Source: Discussion of Cold Damage (c. 220)

Indication: Yang Ming Channel syndrome due to blazing heat

Symptoms: High fever, and aversion to heat without aversion to cold, severe thirst, with desire for cold drinks, profuse sweating, red face, irritability, incoherent speech, headache, toothache, bleeding of the gums and nose

Tongue: red; Pulse: surging, full or slippery, rapid

This formula clears heat with acrid, cold and sweet ingredients, as opposed to cold and bitter. This strategy is used when excess heat occurs concurrently with loss of body fluids. "Conditions where the earth is dry and fire scorches cannot be treated by bitter, cold flavor. The Inner Classic states, sweetness first enters into the Spleen...Use sweet to drain...From this one knows that sweet, cold substances make the best formulas for draining Stomach fire and generating body fluids." --Ke Qin