Pulvis GlycyrrhizaPraeparatus
Aliases：Gancao Huang (Licorice Yellow)、Gan Zhong Huang (Fermented Licorice)
Renzhonghuang (Fermented Licorice) is a Chinese medicinal material. It is a processed product made by placing licorice powder into bamboo tubes and immersing them in human waste pits for a certain period of time.
Efficacy & Actions
Clear heat and cool the blood; drain fire and resolve toxin.
Indications
High fever with vexation and thirst, skin eruptions, hematemesis, epistaxis, erysipelas, sores and toxic swellings, etc., caused by severe heat toxin in warm‑febrile diseases.
Modern Pharmacology
Anti‑inflammatory, anti‑allergic, resolve toxin, and enhance immunity (similar to licorice root, but with a stronger heat‑clearing effect).
Ingredients
Renzhonghuang (Fermented Licorice) contains original components of licorice, such as glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, flavonoids, polysaccharides, etc. Some of these components may change after soaking and fermentation.
Usage & Dosage
Internal use: 3–9 g in decoction; or used in pills or powders. External use: Appropriate amount, ground into powder and applied as a paste.
Contraindications
Contraindicated populations: Contraindicated in those without excess heat patterns; use with caution during pregnancy. Precautions for use: Should not be used alone in cases of spleen‑stomach deficiency cold. Incompatibility: Should not be used together with Sargassum (Haizao), Euphorbia pekinensis (Jing Daji), Euphorbia kansui (Gansui), or Genkwa flos (Yuanhua) – due to the “licorice incompatibility” (the anticompatible herbs with licorice).
Selected Formulas
1. For epidemic prevention – from Songfeng Shuo Yi, Renzhonghuang Wan Take an appropriate amount of Renzhonghuang, grind into powder, and use cooked rice as a binder to form pills the size of mung beans. Take 15 pills per dose. 2. For hematemesis, sputum, irritability, and bone‑steaming fever – from Danxi Xinfa Grind Renzhonghuang into fine powder. Take 9 g each time, mixed with a mixture of Rubia root juice, bamboo sap, and fresh ginger juice. 3. For erysipelas – from Modern Practical Chinese Medicine Take 6 g of Renzhonghuang, 4.5 g of Jinyinhua (honeysuckle flower), 4.5 g of Mudanpi (moutan bark), and 6 g of raw Shanzhizi (gardenia fruit). Decoct in water and take in three divided doses daily. 4. For pufferfish poisoning and various malignant sores – from Benjing Fengyuan Take equal amounts of Renzhonghuang and wine‑processed Dahuang (rhubarb), grind into fine powder, and take with unfiltered rice wine (wuhui jiu). Soon after, diarrhea will occur, and the toxin will be expelled. Even if very thirsty, do not drink water.
Medicinal Parts
Processed product (processed preparation of licorice root).
Selection & Storage
Store in a cool, dry place, protected from mold and insects.