C14 Chinese medication chart: Delirium etc.

Medication chart: Delirious speech, fidgetiness of deficiency type, abdominal distension. From a manuscript copy of Shanghan diandian jin shu (The Gold-dust Book of Cold Damage) dated '1st year of the Zhengyuan reign period of the Yuan dynasty' (1341), section entitled Shanghan diandian jin yongyao muji (Cold Damage Gold-Dust Repertory of Medication).

The text states: Delirious speech (zhanyu) is classed as an excess syndrome/repletion pattern (shizheng). It can be treated with prescriptions such as Stomach Regulating and Qi Supporting decoction (tiao wei cheng qi tang), White Tiger Decoction (baihu tang) and Collateral pills (didang wan). It may also be associated with other syndromes. For example, in women, heat entering the Blood Chamber (xue shi, the Thoroughfare Vessel and uterus) may be accompanied by delirious speech. Such cases are treated initially with Minor Bupleurum decoction (xiao chaihu tang), and later with Collateral pills (didang wan). Where delirious speech is due to Yang collapse brought on by sweating, Bupleurum and cassia twig decoction (chaihu guizhi tang) should be given.

Deficiency distress (xufan) conditions are generally treated with bamboo leaf decoction or tangerine peel decoction. In case of Bound Pulse (jiedai), decoction of roasted liquorice is used. Patients suffering from abdominal distension are commonly treated with platycodon and pinellia decoction (jiegeng banxia tang), Major Qi Supporting decoction (da cheng qi tang), etc.