Maltose is made by grinding sticky rice or rice into powder, cooking it, adding germinated barley, and simmering over low heat. It is sweet in taste and warm in nature, and it enters the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. Its effects include tonifying the spleen and replenishing qi, relieving spasms and pain, and moistening the lungs to relieve cough. The clinical names for it are maltose and maltose.
bubble_chart Compendium of Materia Medica
Mingyi Bielu: It is sweet and slightly warm in nature, primarily used to tonify deficiency, quench thirst, and stop bleeding.
Rihuazi Bencao: It tonifies qi, disperses phlegm, stops coughing, and moistens the five organs.
Kaibao Bencao: It is sweet and slightly warm in nature, primarily used to tonify deficiency, quench thirst, and stop bleeding.
Bencao Yanyi: Overconsumption can stir up spleen wind. Those with poor appetite should consume it in small amounts, as it can harmonize spleen and stomach qi.
Tangye Bencao: It is warm in nature and sweet in taste, non-toxic.
It enters the foot Taiyin meridian.
The "Ye" says: It tonifies deficiency, quenchs thirst, and stops bleeding. Because its color is purple and congealed like deep amber, it is called maltose. The white and dry variety is not maltose but rather a type of sugar, which is not used medicinally. It should not be used in cases of fullness, and those prone to vomiting should avoid it. It is a foot Taiyin meridian herb. Zhang Zhongjing stated that those prone to vomiting should not use Jianzhong Tang because of its sweetness.
Bencao Yanyi Buyi: It belongs to the earth element and is formed by fire, greatly generating heat within dampness. The "Yanyi" mentions that it stirs up spleen wind, which refers to its secondary effects while overlooking its primary benefits.
Bencao Fahui: Cheng Liaoshe said: Neijing: The spleen desires to be relaxed, and sweet foods should be eaten to relax it. The sweetness of maltose and Chinese dates is used to relax the middle.Bencao Gangmu: Xing Caojin, a strong general from Heshuo, was struck in the eye by a flying arrow. The arrow was pulled out, but the arrowhead remained inside, and it could not be removed with forceps. He was in pain and awaiting death when he suddenly dreamed of a foreign monk who told him to apply rice juice to the wound, and he would be cured. He asked many people but no one understood. One day, a monk begging for food resembled the one in his dream. He asked the monk, who said: Just use cold food maltose. He followed the method and felt a cooling sensation, with the pain greatly reduced. That night, the wound itched, and with a forceful pull, the arrowhead came out, and the wound healed the next day.
Maltose is made by fermenting wheat or millet sprouts with various grains. The ancients often ate maltose during the Cold Food Festival, so it is commonly used in medical formulas.
However, it should be avoided in cases of fullness, vomiting, constipation, tooth worms, red eyes, and infantile malnutrition, as it can easily generate phlegm and stir up fire. Sweetness belongs to the earth element, and those with kidney disease should not consume too much sweetness, as it can harm the kidneys, leading to bone pain and tooth loss, all referring to this type of food.
It can detoxify aconite lateral root and kusnezoff monkshood root.
Bencao Jingshu: Maltose is made by fermenting wheat or grain sprouts with various grains, so it is sweet in taste, warm in nature, and non-toxic. It enters the foot Taiyin and hand Taiyin meridians. Sweetness enters the spleen, and rice and wheat both nourish the spleen and stomach, so it is primarily used to tonify deficiency. Zhang Zhongjing's Jianzhong Tang uses it for this purpose. When there is fire in the lungs and stomach, it causes thirst, and when fire flares upward, it forces blood to move recklessly, leading to hematemesis. Sweetness can calm the symptoms of fire, causing the fire to descend, thirst to stop, and bleeding to cease. Sun Simiao also mentioned that it can disperse phlegm, moisten the lungs, stop coughing, and treat sore throat and hematemesis.
Caution: Maltose is formed from dampness-heat. While small amounts can tonify the spleen and moisten the lungs, excessive use can stir up fire and generate phlegm. It should be avoided in cases of fullness, vomiting, alcohol-related illness, and ulcerative gingivitis. Those with kidney disease should especially avoid it.Bencao Mengquan: It is sweet and slightly bitter in taste, slightly warm in nature, and non-toxic. It is sticky like porridge, hence the name maltose. It harmonizes the spleen, moistens the lungs, quenches thirst, and disperses phlegm. It is used in Jianzhong Tang because of its sweet and relaxing properties. It can treat fish bones stuck in the throat and accidental swallowing of coins or rings. It should not be used in cases of fullness, and vomiting should be strictly avoided. Overconsumption by children can damage teeth and cause worms. Zhu Danxi once said that it greatly generates heat within dampness.
