Source: Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Exogenous Febrile Diseases).

Ingredients:
No. 1 Zhuling (Polyporus) 9 g;
No. 2 Zexie (Rhizoma Alismatis) 15 g;
No. 3 Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis) 9 g;
No. 4 Fuling (Poria) 9 g;
No. 5 Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) 6 g.

Administrations:
Grind the above drugs into fine powder; take orally 6 g each time and 3 times daily with warm boiled water. Or prepare them into decoction, with dosages in proportion to the original recipe.
 
Actions:
Inducing diuresis, eliminating dampness, warming yang and promoting qi function.
  
Clinical Application:
This recipe is indicated for syndrome of fluid retention in the interior, marked by edema, diarrhea, dysuria, pale tongue with glossy whitish fur, soft pulse. It is applicable to edema from nephritis and cirrhosis, acute enteritis, uroschesis, hydrocephalus and others, which pertain to fluid-retention and dampness in the interior. In case of excessive retention of fluid, Wupi San [Chenpi ( Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae), Fulingpi (Cortex Sclerotii Poriae), Shengjiangpi (Exocarpium Zingiberis Recentis), Sangbaipi (Cortex Mori Radicis) and Dafupi ( Pericarpium Arecae )] may be used simultaneously to enhance the effect of inducing diuresis and relieving swelling.
 
Elucidation:
The syndrome is caused by dysfunction of the spleen in transportation and transformation, leading to retention of fluid in the interior and dysfunction of qi transformation of the bladder. It should be treated by inducing diuresis and warming yang to promote qi function. With a large dosage, No. 2 is effective in inducing diuresis and used as monarch drug. No. 4 and No. 1 are sweet and mild in nature and function as minister drugs, which can promote diuresis and enhance the effect of the monarch drug in relieving swelling. No. 3 in combination with No. 4 further strengthens the function of reinforcing the spleen and inducing diuresis, while No. 5 promotes the function of the bladder in excretion of urine.

No. 3 and No. 5 together play the role of adjuvant drugs. Originally this recipe was used for treating retention of fluid manifesting dysfunction of the bladder in excretion of urine and bradyuria, which are caused by the unrelieved exogenous pathogenic factors retaining in taiyang meridian. Thus it can be inferred that No. 5 also bears the effect of relieving exterior syndrome and eliminating pathogenic factors. This recipe is mainly to invigorate the spleen and induce diuresis and, thus, fit for retention of fluid due to dysfunction of the spleen.

Cautions:
Warm in nature as this recipe is, it should not be used for the case of heat transformed from water-dampness.