San Zi Yang Qin Tang: Herbal Relief for Cough and Digestion
Health Lab- Jan 30
- 5 min read
Updated: May 4
San Zi Yang Qin Tang, or Three Seeds Nourishing Parents Decoction, is a cherished formula from Han's Medical Encyclopedia by Han Mao, a master physician of the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. This simple yet powerful blend of three herbs—white mustard seeds, perilla seeds, and radish seeds—warms the lungs, clears phlegm, calms coughs, and aids digestion.
Named with the heartfelt intent of “nourishing parents,” it reflects traditional Chinese medicine’s (TCM) blend of healing and filial care, particularly for elderly patients with phlegm, wheezing, and poor appetite. Its elegant efficacy continues to shine in modern clinical practice.
What’s in San Zi Yang Qin Tang?
San Zi Yang Qin Tang combines three herbs, structured by the TCM principle of monarch, minister, and assistant, to address phlegm, qi stagnation, and digestive issues. The ingredients and their roles are:
Monarch Herb
White Mustard Seeds (Bai Jie Zi): Pungent and warm, white mustard seeds warm the lungs, dissolve cold phlegm, and clear blockages, easing cough and chest tightness.
Minister Herb
Perilla Seeds (Su Zi): Pungent and warm, perilla seeds lower rebellious lung qi, relieve cough and asthma, and moisten the intestines to ease constipation.
Assistant Herb
Radish Seeds (Lai Fu Zi): Pungent and neutral, radish seeds promote digestion, reduce bloating, and clear phlegm, supporting gastrointestinal and lung health.
Preparation
Lightly stir-fry and crush the herbs, then decoct in water, wrapped in cloth, and drink warm as a tea, taken frequently in small doses like a beverage. Modern forms include granules, tablets, or capsules for convenience.
How It Works
San Zi Yang Qin Tang targets phlegm stagnation and qi reversal, a TCM condition common in the elderly, where weak lung and spleen function leads to phlegm buildup and digestive issues.
Phlegm blocks the lungs, causing cough, wheezing, or chest tightness, while food stagnation impairs digestion, worsening phlegm production. The formula works by:
Warming the Lungs: White mustard seeds dissolve cold phlegm, restoring clear breathing.
Lowering Qi: Perilla seeds calm rebellious lung qi, relieving cough and asthma.
Aiding Digestion: Radish seeds reduce bloating and promote food breakdown, clearing phlegm’s root cause.
Clearing Blockages: The trio enhances qi flow, easing chest and abdominal discomfort.
This synergy, as Han 𢘅 intended, treats both symptoms and root causes, embodying TCM’s holistic care and filial respect for aging parents.
What Does It Treat?
San Zi Yang Qin Tang is used for phlegm stagnation, qi stagnation, and food accumulation, particularly in the elderly, with symptoms including:
Cough with excessive phlegm
Wheezing or asthma
Chest tightness or fullness
Poor appetite or indigestion
Bloating or constipation
These reflect weakened lung and spleen function, often due to aging, poor diet, or chronic illness, leading to phlegm and qi blockages.
Pathogenesis in TCM
In TCM, the lungs govern qi and respiration, while the spleen transforms food into energy. When these organs weaken, often with age, the spleen fails to process food, creating phlegm, and the lungs struggle to disperse qi, causing phlegm to accumulate.
This blocks the lungs, triggering cough or asthma, and disrupts digestion, leading to bloating or appetite loss. San Zi Yang Qin Tang warms the lungs, clears phlegm, and restores digestive harmony, addressing this cycle of stagnation.
Modern Applications
Modern research highlights the anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and digestive benefits of San Zi Yang Qin Tang’s herbs, with compounds like sinapines (mustard), perilla aldehyde (perilla), and fatty oils (radish) driving its effects. Clinical uses include:
Respiratory Conditions: Treats chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and cor pulmonale by clearing phlegm and easing cough.
Digestive Issues: Relieves bloating, poor appetite, and constipation linked to food stagnation.
