浙贝合剂

4. Granule conversion and dose

The dosages of each herb are as follows:

• Zhe Bei Mu (fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus): 9 g
• Jie Geng (platycodon root): 9 g
• Ku Xing Ren (bitter apricot seed): 9 g
• Mai Dong (ophiopogon root): 9 g
• Pi Pa Ye (loquat leaf): 6 g
• Huang Qin (scutellaria root): 6 g
• Gan Cao (licorice root): 3 g
• Total crude herb weight: 9+9+9+9+6+6+3 = 51 g

Converted to 5:1 granules:

51 g crude herb ÷ 5 = 10.2 g granules.

Granule dose: Dissolve in warm water and take in 2-3 doses daily.

• Twice daily, about 5 g per dose.
• Three times daily, about 3.5 g per dose.

5. Cautions and clinical notes

[Contraindications]:

1. Not to be used at the onset of wind-cold cough. Manifestations include heavy-sounding cough, thin white sputum, clear nasal discharge, and pronounced aversion to cold.
2. Use with caution in cases of Spleen-Stomach yang deficiency with loose stools.
3. Use with caution in pregnant women, as the formula contains Ku Xing Ren (bitter apricot seed), which has slight toxicity.

[Safety warnings]:

1. Ku Xing Ren in this formula contains amygdalin, which produces trace amounts of hydrocyanic acid upon hydrolysis; excessive intake can cause poisoning. ProCare Herbs granules have undergone processing to reduce this toxicity during preparation, but the recommended dosage must still be strictly followed and must not be exceeded.
2. This formula is cool and slightly cold in nature and is not suitable for prolonged use.

Modern applications: Mainly used for acute bronchitis, acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infection, the recovery stage of pneumonia, laryngopharyngitis, and similar conditions, where the pattern is phlegm-heat congesting the Lung with concurrent yin damage.

Duration of use: This formula is for phlegm-heat cough and should be discontinued once the condition resolves. It may be stopped once cough and yellow sputum symptoms disappear, generally not exceeding 1 week of use. If symptoms do not improve after 3 days of use, discontinue and seek medical attention.