Smartness Soup 聰明湯

聰明湯

Smartness Soup

出自
Origin:
《古今医鉴》卷八
Eighth scroll of《Newly Amended Mirror of Ancient and Modern Medicine》

组成
Ingredients:
白茯神、远志肉(甘草水泡)、石菖蒲(去毛，一寸九节者)各三两。
Bai Fu Ling, Yuan Zhi Rou (soaked in Gan Cao water) [1] ,
Shi Chuang Pu (remove hairs,
One-Cun- Nine-Sections type), each three Liang.

功用
Functions:
安神定志，宁心止忘
Calms Shen, settles the Will, pacifies the Heart and stops forgetfulness.

主治
Main Indications:
不善记而多忘者
Poor memory and severe forgetfulness.

用法
Usage:
上为极细末。每日三五钱，煎汤，空心食后服，不拘次数。
[Grind] the above into extremely fine powder. Every day take 3 or 5 Qian, boil as decoction, ingest on empty stomach or after meals. The frequency underlies no restrictions.

方义
Formula’s Significance:
此方为开心散除去人参，可推知方中所治疗之健忘，
心气虚的症状不明显。三味药共同定心志，安心神，故能强记止忘。
This formula is the Opening-Heart-Powder removing Ren Shen [2]. It is possible to infer what can be cured by this formula, namely forgetfulness, without Heart-Qi deficiency symptoms being obvious. Three types of medicine altogether settle the Heart and will, as well as calm the Heart’s Spirit. That is the reason why it is able to strengthen memory and stop forgetfulness.

运用
Application:
本方和镇心醒睡益智方是开窍清脑、增智聪明的基本方，可以合并使
用，或配伍其他药物，或作为食品添加剂使用，无任何毒性副作用。
如《普济方》将两方合用，加琥珀、人参、白术、桂枝，名为应真丸，有安镇魂魄，
令神清气爽，目明耳聪，强记预知之效。

The original formula and Settling-Heart-Awakening-from-Sleep-Increasing- Intellect Formula are basic formulae for opening the orifices, clearing the brain, increasing wisdom and smartness. It can be used merged together [with other formulae], or in combination with other formulae, or act as food additive ,without any toxic side-effects.
For example 《Formulae for Universal Relief》uses two formulae combined, adding Hu Po, Ren Shen, Bai Zhu, Gui Zhi, known by the name Responding
Truth Pills. It has the effect of calming and subduing the Ethereal and Corporeal Souls. It causes Shen to be clear and the Qi to be crisp. It brightens the eyes and sharpens the ears. It strengthens memory and foresight.

附注
Annotation:

附方1 开心散
组成：远志、人参各四分，茯苓二两，菖蒲一两。
功用：养心止忘，开窍益智。
主治：好忘。
出处：《备急千金要方》
Appended Formula 1: Opening-Heart-Powder
Ingredients: Yuan Zhi, Ren Shen each 4 Fen, Fu Ling 2 Liang, Chang Pu 1 Liang
Functions: Nourishes the Heart, stops forgetfulness, opens orifices and increases intellect
Main indication: Tendency to forgetfulness.
Origin: 《Essential Formulas for Emergencies [Worth] a Thousand Pieces of Gold》

附方2 镇心醒睡益智方
组成：远志15g，益智仁12g，菖蒲12g。
功用：豁痰开窍，安神益智。
主治：注意力不集中，头昏，精神疲惫，记忆力减退，嗜睡喜困等症状的智力低下症。
出处：《千金翼方》
Appended Formula 2: Settling-Heart-Awakening-from-Sleep-Increasing- Intellect Formula Ingredients: Yuan Zhi 15g, Yi Zhi Ren 12g, Chang Pu 12g.
Main indication: Lack of concentrated attention, dizziness, Jing-Shen [consciousness] exhausted, decline in faculty of memory, mental retardation disorders with symptoms of hypersomnia and tendency to sleepiness and so on.
Origin: 《Supplement to Essential Formulas [Worth] a Thousand Pieces of Gold》

后附
Addendum:

Recent research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology has shown this formula to be effective in the treatments of rodents to both inhibit the growth of amyloid-beta, an amino acid thought to be responsible for Alzheimer’s, and protect neurons from its effects. Mice treated with the Smartness Soup regained the ability to find hidden platforms and their memory also showed improvement according to reports [3]. The findings were published in the online scientific journal PlosOne this month [4].

References:
[1] The method of processing Yuan Zhi by soaking it in Gan Cao water is the following [courtesy of the research of
Lorraine Wilcox] :

—– Remove the dregs of Yuan Zhi from the original
medicinal material. Briefly wash to have the moisture penetrate, cut into segments and dry.
—– Add an appropriate amount of water to the selected Gan Cao and decoct it twice. Combine the two concoction liquids and boil down to ten times the measurement of Gan Cao. Then add the clean Yuan Zhi. Use a low flame [civil fire] to continue until the concoction is completely absorbed. For every 100kg Yuan Zhi use 6kg of Gan Cao.

[2] This formula can be found on scroll 14 of the 《Essential Formulas for Emergencies [Worth] a Thousand Pieces of Gold)》[bei ji qian jin yao fang备急千金要方]

[3] https://www.scmp.com/…/traditional-smart-soup-shows-promise…

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/…/PMC4227…/pdf/pone.0111215.pdf