TREATMENT OF SPECIFIC CONDITIONS HEARTBURN EXCERPT FROM CHINESE HERBS IN THE WESTERN CLINIC
The most common malady among Americans is indigestion, which may include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, gas, belching, or heartburn. Ten percent of Americans suffer heartburn daily. Common symptoms are burning pain behind the breast bone and acid regurgitation. Cigarette smoking, tomato products, chocolate, coffee, citrus fruits and juices, and of course fried or fatty foods, can all cause heartburn, as can individual sensitivities. Relief for most people comes from standing upright or from taking antacids. The latter, if used for a long time, may lead to diarrhea, altered calcium metabolism (calcium containing products such as Tums actually increase stomach acid secretion), and magnesium retention. It should be mentioned that heartburn is not caused by hiatal hernia, in which the stomach protrudes through an opening in the diaphragm at the junction of the esophagus and stomach.
For acid regurgitation with heat signs, the classic Chinese formula is Left Metal Pill (Zuo Jin Wan). The chief herb, coptis (huang lian), drains liver fire and clears heat from the stomach. The assistant herb, evodia (wu zhu yu), disperses liver constraint and brings stomach Qi downward. A modification of this formula, known as Coptis and Evodia Formula is available from Seven Forests. According to Bensky and Barolet in Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, Left Metal Pill may also be used in treating hernial disorders with a similar presentation (p.99). The modification includes peony (bai shao) which disperses constrained liver Qi.
A formula that I have used successfully to treat chronic heartburn is Ease Plus, which is based on Bupleurum Plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell Decoction (Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang). A patient with heartburn who was diagnosed as having chronic esophagitis and who had symptoms of liver overacting on the spleen, along with spleen Qi deficiency symptoms such as fatigue, responded quite favorably to Ease Plus. The calcium containing herbs of calcium carbonate (long gu) and oyster shell (mu li) absorb acidity and calm the spirit, while ginseng (ren shen) tonifies the spleen. For simple occasional heartburn, another formula Quiet Digestion is effective. Acid regurgitation may also be brought on by a cold spleen usually the result of injury from cold foods. Six Gentlemen may be used in this case to harmonize the function of the Stomach and Spleen, and to promote the flow of Qi.
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