"Materia Medica Chengya": Bielu It primarily tonifies deficiency, meaning it supplements the earth element's deficiency. It irrigates the north and quenches consumptive thirst, regulates the meridians to stop bleeding, and treats throat pain due to the upper orifice not receiving and borborygmus due to the lower orifice not expelling. It also aids in the transformation and transportation of fluids to the lungs, preventing cough and dryness. Maltose supports the earth element's structure and function. Moreover, it nourishes from the east, allowing grain flavors to transform and grow. Why worry about not fighting against dryness, laboring against water, or achieving success against mountains? The effort is made by the earth, which is the structure and function.
Yaoxing Jie: Sweet in taste, slightly warm, non-toxic, enters the lung and spleen meridians. Primarily harmonizes the spleen and moistens the lungs, tonifies deficiency, quenches thirst, disperses phlegm, regulates cough, strengthens the middle and astringes sweating.Note: The lungs favor moisture, the spleen favors sweetness, hence maltose is suitable for entering these two meridians. Jianzhong Tang uses it for its sweet and slow-acting properties. Danxi believed it could generate stomach fire, which is the cause of tooth decay, not due to earth controlling water, but damp earth generating fire. Conditions of middle fullness, vomiting, and dampness-heat should not be treated with it.
Benjing Fengyuan : Maltose is sweet and warm, enters the spleen meridian's qi aspect, moistens lung qi, stops sudden coughs, tonifies deficiency cold, benefits fluids, eliminates bloody sputum. Zhongjing's Jianzhong Tang uses it to treat abdominal pain, taking advantage of its sweet nature to slow down. It treats cold-damage disease with kidney deficiency, where the chi pulse does not reach, by strengthening the earth to dam water, not by attacking the kidney. However, middle fullness, vomiting, and infantile malnutrition should not be treated with it, as it greatly promotes phlegm and fire. Danxi said: It greatly generates heat in dampness. Children who eat too much will damage their teeth and grow worms. When burnt and taken with wine, it can dissolve food accumulation, remove static blood, and detoxify Aconite Lateral Root and Aconite Mother Root. Mixed with calomel and burnt into pills, it melts in the mouth, treating salty asthma and cough, and greatly expels thick phlegm to cure.
Bencao Qiuzhen : [Comment] Warms the spleen and moistens the lungs.
Maltose specifically enters the spleen and lungs. It has a sweet and warm nature. According to texts, it can tonify the spleen and moisten the lungs, resolve phlegm, and stop coughs. Zhongjing's Jianzhong Tang uses it to tonify the middle and slow the spleen. Since rice and wheat are grains of the spleen and stomach, and maltose is made from these grains, it can be used to tonify spleen qi deficiency and moisten the lungs with its sweet and slow nature. Cheng Wu-ji said: The spleen desires to be slowed, quickly eat sweet to slow it. The sweetness of maltose is used to slow it. Additionally, its sweet and moist nature controls excess lung dryness, thus it can be used to eliminate phlegm and stop coughs due to spleen deficiency. Even when middle deficiency and unresolved pathogens are present, it can be used to release the exterior; when middle deficiency and frequent thirst are present, it can be used to eliminate thirst and stop irritability. For cold food, one liter of barley and seven liters of water are boiled down to five liters, and two he of red maltose are added, drink when thirsty. Also, for severe poisoning by kusnezoff monkshood root, its strong and violent nature can be mitigated by its sweet and slow properties; for mistakenly swallowed sharp objects causing extreme pain, it can be used to soften. However, sugar is refined, being both damp and hot, it can be used to warm and eliminate in cases of qi deficiency and excessive phlegm, middle deficiency and fire outbreak. But if there is middle fullness and qi counterflow, real fire and real phlegm, not only does it not treat phlegm, it also stirs phlegm; not only does it not treat fire, it also generates fire. Zhenheng said: Maltose belongs to earth and is formed by fire, fire generates heat in dampness. Kou's statement that it stirs wind is incomplete. As for children eating too much, it especially easily damages teeth and grows worms, worms favor sweetness, teeth belong to the kidney, earth tonifies and water restrains. Must be cautious.
Depei Bencao : Sweet, warm. Enters the foot Taiyin meridian. Tonifies the middle and replenishes qi, invigorates the spleen and resolves phlegm, moistens the lungs and stops coughs, treats sore throat, stops hematemesis. Detoxifies Aconite Lateral Root and Kusnezoff Monkshood Root.
