Hypertension is divided into primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Due to the small number of people with secondary hypertension, this article mainly discusses primary hypertension.
The most direct pathological change in hypertension is the increase in vascular pressure in the blood. Some patients have elevated systolic blood pressure, some have elevated diastolic blood pressure, and some have both.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the liver is born on the left, and the lungs are stored on the right. Both rise and fall, maintaining the circulation of body qi. Some doctors believe that high systolic blood pressure is due to the reverse of the qi of wood fire, while high diastolic blood pressure is caused by the weak convergence of the qi of gold and water. Each has its own emphasis on treatment.
There are many traditional Chinese medicine syndromes for hypertension, and here we mainly talk about the most common type of hypertension, which is characterized by liver yang hyperactivity.
Hyperactivity of liver yang type hypertension
This type of hypertension is mainly characterized by headache, dizziness, dry mouth, bitter taste, red face and eyes, irritability and irritability. Liver yang is like a rocket. When a person is angry or has an unhealthy diet with high salt content, it is like adding fuel to a rocket. After filling it up, the rocket is launched directly towards the highest part of the human body.
In this situation, we not only need to maintain a peaceful mindset and eat a healthy diet to reduce rocket fuel, but also use a "net" to block the rocket and calm down liver yang.
Under normal circumstances, liver yang does not become hyperactive because the yin fluid in the liver and kidneys attracts liver yang. As stated in the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, "yang is suppressed and yin is sucked in." Yin qi is like a magnet that firmly absorbs yang qi, so that all things can "negative yin and embrace yang.".
As one ages, the yin fluid in the liver and kidneys decreases, and the attraction of this "magnet" also deteriorates, leading to a situation of excessive yang qi. At this time, traditional Chinese medicine will use some sour and sweet medicines, with sour taste as the main astringent, sweet taste as the tonic, and a combination of sour and sweet to transform yin, in order to increase yin fluid.
When a person is angry, qi will drive liver yang upwards, and blood pressure will also rise as a result.
Sancao Jiangya Tang
Sancao Jiangya Tang is an empirical formula created by Professor Liu Duzhou, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. After extensive clinical observation and animal experiments, this formula has been proven to have significant antihypertensive effects, and it is only composed of simple five herbs, making it a small and specialized formula.
This prescription consists of five herbs: 30g of motherwort, 15g of summer withered grass, 10g of gentian grass, 20g of white peony, and 10g of roasted licorice.
Function: Qinggan Xiehuo, nourishing yin and softening the liver, promoting blood circulation and diuresis.
Indications: Hypertension, headache, dizziness, and other diseases.
Usage: decoction in water, 1 dose per day, 2-3 times per day.
It has the effects of clearing the liver and purging fire, nourishing yin and softening the liver, promoting blood circulation and diuresis, and has good effects on diseases such as liver fire hyperactivity type hypertension, stubborn hypertension, headache, and dizziness.
▋ Analysis
Motherwort, as the name suggests, is a sacred herb in gynecology, also known as Kuncao. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, promoting blood circulation, and promoting diuresis. Motherwort is a holy herb for the separation of jue yin and blood. It is good at walking, can promote blood circulation and meridians, promote diuresis and blood pressure reduction, remove blood stasis to aid blood circulation, and promote diuresis to aid blood pressure reduction. The Compendium of Materia Medica states that it treats "blood dizziness, blood wind, and blood pain";
Summer withered grass withers and withers during the summer solstice, relieving bitterness and opening up. It is good at clearing liver fire and has a cold and cool nature. It promotes liver qi and opens stagnation, dispels stagnation, and lowers blood pressure. It is a commonly used medicine for hypertension.
Gentiana has a bitter taste like bile, with a cold and cool nature. It can relieve liver fire and effectively eliminate dampness and heat in the liver meridian. For example, the famous Gentiana Xiegan Tang uses Gentiana as the main medicine.
The combination of peony and licorice can turn sour and sweet into yin, and the sour plum soup in summer also has a sour and sweet taste, so it can supplement the deficiency of liver and kidney yin and blood. The combination of various medicines not only treats qi, but also blood and pulse. Paired with peony and licorice, it can sour and sweet yin, nourish liver yin, and suppress liver yang. If liver yin is nourished, water can contain wood, and wood fire is not blazing.
