Reexaminations of Dosages in Shanghanlun : Comparison of the Dosages Among Decoctions. Pills and Powder Formulations

Abstract

This paper reveals the dosages of decoctions in Shanghanlun(傷寒論) in relation of pills and powder formulations, and obtains following results. At the first examination of the system of weight, while Taohongjing(陶弘景) shows three kinds of system of weight: [(1) lliang(両) is equivalent to 14 g. (2) lliang = 7 g (3) lliang = 1.4 g], he describes the necessity of the corrective system of weight among the decoctions, the pills and the powder formulations. After Song(宋) dynasty. Zhusanfa(煮散法), which is the method of preparing the decoction by placing powder ingredients of prescriptions in water and simmer, have been mainly adopted. In the term of Zhusanfa, although the whole quantities of prescriptions are written with the ancient weight unit, the notation of the dosage is indicated by the current weight unit, Qian(銭). In Shanghanlun, since the dosage form seems to have been changed from the pills or the powders into the decoction, some of decoctions contain impractical dose for decoction.