HOELEN FIVE
Wu Ling San

 

 ‘Five Ingredient Powder’
Source: Treatise on Febrile Diseases Caused by Cold (Shang Han Lun, 200)

Keywords
generalised oedema, fluid metabolism problems

Ingredients
Poria cocos (Fu Ling, hoelen)
atractylodes macrocephala (Bai Zhu, atractylodes)
Polyporous umbellatus (Zhu Ling, polyporus)
alisma orientalis (Ze Xie, alisma)
Cinnamomum cassia (Gui Zhi, cinnamon twigs)

Major therapeutic action
Promotes urination, drains accumulated fluids, benefits and promotes digestion.

 Biomedical action
Diuretic, gentle digestive strengthener.

Indications
*  Fluid accumulation in the tissues with fluid retention and generalised oedema. This type of oedema is usually chronic and associated with feelings of deficiency, loose stools, lethargy, and possibly frequent urination.
*  also used for acute disorders characterised by fever, headache, oliguria and thirst with vomiting immediately after drinking. This describes a cold affecting the bladder, obstructing the movement of fluids.
*  With the appropriate key symptoms this formula can be used to treat disorders such as non-specific oedema, acute or chronic nephritis, ascites, neurogenic bladder syndrome, hydrocoele, periodic vomiting, Meniere’s disease, trigeminal neuralgia and migraine headaches.

Key symptoms for use
*  oedema, fluid retention which may be generalised or localised
*  puffy eyes and fingers
*  soft or soggy pulse, or moderate, deficient pulse

Combinations
*  With severe premenstrual fluid retention, combine with Dang Gui Shao Yao San.
* With lethargy and loose stools, combine with Si Jun Zi Tang. 		Dosage
The typical dose is three grams twice daily, before meals. In severe cases or the early stages of treatment (the first two weeks), a 50-100% increase in dose may be used, then reduced as the treatment takes effect. This formula is often added to an appropriate constitutional formula to treat both the root and branch in which case a typical proportion is 4 or 5:1 constitutional formula to Wu Ling San.

Cautions and contraindications
None noted.
None noted.

Differentiation
Ba Zheng San:  For urinary disturbance characterised by pain, burning, concentrated urine and suprapubic
discomfort.