Middle fullness, vomiting, ulcerative gingivitis, and kidney disease should avoid use.
Benjing Shuzheng : However, sweetness can slow the middle, if used inappropriately, it can cause stagnation, wine is the slow-acting messenger, sugar is the soft assistant for urgent remedies. However, virtual irritability, fullness syndrome of deficiency type, virtual swelling, and virtual fullness all have definite symptoms to point out. Those who speak vaguely, have deficiency fatigue, deficiency damage, deficiency emaciation, deficiency weakness, can know that scorching heat is labor, transmission and change is damage, emaciation is emaciation, fatigue and softness is weakness, then the lack is lack, can also be suspected and discussed. To walk without resources is called lack, what walks in the human body if not qi and blood? To reverse is lack, is it not qi and blood that should walk but do not? The human body is a universe, exhaling the old and inhaling the new, circulating endlessly, is the way of qi. The twelve Jingmai , the fifteen great collaterals, are the way of blood. Their resources are all endowed by the spleen, thus the deficient lack cannot be said not to be spleen qi not providing. Spleen qi not providing, ginseng, astragalus, atractylodes, and licorice can all help provide resources, why only rely on maltose. To tonify deficiency and lack, then follow with stopping thirst and removing blood, then astragalus and atractylodes have nothing to do with thirst, and atractylodes can remove dampness, cannot nourish dryness, astragalus can fill the outside, cannot fill the inside, ginseng and licorice can fill the inside and nourish dryness, then how to know there is blood that should go but does not? Zhongjing used maltose, mostly in Jianzhong Tang, Jianzhong Tang syndrome, mostly has abdominal pain, this is the evidence of blood that should go but does not. Therefore, maltose cannot remove static blood, but can treat blood that should go but does not causing abdominal pain. Therefore, in the cold-damage disease theory Jingui Yaolue Jianzhong is used in many places, but only says to treat abdominal pain, does not say to remove static blood.
Some say it is originally taiyang disease, but the physician mistakenly applies purgation, leading to abdominal distension and fullness with occasional pain. In such cases, Cinnamon Twig plus Peony Decoction is the primary treatment. Therefore, the efficacy in treating abdominal pain lies in the function of Peony Root, not maltose. This distinction is indeed significant. Why? In cold-damage disease, when the yang pulse is rough and the yin pulse is taut, and there is acute abdominal pain, Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction should be administered first. For deficiency fatigue with rectal urgency, palpitations, nosebleeds, abdominal pain, seminal emission in dreams, soreness in the limbs, heat in the hands and feet, and dry mouth and throat, Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction is the primary treatment. For deficiency fatigue with rectal urgency and various deficiencies, Astragalus Center-Fortifying Decoction is the primary treatment. For women postpartum with deficiency and emaciation, abdominal stabbing pain, shortness of breath, or pain in the lower abdomen radiating to the lower back, Internal Supplement Angelica Center-Fortifying Decoction is the primary treatment. From this, we understand that Cinnamon Twig plus Peony Decoction is used for fullness and pain, while Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction is used for acute pain. Cinnamon Twig plus Peony Decoction is essentially Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction with less maltose. After purgation, pathogenic qi internally transforms into fullness and pain, which is an excess condition, while deficiency fatigue and postpartum abdominal pain are deficiency conditions. The mere addition or subtraction of maltose changes the treatment, making the conditions of deficiency and excess distinct. Doesn’t this show that maltose is excellent for tonifying deficiency? Cinnamon Twig Decoction treats many conditions in cold-damage disease, but here we see shortness of breath, dry mouth and throat, rectal urgency with abdominal pain, stabbing pain in the abdomen, and acute pain in the lower abdomen, none of which are treated by Cinnamon Twig Decoction. This indicates the efficacy of maltose. Earth stagnation is relieved by wood, and earth deficiency is aggravated by wood. Thus, shortness of breath, dry mouth, and throat indicate spleen deficiency, while rectal urgency and abdominal pain indicate liver qi attacking the spleen. The soft, moist, fragrant, and sweet nature of maltose perfectly matches the spleen's earth virtue, thereby soothing the liver's urgency, as the liver is the root of extreme fatigue and the source of deficiency. Therefore, Cinnamon Twig plus Peony Decoction without maltose cannot be called Center-Fortifying, and Cinnamon Twig plus Astragalus Decoction without Peony Root and maltose cannot be called Astragalus Root Center-Fortifying. When Pricklyash Peel, Dried Ginger, and Ginseng are combined with maltose, it is called Major Center-Fortifying. This shows that Center-Fortifying is named after maltose. But what is the meaning of "major" and "minor"? If we consider the combination and separation of forces as major and minor, then Minor Center-Fortifying uses Peony Root, Cinnamon Twig, Licorice, and Fresh Ginger Rhizome totaling fifteen taels, plus twelve Chinese Dates, while Major Center-Fortifying uses Ginseng and Dried Ginger totaling only five taels, with the addition of Pricklyash Peel in two portions, yet both use one sheng of maltose. Thus, maltose is more prominent and combined in Major Center-Fortifying, while it is balanced and separated in Minor Center-Fortifying. This is one interpretation. If we consider the strength and weakness of forces as major and minor, then the pungent and sweet belong to yang, while the sour and bitter belong to yin. Major Center-Fortifying uses purely sweet and pungent, making it strong and concentrated, while Minor Center-Fortifying combines sour and bitter, making it balanced and weaker. This is another interpretation. In summary, both Center-Fortifying decoctions use maltose as the primary ingredient. When the monarch (maltose) is respected and the ministers follow, it is major; when the monarch is humble and the ministers dominate, it is minor. This is the true meaning behind the names "major" and "minor," and the reason why maltose is esteemed becomes even clearer.