Elderly Care: Supports aging patients with weak digestion and respiratory issues, improving quality of life.
Other Benefits: Reduces inflammation and promotes gastrointestinal motility, aiding overall health.
Modern formulations like granules or capsules enhance patient compliance while retaining traditional efficacy, making it accessible for chronic conditions.
Precautions
Processing: Lightly stir-fry and crush herbs to reduce pungency, protect qi, and enhance efficacy (e.g., radish seeds shift from raising to lowering qi when fried).
Dosage: Use small, frequent doses (up to 3 grams per herb) to avoid overstimulation; simmer gently for gradual effects.
Contraindications: Avoid in qi-deficient patients unless combined with qi-tonifying herbs; unsuitable for heat-related coughs (yellow phlegm, fever).
Professional Guidance: Consult a TCM practitioner to tailor the formula to the patient’s condition, ensuring safe and effective use.
Conclusion
San Zi Yang Qin Tang is a beautifully simple Chinese herbal formula that warms the lungs, clears phlegm, and aids digestion. With white mustard, perilla, and radish seeds, it relieves cough, wheezing, and bloating, particularly for the elderly, while embodying the filial care of “nourishing parents.”
Widely used in modern TCM for bronchitis, asthma, and digestive issues, its benefits are backed by research showing anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects. Under professional guidance, San Zi Yang Qin Tang offers gentle, effective relief, blending ancient wisdom with heartfelt care for health and well-being.
Chinese Name | 三子養親湯 |
Phonetic | San Zi Yang Qin Tang |
English Name | Three-Seed Filial Devotion Decoction |
Classification | Phlegm-expelling formulas |
Source | 《Effective Formula》Jie Xiao Fang《皆效方》recorded in《Essentials of Expanded Miscellaneous Diseases》Za Bing Guang Yao《雜病廣要》 |
Combination | Perillae Fructus (Zi Su Zi) 9g, Brassicae Junceae Semen (Bai Jie Zi) 9g, Raphani Semen (Lai Fu Zi) 9g |
Method | Slightly dry-fry the three medicinals and then pound them into pieces. Wrap it up in a cotton cloth and decoct mildly. Take the decoction frequently. |
Action | Directs qi downward and smoothes diaphragm, dissolves phlegm and promotes digestion. |
Indication | San Zi Yang Qin Tang is applicable to patients with phlegm congestion, counterflow qi, and food stagnation. The symptoms include coughing with labored breathing, copious phlegm, chest obstruction, less food intake, difficulty with digestion. The tongue coating is white and greasy and the pulse is slippery. |
Pathogenesis | San Zi Yang Qin Tang is used to treat cough, counterflow qi and stuffiness due to phlegm obstruction in senior patients. When people get old, the center qi becomes deficient. It becomes hard to receive and transport food which leads to food stagnation and phlegm accumulation. Phlegm accumulates in the lung and stomach leading to the above-mentioned symptoms. The tongue and pulse characteristics indicate cold and phlegm obstruction. The therapeutic principle is to warm the lung and dissolve phlegm, direct qi downward, and promote digestion. |
Application | 1. Essential pattern differentiation San Zi Yang Qin Tang is a common formula applicable to patterns of phlegm congestion, counterflow qi, and food stagnation. It is especially good for senior patients. This clinical pattern is marked by cough with copious phlegm, less foof intake and chest pi white and greasy tongue coating, slippery pulse. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of phlegm accumulation, adverse flow of qi, and food stagnation: intractable cough, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and pulmonary heart disease. 3. Cautions and contraindications It is recorded in the original book that the three medicinals should be dry-fried slightly and then be smashed in order to reduce the stimulation to the larynx and throat and the lung and stomach. This is especially important for lai fu zi because its property will change to sink downward after being fried. When the medicinals are being smashed, it is good for the components to dissolve out. In terms of administration, it is better to take the decoction frequently in small amounts each time, just like sipping tea. |
Comments