Source: Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Exogenous Febrile Diseases).

Ingredients:
No.1  Yuanhua (Flos Genkwa)
No.2  Gansui (Radix Euphorbiae Kansui)
No.3  Daji (Radix Knoxiae)
Equal in dosage.

Administration:
Grind them into fine powder with 0.5 - 1 g put into a capsule each time and taken with the decoction of Dazao (Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae) early in the morning before meal, once daily.

Actions:
Eliminating fluid Retention.

Clinical Application:
This recipe is used to treat thoracic retention of fluid, marked by cough, shortness of breath, pain in the chest and hypochondrium when coughing, headache, dizziness, deep and taut pulse; or severe edema of the body, abdominal fullness; dyspnea, difficulty in urination and defecation. It is applicable to exudative pleurisy, ascites due to cirrhosis, and chronic nephritic edema, which pertain to strong body resistance with excessive fluid retention.

Elucidation:
This syndrome is the result of excessive fluid retaining in the interior, which should be treated by means of eliminating retained fluid by purgation. Ingredient No. 2 is good at eliminating retention of fluid and dampness from meridians, No. 3 excels in eliminating it from zang-fu organs, intestine and stomach, and No. 1 removing fluid and phlegm from the chest and hypochondrium. The three ingredients have their respective advantages and can enhance the effect of eliminating retained fluid and relieving edema and fullness when combined.

However, they are drastic and toxic in nature and apt to impair body resistance. The decoction of Dazao (Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae), therefore, is meant to reinforce the spleen and stomach, and reduce the toxic and drastic properties of the drugs so that they can achieve the purgative result without affecting the healthy qi. It functions as adjuvant drug.
      
Cautions:
This recipe is contraindicated for pregnant woman for its drastic efficacy. Besides, it is advisable to begin with a small dose and increase or reduce the dose accordingly in the light of the retention after application of drugs and in accordance with the tolerance of the patient. If incessant diarrhea occurs after the use of this recipe, cold porridge is recommended to stop it. If the patient cannot tolerate the drastic purgation because of general debility and excessive pathogenic factors, tonics and this recipe may be used in alteration, either purging away pathogenic factors followed by reinforcement or reinforcing the spleen followed by purgation.