Chronic diarrhea is found in many diseases, such as chronic bacillary dysentery, chronic amoebic enteritis, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, functional diarrhea and malabsorption syndrome. For some infectious diarrhea mentioned above, western medicine can obtain satisfactory curative effect by choosing effective antibiotics, while for some non-infectious diarrhea, western medicine has no satisfactory treatment because of various reasons. For this kind of diarrhea, it is common to look dull, listless, tired and weak, even cold limbs, emaciation, diarrhea in the morning or after meals. Or manifested as depression and anger, or diarrhea when you are nervous. These symptoms are caused by weakness of spleen and stomach, deficiency of kidney yang, liver depression and spleen deficiency.
Wu Mei decoction, which originated from Treatise on Febrile Diseases, has the functions of warming viscera and relieving spasms, and is mainly used to treat spasms caused by upper heat and lower cold. The main points of clinical treatment are abdominal pain, boredom and vomiting, frequent vomiting and cramping, and cold limbs. Prolonged diarrhea and dysentery mixed with cold and heat can also be used for the weak with positive qi deficiency.
Article 242 of Treatise on Febrile Diseases says: "Anyone who has syncope will be treated by Wu Mei Pill, which will lead to chronic dysentery." According to the prescription of Wu Mei Pill, Kiichigo, the main drug, tastes sour and enters the liver meridian, which can astringe the intestine and stop diarrhea; Bitter and cold coptis chinensis and phellodendron chinense can clear away heat, dry dampness and stop dysentery; Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata, Rhizoma Zingiberis, Ramulus Cinnamomi, Fructus Zanthoxyli and Asari are all warm products, which can warm the kidney, strengthen the spleen, help transport, soothe the liver and regulate qi, and prevent liver qi from carrying the spleen; Ginseng and angelica tonify qi and blood to enhance the body's resistance. The combination of all kinds of medicines has the functions of warming the middle energizer, tonifying deficiency, clearing away heat and dampness, and stopping dysentery, and has a good curative effect on chronic diarrhea with mixed cold and heat and weak vital qi.