Taiyang disease, if there is frequent urination, it is due to excessive water intake, which will inevitably cause palpitations below the heart. If there is scanty urination, it will inevitably cause rectal urgency. To explain this, it is said that excessive water intake leads to palpitations below the heart, hence all palpitations are caused by water invading the heart. However, one should not overlook that the palpitations treated by Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction can also be attributed to water intake. Therefore, palpitations can be of two types: those that arise spontaneously in the heart, which are due to deficiency of heart fluids; and those that arise elsewhere and affect the heart, which are due to water intake. Furthermore, water and intake can be distinguished: the lower energizer is connected externally to the defense qi, and its area is vast and open. If water intake resides there, it can ascend to protect the exterior and spread without boundaries, hence it is called water. The upper energizer is tightly constrained, and if water intake is present, it cannot spread freely, hence it is merely called intake. According to the theory of cold-damage disease, in cases of cold-damage disease with syncope and palpitations below the heart, water should be treated first, and Poria and Liquorice Decoction should be administered. If syncope is not treated, water will infiltrate the stomach and cause diarrhea. In Taiyang disease, if sweating is induced but the fever persists, with palpitations below the heart, dizziness, and a desire to lie down, True Warrior Decoction should be administered. This is palpitations of the upper energizer. If after sweating there are palpitations below the navel, indicating an impending running-piglet syndrome, Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice, and Chinese Date Decoction should be administered. This is palpitations of the lower energizer. Both types, one called palpitations below the heart and the other below the navel, are related to other areas and hence are both due to water intake. In cold-damage disease lasting two or three days, if there are palpitations and irritability in the heart, Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction should be administered. In cold-damage disease with intermittent pulse and severe palpitations, Prepared Liquorice Decoction should be administered. These are not called palpitations below the heart or navel, but directly in the heart, indicating deficiency of the heart. The function of the heart is yang, but its substance is yin, hence its image corresponds to the trigram Li, with two yang lines outside and one yin line inside. Spontaneous palpitations are due to internal yin wanting to emerge and yang being unsettled; palpitations that arise elsewhere and affect the heart are due to external yin invading internally and yang being unsettled. Both are due to unsettled yang, but whether driven by spontaneity or external influence, is it not clear? However, how do the palpitations treated by Prepared Liquorice Root differ from those treated by Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction? The former is characterized by intermittent pulse and severe palpitations, indicating yang obstruction; the latter by palpitations and irritability in the heart, indicating yang exuberance. Yang obstruction requires smoothing the pathways, while yang exuberance requires opening the pathways. Smoothing the pathways is the function of Rehmannia and Ophiopogon Tuber; opening the pathways is the strength of Peony Root. The ability to make yin and yang interact differently lies in Prepared Liquorice Decoction with Hemp Seed and Donkey-hide Gelatin, and in Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction with maltose. Hemp Seed and Donkey-hide Gelatin can make water move and fire solidify, while maltose can make fire calm and water generate. This is the boundary between irritability and non-irritability in Prepared Liquorice Decoction and Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction. However, observing cases of excessive sweating, where the patient clasps their chest with their hands, has palpitations below the heart, and desires pressure, Cinnamon Twig and Liquorice Decoction is used. This shows the reason for heart fluid deficiency and why both Prepared Liquorice Root and Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction use Cinnamon Twig and Liquorice Root. Specifically, the former is due to fluids being lost with sweat after sweating, while the latter is not noted for post-treatment and is specifically marked for two or three days, indicating spontaneous heart fluid deficiency.
