome, such as menopause syndrome, autonomic dysfunction etc. The disharmony of nutrient and defensive qi syndrome also has the symptoms of nutrient and defensive qi obstruction, or itching sensation, or numbness of skin. We can use the prescription for treatment of urticaria, numbness of four limbs, scleroderma etc in clinic. Gui Zhi Tang takes regulating and tonifying spleen-stomach as basis; therefore, spleen-stomach disease is the chief indication of it.
Key word: Releasing the Muscle Layer, Gui Zhi Tang
Writer: Xiang Ru Xiao
Beijing university of TCM (100029)
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