Lian Po Yin — Coptis & Magnolia Beverage

On this page

1. Overview
2. TCM pattern
3. Key herbs
4. Formula actions
5. Conditions treated
6. Cautions

Overview

Lian Po Yin — the “Coptis and Magnolia Beverage” — is from Wang Mengying’s Qing-dynasty Huo Luan Lun (Treatise on Cholera). It was developed for acute Damp-Heat gastroenteritis in summer, the classical “summer cholera” (huo luan) of pre-antibiotic Chinese medicine. The formula treats Damp-Heat lodged in the middle burner with simultaneous vomiting from above and diarrhoea from below, with chest oppression, restlessness and a sticky yellow tongue coat.

I prescribe Lian Po Yin as part of bespoke herbal formulas from pharmaceutical-grade granules sourced from Sun Ten in Taiwan.

TCM pattern

Lian Po Yin is prescribed for Damp-Heat in the middle burner with simultaneous vomiting and diarrhoea:

• Vomiting of acidic or bitter material
• Foul-smelling watery diarrhoea
• Chest and epigastric oppression
• Restlessness, irritability
• Burning, anal heat with diarrhoea
• Possible low-grade fever, thirst without desire to drink much
• Tongue — red, yellow greasy coat
• Pulse — slippery, rapid

Key herbs

1. Huang Lian — chief; clears Damp-Heat from the Stomach and Intestines
2. Hou Po — aromatically transforms Damp; moves middle-burner Qi
3. Shi Chang Pu — aromatically opens the orifices; resolves Damp
4. Ban Xia — harmonises Stomach; descends rebellious Qi; stops vomiting
5. Dan Dou Chi (fermented soybean) — releases the exterior; clears mild Heat from the chest
6. Zhi Zi — clears Heat from all three burners; relieves restlessness
7. Lu Gen (reed root) — clears Heat; nourishes fluids

Formula actions

1. Clears Damp-Heat from the middle burner
2. Stops vomiting and diarrhoea
3. Resolves chest oppression and irritability

Conditions treated

1. Acute summer gastroenteritis with Damp-Heat pattern
2. Bacterial enteritis with foul-smelling diarrhoea and chest oppression
3. Food poisoning with Damp-Heat pattern
4. Acute Damp-Heat dysentery in milder form
5. Travellers’ diarrhoea with Damp-Heat
6. Norovirus with foul-smelling diarrhoea and restlessness

Cautions

Severe dehydration, persistent vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, high fever or symptoms lasting more than 48 hours require urgent medical assessment.

Not appropriate for cold-pattern diarrhoea (clear watery stool, cold extremities, pale tongue) — use Liu He Tang instead.

Severe cholera-type illness requires emergency hospital care with IV rehydration.

Always consult a qualified Chinese herbalist registered with the RCHM.

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