Traditional Vietnamese medicine for common illnesses during hot weather.

Prolonged hot weather and high humidity create favorable conditions for viruses, bacteria, and parasites to thrive, leading to various illnesses. Furthermore, the body's resistance is not yet fully developed, especially in the elderly and children, making them susceptible to heatstroke, skin rashes, diarrhea, and other ailments. Below are some simple and readily available traditional Vietnamese remedies to treat these conditions; readers can refer to and apply them.

Heatstroke (or sunstroke)

Patients experience excessive sweating, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting, general fatigue, rapid pulse, slightly low blood pressure, and in severe cases, fainting. Use one of the following remedies:

Recipe 1: 16g ginseng, 16g Angelica sinensis, 12g Cynomorium songaricum, 16g Phaseolus vulgaris, 16g Ocimum basilicum, 16g Amomum villosum (roasted), 16g Astragalus membranaceus, 16g Atractylodes macrocephala, 12g Citrus reticulata peel, 12g Cornus officinalis, 16g Dioscorea opposita, 8g Cinnamomum cassia, 16g Ostrea gigas, 16g Mulberry leaves (for decoction). Decoct and drink one dose per day, divided into three portions.

Recipe 2: 16g of processed oyster shell, 16g of kudzu root, 30g of roasted black beans, 16g of jackfruit leaves; 30g of sliced, dried and roasted sweet potatoes; 16g of Chinese yam, 12g of lotus seeds, 16g of Ophiopogon japonicus, 16g of Angelica sinensis, 16g of roasted Atractylodes macrocephala, 12g of licorice, 10g of cinnamon, 4g of fresh ginger, 20g of mulberry leaves. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Recipe 3: 16g of kidney beans (roasted), 16g of basil, 20g of kudzu root, 16g of processed oyster shell, 16g of astragalus, 10g of pinellia, 12g of magnolia bark, 16g of atractylodes, 10g of cinnamon, 12g of cornus fruit, 16g of ophiopogon, 10g of licorice. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Cardamom treats diarrhea caused by cold deficiency.

Diarrhea

Due to food poisoning: The patient experiences intermittent abdominal pain and bloating. The pain gradually increases, and vomiting may occur, followed by frequent diarrhea with loose, watery stools. Use one of the following remedies:

Recipe 1: 20g of loquat leaves (roasted and buried in the ground), 12g of Coptis chinensis, 20g of Sophora flavescens leaves, 20g of guava leaves, 20g of Gynostemma pentaphyllum leaves (roasted), 16g of Phaseolus vulgaris, 20g of Lonicera japonica, 10g of Citrus reticulata peel, 4g of fresh ginger, 16g of Dioscorea opposita, 12g of Atractylodes macrocephala. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Recipe 2: 16g white kidney beans, 16g white atractylodes, 20g guava leaves, 20g large-leaved milkweed, 10g Coptis chinensis, 12g Magnolia officinalis, 10g tangerine peel, 20g bitter ginseng leaves, 4g fresh ginger, 12g galangal. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Due to spleen and stomach deficiency with cold: Patients experience dull abdominal pain, slow digestion, loose stools, and gradual physical weakness. Use one of the following remedies:

Recipe 1: 16g Codonopsis pilosula, 12g Poria cocos, 16g Atractylodes macrocephala, 10g Pinellia ternata, 12g Magnolia officinalis, 12g Alpinia officinalis, 10g fermented wheat, 16g Dioscorea opposita, 16g Nelumbo nucifera seeds, 3 large dates, 16g Rhus chinensis root, 16g Acanthopanax senticosus, 16g Phaseolus vulgaris (roasted), 12g Glycyrrhiza glabra, 4g fresh ginger. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Recipe 2: 16g Codonopsis pilosula, 16g Angelica sinensis, 10g Pinellia ternata, 12g Cimicifuga dahurica, 10g Citrus reticulata peel, 10g fermented wheat, 6g Amomum cardamomum, 12g Acanthopanax senticosus, 16g Astragalus membranaceus, 16g Atractylodes macrocephala, 10g Magnolia officinalis, 10g Bupleurum chinense, 12g Glycyrrhiza uralensis, 16g processed Polygonum multiflorum, 10g Cinnamomum cassia, 12g Cornus officinalis. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Itchy skin rash

Patients experience intense itching, excessive scratching, and patchy skin lesions, leading to discharge, inflammation, reddish urine, and a hot, burning sensation in the skin. The cause is due to impaired liver function and underlying medical conditions. Treatment principles: clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood, and combating allergies. Use one of the following prescriptions:

Recipe 1: 10g of Paeonia lactiflora, 16g of Saposhnikovia divaricata, 20g of Tinospora cordifolia, 16g of Poria cocos, 12g of Phellodendron amurense, 12g of Taraxacum officinale, 12g of Gardenia jasminoides, 12g of Mentha arvensis, 16g of Prunella vulgaris, 20g of Lonicera japonica, 16g of Ophiopogon japonicus, 20g of Vernonia anthelmintica, 10g of Sophora japonica (roasted). Decoction to be taken once a day. Uses: relieves itching caused by wind, clears heat and moistens the liver, cools the blood, eliminates toxins, and reduces inflammation.

Recipe 2: 12g honeysuckle flower, 12g perilla, 12g angelica root, 20g red leaf plant, 20g centella asiatica, 20g leaves of *Tinospora cordifolia*, 12g forsythia suspensa, 12g scrophularia ningpoensis, 16g roasted *Xanthium strumarium*, 20g centella asiatica, 10g bupleurum root, 16g *Hedyotis diffusa*. Decoction to be taken once a day. Uses: relieves itching and inflammation, clears heat and detoxifies, nourishes the liver.

According to SK&ĐS - PC