Gan cao tang
sheng gan cao 6
In shao yin disease that has lasted two or three days, for throat ache, one can give gan cao tang. If it doesn’t resolve, then give jie geng tang.
Gan cao, Glycyrrhizae radix fresh is sweet tonifying and nourishing of all organs but especially the heart.
It tonifies qi and yin to regenerate fluids of the center while protecting the middle. In shao yin disease there must be a loss of fluids because the emperor is weak and yang needs yin to flourish. When the fluids become deficient the ministerial fire can flare and cause local heat such as a sore throat. This is sweet moderation of fire.
Gan cao is used raw in this formula. All other formulas are mix fried zhi gan cao meaning it is cooked in honey which makes it sweeter and warmer.
Mix fried with honey is Mi zhi gan cao or zhi gan cao. Source Pao Zhi from Bob Flaws.