Bencao Sibianlu : Earth characterized by sowing and reaping produces sweetness, and maltose is the essence of the essence of crops. The spleen-earth is located in the center, and if it is deficient and needs to be fortified, maltose is uniquely suited for this purpose. Therefore, in Zhong Sheng's formulas, whenever the name "Center-Fortifying" is used, maltose must be included; otherwise, it is not given this name.
There are five substances that tonify the spleen: Ginseng, Chinese Date, rice, Liquorice Root, and maltose. All can treat spleen deficiency with abdominal pain, but each has its appropriate and inappropriate uses. If deficiency is accompanied by cold, then substances that expel cold must be used, such as in Major Center-Fortifying Decoction, where Ginseng and maltose are combined with Zanthoxylum and Ginger. Cold in the lower energizer is not suitable, as seen in Angelica, Fresh Ginger, and Mutton Decoction, and Aconite Mother Root Cinnamon Twig Decoction, which do not include these five substances. Aconite and Rice Decoction treats cold in the middle with abdominal pain, rumbling, severe pain, and vomiting. Why does it include rice, Liquorice Root, and Chinese Date, but not Ginseng and maltose? This is not clearly stated and must be carefully examined based on the symptoms. Cold in the abdomen causing pain is actually due to turbid yin from the lower energizer rising, causing chest and flank fullness and vomiting. Aconite Lateral Root warms the kidneys, Pinellia stops vomiting, spleen deficiency should be tonified, but with vomiting due to deficiency, the middle should not be stagnant, and yin should be nourished. Rice, Chinese Date, and Liquorice Root tonify deficiency and nourish yin. Ginseng is avoided because it raises qi, and maltose is avoided because it is sticky. Hence, they are excluded. In Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction, Liquorice Root is roasted, but here it is not, also because of its stagnation. The flank hardness should remove Chinese Date, but here it is not avoided because the flank is full but not hard. This can be said to be thoroughly reasoned.
Zou Shi stated that Cinnamon Twig plus Peony Decoction primarily treats abdominal distension and fullness pain, while Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction primarily treats acute abdominal pain. It is said that Peony Root is sour and breaks yin, while maltose is sweet and alleviates urgency, which is correct. However, Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction treats acute pain, and Peony Root is still included for a reason. Xu Shi mentioned that Cinnamon Twig Decoction, when used for external conditions, releases flesh and regulates nutrient-defense, and when used for internal conditions, transforms qi and harmonizes yin-yang. Cinnamon and ginger work together with licorice and jujube to transform yin. Peony Root works together with licorice and jujube to transform yang. Peony Root not only treats abdominal distension and fullness, which is why Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction is also used for deficiency fatigue, rectal urgency, palpitations, and nosebleeds. However, when treating fullness and pain, the original formula of Cinnamon Twig Decoction is doubled, and maltose is excluded.
Zou Shi, in distinguishing between the major and minor Jianzhong, proposed the theories of heat combination and heat separation, as well as concentrated force and dispersed force, concluding that when the ruler is revered, the ministers follow orders, and when the ruler is humble, the ministers act on their own. In reality, none of these are appropriate. Why is this so? The minor Jianzhong treats various conditions, but its key lies in establishing the middle. Speaking of establishing the middle, it is still a minor form of Jianzhong. The major Jianzhong, however, specifically treats apoplexy involving zang-organs with deficiency-cold, without considering symptoms from other meridians. The main focus is on abdominal cold, with the rest being the effects of abdominal cold. Zhou Yang-jun said: when middle qi is deficient, yang qi does not distribute, hence the accumulation is cold fluids, and the impact is cold qi. You Zai-jing said: yin coagulation forms images, and the worms in the abdomen take advantage to move. Both theories are very appropriate. For warming the spleen, nothing surpasses Dried Ginger; for tonifying the spleen, nothing surpasses Ginseng maltose. Zanthoxylum can reach from the spleen to the kidneys, to eliminate fluids and kill worms, and is also an essential medicine for warming the spleen. These four substances are greatly warming and tonifying, not exceeding the middle palace. Is there anything greater than Jianzhong in this regard? Observing that the major Jianzhong only enters the category of abdominal distension and fullness, while the minor Jianzhong is classified under the "Cold Damage Disease Treatise" and the "Golden Chamber's" blood impediment, jaundice, and women's Zabing categories, the intention of Zhong Sheng's formulation and naming is even more clearly visible. It is strange that no annotators have ever discussed this.