Ge Gen Tang (Pueraria Decoction) gé gēn tāng · 葛根汤

Safety. This formula contains ephedra (麻黄), whose ephedrine alkaloids raise heart rate and blood pressure and have been linked to insomnia, tremor, anxiety and serious cardiovascular events; several jurisdictions restrict or prohibit ephedra-containing preparations, and their status differs between countries. It also contains licorice, whose glycyrrhizin can raise blood pressure and lower potassium, especially alongside potassium-losing diuretics or cardiac glycosides. Avoid in pregnancy, hypertension, coronary or other heart disease, hyperthyroidism, glaucoma and prostate enlargement, and together with stimulant or decongestant medicines. The clinical claims recorded for this formula rest on classical authority rather than controlled evidence and are not established. For pattern differentiation by a licensed practitioner only; amounts are deliberately not given here.