三子养亲汤

• Tongue: White greasy or slippery greasy coating.
• Pulse: Slippery pulse.

4. Granule conversion and dose

Calculation of total raw herb weight in the original formula:

Zi Su Zi (perilla fruit) 9 g + Bai Jie Zi (white mustard seed) 9 g + Lai Fu Zi (radish seed) 9 g = 27 g.

Converted to 5:1 granules:

27 g raw herbs ÷ 5 = 5.4 g granules.

Recommended dose and method of administration:

• Standard adult daily dose: the classical decoction is typically taken as one dose per day, divided into two warm servings.
• Converted to ProCare Herbs granules:
  • Total daily dose is 5.4 g of granules.
  • Taken in two doses: approximately 3 g per dose, twice daily.
• It is recommended to take the formula after meals to reduce gastrointestinal irritation. As the action of this formula is relatively mild, it may be taken 2-3 times daily as needed according to the condition.

5. Cautions and clinical notes

• [Contraindications]:
  1. Although named "nourishing the parent," this formula is in fact an attacking formula that addresses the branch, suitable for excess patterns of phlegm, qi, and food stagnation. It is therefore contraindicated in chronic cough due to qi deficiency and in dry cough due to yin deficiency.
  2. Use with caution in patients with extreme Spleen-Stomach deficiency.
• [Clinical modifications]: The sovereign, minister, assistant, and envoy herbs in this formula may be adjusted according to the predominant symptoms:
  • If wheezing, cough, and chest oppression predominate, use Su Zi as sovereign herb and increase its dosage.
  • If copious, congested phlegm predominates, use Bai Jie Zi as sovereign herb and increase its dosage.
  • If reduced appetite and epigastric fullness predominate, use Lai Fu Zi as sovereign herb and increase its dosage.
• [Safety warning]: Bai Jie Zi (white mustard seed) in this formula is irritating to the skin and mucous membranes; excessive dosage may cause gastroenteritis, with abdominal pain and diarrhea. When preparing ProCare Herbs granules, it must be ensured that the herb undergoes standardized processing and that the dosage is strictly controlled within a safe range.
• Modern applications: This formula is widely used for chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, stubborn cough in children, and indigestion, in cases where the pattern is one of phlegm congestion and qi stagnation, with or without concurrent food accumulation.
• Duration of use: This formula addresses the branch in an acute presentation and should be discontinued once the condition resolves; it is not suitable for prolonged use. Once the phlegm has dispersed, the qi has become smooth, and the food stagnation has resolved, treatment should shift to a formula that fortifies the Spleen and boosts qi, supporting the righteous qi and consolidating the root, in order to eliminate the source of phlegm production.