Mai Men Dong Tang: A Simple Guide to Nourishing Lungs and Easing Coughs
Health Lab- Feb 1
- 6 min read
Updated: May 2
Mai Men Dong Tang, also known as Ophiopogon Decoction, is a classic Chinese herbal formula from the Han Dynasty’s Golden Coinage. Cherished for centuries, it nourishes the lungs and stomach, cools internal heat, and calms disruptive qi to relieve coughs and digestive issues.
This gentle remedy is perfect for those with dry throats, persistent coughs, or vomiting due to low yin fluids. In this article, we’ll explore its ingredients, benefits, uses, and modern applications in a clear, approachable way, plus share dietary tips to boost its effects.
What’s in Mai Men Dong Tang?
This formula combines six ingredients to hydrate and soothe the lungs and stomach:
Ophiopogon root: Nourishes yin fluids and moistens the lungs.
Pinellia rhizome: Clears phlegm and settles rebellious stomach qi.
Ginseng root: Boosts energy and supports vitality.
Licorice root: Harmonizes the formula and protects digestion.
Polished rice: Nourishes the stomach and supports fluid production.
Jujube dates: Nourishes the spleen and calms the body.
Prescription additions and subtractions
If the genital injury is severe, add Adenophora Root, Polygonatum odoratum, etc.
If the cough is severe, add Fritillaria dahurica, Coltsfoot Flos, etc.
If vomiting is severe, add bamboo shavings, ginger, etc.
The ginseng in the formula can also be replaced with American ginseng, which will have a better effect in replenishing qi and nourishing yin.
Variations:
For severe lung damage, add adenophora root or polygonatum root.
For intense coughs, include fritillaria bulb or coltsfoot flower.
For strong vomiting, add bamboo shavings or ginger.
Swap ginseng for American ginseng for enhanced yin-nourishing effects.
How the Herbs Work Together
In Chinese medicine, herbs are grouped as “monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy”:
Monarch: Ophiopogon root leads by nourishing yin fluids, moistening the lungs, and cooling heat.
Minister: Pinellia rhizome supports by clearing phlegm and calming upward-rising qi to stop coughs and vomiting.
Assistants: Ginseng root and polished rice boost energy and nourish the stomach to produce more fluids.
Envoys: Licorice root and jujube dates harmonize the formula, protecting digestion and softening the effects.
This blend hydrates, cools, and balances the lungs and stomach, gently addressing both symptoms and root causes.
What Does It Treat?
Mai Men Dong Tang is designed for “lung and stomach yin deficiency” with internal heat, where low fluids cause disruptive qi flow. Common symptoms include:
Persistent cough, wheezing, or spitting saliva.
Shortness of breath or throat discomfort.
Dry mouth, thirst, or sore throat.
Vomiting, poor appetite, or hiccups.
Warm hands and feet or low-grade fever.
A red, dry tongue with little coating and a weak, rapid pulse.
These signs reflect a lack of yin (cooling, moisturizing fluids) in the lungs and stomach, leading to heat, phlegm, and qi rising improperly, causing coughs or digestive upset.
How It Works
The formula nourishes yin to hydrate the lungs and stomach, cools internal heat to ease irritation, and redirects rebellious qi to stop coughs and vomiting. By restoring fluid balance and calming the system, it supports respiratory and digestive health.
Modern Uses
Mai Men Dong Tang is widely used today for conditions tied to lung and stomach yin deficiency. Research highlights its anti-inflammatory, cough-suppressing, and saliva-promoting effects. Common applications include:
Respiratory issues: Chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, or pharyngitis with dry coughs and wheezing.
Lung conditions: Silicosis or tuberculosis with lung fluid deficiency.
Digestive disorders: Gastric ulcers, chronic gastritis, or pregnancy-related vomiting due to stomach yin deficiency.
Other benefits: Lowers blood sugar in diabetes, reduces allergies, and promotes saliva in conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome.
Boosting the Formula with Diet
Pairing Mai Men Dong Tang with yin-nourishing foods can enhance its effects. Try this recipe:
Ophiopogon and Tremella SoupIngredients: 30g tremella (white fungus), 10g ophiopogon root, rock sugar to taste, water.Preparation: Soak tremella for 2 hours until soft, tear into pieces. Simmer with ophiopogon root in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. Add rock sugar, cook 5 more minutes, and serve warm.Benefits: Moistens the lungs, nourishes the stomach, and relieves dryness.
