A Manual of Classic Formulas for Primary Care

A Manual of Classic Formulas for Primary Care is a practical distillation of the learning and clinical experience of Huang Huang, one of the pre-eminent proponents of the Classic Formula (jing fang) approach to herbal medicine in present-day China.

This approach is primarily based on the formulas of Zhang Zhong-Jing and applies the formulas flexibly in the treatment of a variety of diseases, paying special attention to the patient’s background condition and the characteristics of the clinical picture. Dr Huang emphasises that when applying classical formulas, one must adhere to the adage: For this condition, use this formula.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part discusses forty-two important and basic classical formulas, focusing on their composition, formula presentation, disease indications, patient characteristics and other insights from Dr Huang’s extensive experience. These commonly used classical formulas will enable the practitioner to effectively treat diseases encountered in modern primary care.

In the second part, thirteen common biomedical disease categories are discussed and combined with the major classical formulas used to treat them. This material is drawn from a variety of clinical reports as well as from Dr Huang’s own clinical experience. Each formula is accompanied by case studies explaining the rationale for using the formula.