When treating hypertension, one should never forget to balance deficiency and excess, and apply both attack and nourishment. The San Cao Jiangya Tang uses motherwort to promote blood circulation while also nourishing blood with white peony;
Using summer withered grass and gentian grass to clear liver fire and reduce adverse qi, while also using roasted licorice to supplement the middle and replenish qi, to prevent cold and cold products from damaging the spleen and stomach qi;
Using motherwort to promote diuresis, gentian to clear dampness and heat, while using white peony to restrain yin, achieving diuresis without damaging yin and nourishing yin without loving evil. It can be said that the compatibility is exquisite and the level is superb.
Gentiana scabra has the ability to settle the bitter cold, clear the fire of the liver meridian, and also clear heat and dry dampness. It has great expertise and can directly break the fire; Gentiana has a cold nature and can easily damage the spleen and stomach. It should not be taken for those with weak spleen and stomach. It should be decocted in water and taken once a day, 2-3 times a day.
Reuse peony, nourish yin, and relieve spasms slowly and urgently; Use licorice and herbal medicine to protect the stomach and harmonize various medicines.
There are only a few ingredients in the entire prescription, but the formula is simple and effective. It can not only promote blood circulation and diuresis, but also clear the liver and reduce fire, targeting the essence of hypertension with Qi and blood imbalance. It emphasizes both deficiency and excess, regulates both Qi and blood, and thus achieves the goal of lowering blood pressure.
From a modern medical perspective, Sancao Jiangya Tang, including Xiakucao, Gentiancao, and Shaoyao, has a blood pressure lowering effect. Yimu Cao and Shaoyao can also dilate peripheral blood vessels and improve blood circulation.
The commonly used treatment for hypertension in clinical practice, such as hydrochlorothiazide tablets, is through diuresis and blood pressure reduction, and motherwort also has this effect. The good therapeutic effect of this formula may stem from the clever combination of syndrome differentiation and modern pharmacology.
Addition and subtraction of medication:
Our formula has a wide range of applicability, and can be adjusted according to the symptoms on the basis of basic drugs,
If adding Ox Knee to ignite and descend, adding Stone Cassia and Mother of Pearl to calm the liver and subdue yang,
Adding Scutellaria baicalensis and Gardenia jasminoides to clear and relieve liver fire, and increasing Huangxie Xiashi heat,
Adding Danpi to cool blood and promote blood circulation, adding Gouteng and Chrysanthemum to calm the liver and extinguish the wind,
Add Poria cocos, Zexie, and talcum to promote diuresis and reduce swelling.
Pain in the eyes, pressing it like a stone, adding Leonurus chinensis, Dendrobium officinale, and Xuanshen to nourish the liver yin.
Dendrobium officinale is a good medicine for nourishing yin, which not only nourishes stomach yin but also nourishes liver and kidney deficiency. It is often used for cases of insufficient kidney yin, hyperactivity of liver yang, and excessive movement of deficiency fire. It also nourishes yin without obstructing evil, and can be used for cases of yin injury with damp evil.
In the process of treating hypertension, attention should also be paid to regulating the patient's sleep, ensuring that the patient receives sufficient rest to help restore blood pressure.
At the time of clinical diagnosis, according to different situations, the prescriptions such as Pinellia Shumi Decoction, Wendan Decoction, Coptis ass hide glue Decoction can be used together.
Pinellia ternata can communicate with yin and yang, and is a good product for treating insomnia, but the dosage should be large. When used 15-20 grams, it is more effective when combined with summer withered grass. It can communicate with yin and yang, allowing yang to enter yin and yin to guard the mind. Therefore, it can have a calming and hypnotic effect.
Life precautions for hypertensive patients
Hypertensive patients, especially those with excessive liver fire, need to pay attention to the following points in daily life:
Firstly, to maintain emotional stability, one can adjust their breathing appropriately, or practice techniques such as Jingqigong, meditation, Eight Section Brocade, Tai Chi, etc., which can effectively stabilize the mind and avoid irritability.
Secondly, pay attention to rest and ensure sufficient sleep.
Thirdly, in terms of diet, you can eat some sour and sweet foods, because traditional Chinese medicine says that sour and sweet foods can transform yin. Adequate yin fluid can also suppress excessive liver yang, such as black plums, strawberries, grapes, or yogurt, and avoid a high salt diet.
Finally, I hope everyone can control their blood pressure, overcome the dilemma of not leaving antihypertensive drugs, maintain good health, and be happy every day!
Reminder: Everyone's physical condition is different. The prescription provided in the article should be adjusted according to the situation of the enthusiast. It is recommended to seek guidance from a professional doctor.