Other dietary tips:
Eat hydrating foods like pears, lily bulbs, or mung beans.
Avoid spicy, greasy, or overly warming foods like chili or fried dishes.
Stay hydrated with warm water or herbal teas to support yin fluids.
Things to Keep in Mind
Use Mai Men Dong Tang carefully:
Avoid in cases of cold-deficiency (chills, pale complexion) as it’s designed for heat-related yin deficiency.
Ensure proper diagnosis to avoid misuse—consult a practitioner.
Side effects are rare, but overuse may cause digestive discomfort.
Conclusion
Mai Men Dong Tang is a gentle, effective Chinese herbal formula that nourishes the lungs and stomach, cools heat, and calms coughs and vomiting. Its six ingredients work together to restore yin fluids, making it ideal for chronic respiratory or digestive issues. Modern research supports its use for bronchitis, gastritis, and more. Pair it with yin-nourishing foods like tremella soup for better results, and always use under professional guidance for safe, effective care.
Chinese Name | 麥門冬湯 |
Phonetic | Mai Men Dong Tang |
English Name | Ophiopogon Decoction |
Classification | Dryness-moistening formulas |
Source | 《Essentials from the Golden Cabinet》Jin Gui Yao Lue《金匱要略》 |
Combination | Ophiopogonis Radix (Mai Dong) 7 sheng (42g), Pinelliae Rhizoma (Ban Xia) 1 sheng (6g), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen) 3 liang (9g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao) 2 liang (6g), Oryza Sativa L. (Jing Mi) 3 he (3g), Jujubae Fructus (Da Zao) 4 pieces |
Method | The source text advises to cook the ingredients with 1 dou and 7 sheng of water until the liquid is reduced to 6 sheng. Take one sheng of the warm, strained decoction 3 times during the day and once at night. (Modern use: prepare it as a decoction). |
Action | Clears and nourishes the lung and stomach, directs counterflow downward and lowers qi. |
Indication | Mai Men Dong Tang is indicated for lung wei (lung atrophy) due to deficiency-heat. The symptoms are coughing, labored breathing, throat discomfort, sputum that is difficult to expectorate, coughing up or spitting saliva, dry mouth and throat, feverish feeling in the palms and soles. The tongue is red with scanty tongue coating, and the pulse is deficient and rapid. Mai Men Dong Tang is also indicated for stomach yin deficiency with vomiting, poor appetite, hiccup, thirst, dry throat. The tongue is red with scanty tongue coating, and the pulse is deficient and rapid. |
Pathogenesis | This formula treats lung wei due to deficiency-heat which is caused by lung and stomach yin deficiency with upward reversal of qi and fire. Although the symptoms are primarily related to the lung, the condition is actually caused by the heat from stomach yin deficiency. The earth is the mother of metal and the stomach governs the body fluids. Stomach fluid deficiency causes lung fluid deficiency which further develops into both lung and stomach yin-fluid deficiency. In the condition of lung and stomach yin deficiency, fluids are scorched by deficiency-fire creating sputum and there is a failure of lung qi to purify. This manifests a cough with ascending counterflow qi and spitting up saliva. Since the throat is the portal of the lung and stomach, lung and stomach yin deficiency often results in fluid failing to flow upwards; and as a result, patients experience a dry mouth and throat as well as a feverish feeling in the palms and soles due to exuberant internal deficiency-heat. Stomach yin deficiency may lead to reversal qi flowing upwards causing vomiting. The red tongue body with scanty tongue coating and a deficient, rapid pulse are typical signs of yin deficiency with internal heat. The appropriate therapeutic methods are to clear and nourish the lung and stomach, direct counterflow downward, and lower qi. |
Application | 1. Essential pattern differentiation Mai Men Dong Tang treats coughing or vomiting caused by lung and stomach yin deficiency with counterflow of the qi dynamic. This clinical pattern is marked by coughing or spitting saliva, shortness of breath, labored breathing with rapid and short breath, thirst, vomiting, dry, red tongue body with scanty coating, deficient and rapid pulse. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of lung and stomach yin deficiency with counterflow of fire and qi: chronic bronchitis, bronchodilation, chronic pharyngitis, acute silicosis, tuberculosis; also used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of stomach yin insufficiency, vomiting due to qi counterflow: gastroduodenal ulcer, chronic atrophic gastritis, vomiting during pregnancy. |
Remark | Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II. Its trade is allowed but subject to licensing controls. |
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