• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2012

Objectives : The objectives of this study lie in theoretical establishment of formulas for purging five viscera for curing the sthenic syndrome of five viscera through analyzing the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's formulas for purging five viscera, and furthermore, maximizing the clinical use of them. Methods : This study analyzed the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's formulas for purging five viscera based on the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines from the "Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine", the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine, and the five elements doctrine. Hyeongok's formulas for purging five viscera are Sagantang, Saseemtang, Sabeetang, Sapyeotang, and Pyeongshintang. Results : There are three methods for curing the sthenic syndrome of five viscera according to the five elements doctrine : in case of Sagantang purging the liver, purging the heart and invigorating the lung ; Saseemtang, purging the heart, purging the spleen and invigorating the kidney ; Sabeetang, purging the spleen, purging the lung and invigorating the liver ; Sapyeotang, purging the lung, purging the kidney and invigorating the heart ; Pyeongshintang, purging the kidney, purging the spleen and invigorating the spleen. Conclusions : First, to cure the sthenic syndrome of five viscera, the methods of purging five viscera, and invigorating five viscera 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 herbal 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 formulas for purging five viscera are combined according to the above theories. In conclusion, this formula was created by applying to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines.