Abstract
There are eight kinds of formulas for invigorating the liver to cure its asthenic syndrome based on the types of preparation formulas Began-tang, Boganhwan, Bogansan, Bogandan, Boganeum, Boganjoo, Boganjeon and Bogango. Another formula called Bocheonghwan is to invigorate the green colour of liver. There are 22 kinds of Bogan-tang, 12 kinds of Boganhwan, 25 kinds of Bogansan, one kind of Bogandan, one kind of Boganeum, one kind of Boganjoo, one kind of Boganjeon, one kind of Bogango, and two kinds of Bocheonghwan. Combination of herbal medicines, carried out in formulas for invigorating the liver, consists of various kinds depending on medical scientists' personal experience in medical treatment without any general principles, which makes it difficult to apply it to clinical use. The objectives of this study lie in theoretical establishment of Bogan-tang for curing the asthenic syndrome of liver through analyzing the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's Bogan-tang, and furthermore, maximizing the clinical use of Began-tang. This study analyzed the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's Bogan-tang based on the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines from the ${\ulcorner}$yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine${\lrcorner}$ , the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine, and the five elements doctrine. Hyeongok's Began-tang is an odd prescription, composed of 7 kinds of ingredients No.1 Radix Angelicas Sinensis (2don;7.5g), No.2 Rhizoma Chuanxiong (1don;3.75g), No.3 Radii Polygoni Multiflori (1don), No.4 Fructus Lycii (1don), No.5 Cortex Cinnamomi (1don), No.6 Rhizoma Gastrodiae (1don), and No.7 Radix Glycyrrhizae (1don). There are three methods for curing the asthenic syndrome of liver according to the five elements doctrine invigorating the liver, invigorating the kidney and purging the lung. First, if you suffer from the asthenic syndrome of the liver, you need to invigorate your liver. There are two available methods, including taste and property invigoration according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. They each imply the pungent taste and the warm property invigorate the liver. In the case of taste invigoration, two herbal medicines with pungent taste, Radix Angelicas Sinensis and Rhizoma Chuanxiong, are combined into the principal and assistant herbal medicine, respectively. For property invigoration, two herDal medicines with the warm property, Cortex Cinnamomi and Rhizoma Gastrodiae, are combined into adjuvant herbal medicines. Secondly, if you suffer from the asthenic syndrome of the liver, you need to invigorate your kidney which is mother in the mother-child relationship in inter-promotion among the five elements. There are two methods to invigorate the kidney, including taste and property invigoration according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. They each mean the bitter taste and the cold property invigorate the kidney. Therefore, it is important to use bitter herbal medicines for taste invigoration and cold ones for property invigoration. Both Differ and cold herbal medicines, Radix Polygoni Multiflori and Fructus Lycii, are combined into adjuvant herbal medicines. Lastly, if you suffer from the asthenic syndrome of the liver, you need to purge your lung which is an element being surpassed in the relationship between the elements surpassed and ones not surpassed in inter-restraint among the five elements. There are two methods to purge the lung, which include taste and property invigoration according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. Taste invigoration means to purge the lung with pungent taste and property invigoration to purge the lung with warm property. Therefore, it is important to use pungent herbal medicines for taste invigoration and warm ones for property invigoration. Both pungent and warm herbal medicines, Radix Angelicas Sinensis and Rhizoma Chuanxiong, were combined to invigorate and purge the lung. In addition, Radix Glycyrrhizae are combined as dispatcher herbal medicine, harmonizing all the herbal medicines composing the formula. First, to cure the asthenic syndrome of the liver, the methods of invigorating the liver and the kidney, and purging the lung should be used according to the five elements doctrine. Secondly, herbal medicines appropriate for those treatment methods should be chosen according to the theory for properties and tastes of herDal medicine and thirdly, the combination of those herbal medicines should be carried out according to the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine. As a good example, Hyeongok's Bogan-tangon is combined according to the above theories. In conclusion, this formula was created by applying to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines.
