Author: Zhang Zhong-Jing, 張仲景
Year: c. 220
Source: Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lue, 金匱要略)
Category: Formulas that Calm the Spirit
Pattern: Zang Zao; Blood deficiency of the Uterus generating Heat and Wind; Excessive worry, anxiety or pensiveness injuring the Heart Shen, unsettling the Hun and Po
Key Symptoms: Disorientation, frequent attacks of melancholy and crying spells, inability to control oneself, restless sleep (sometimes with night sweats), frequent bouts of yawning
Secondary Symptoms: In severe cases, abnormal speech and behaviour
Ingredients
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Gan Cao
| 9g | |
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Pinyin: Gan Cao
Chinese: 甘草
Pharmaceutical: Radix Glycyrrhizae
Taxonomy: Glycyrrhiza uralensis seu glabra seu inflata
English: Liquorice Root |
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Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Lung and Spleen (and all 12 meridians) |
Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi
Spleen Qi Deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude and loose stools
Qi and Blood Deficiency with an irregular pulse and/or palpitations
Heart Qi Deficiency or Heart Yang Deficiency
- Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops coughing
Lung Heat or Cold
Productive or non-productive coughing
- Moderates spasms and alleviates pain
Painful muscle spasms of the abdomen and legs
- Clears Heat and relieves Fire Toxicity
Raw for Toxic Heat with sore throat or carbuncles and sores (Chuang Yung)
- Antidote for many toxic substances (internal and topical)
Poisoning
Bites (after washing the wound, chew Gan Cao and apply a thick layer on the bite wound, changing whenever it dries out; Bao Xiang-Ao, 1846, New Compilation of Proven Formulas)
- Moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs and guides the herbs to all twelve channels
Often added in small doses to harmonise formulas
- Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
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Standard Dosage: Typically 1.5-9g in decoction. Large doses can be up 30g.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for combining with Hai Zao, Da Ji, Gan Sui and Yuan Hua because of "eighteen antagonisms". It is also contraindicated in cases of dampness obstruction in middle energizer and edema because it can help dampness obstruct qi, and it is prohibited from long-term usage in large dosage (more than 20g/day) and should be avoided or used with extreme caution in patients with high blood pressure because it may raise aldosterone levels in the blood causing retention of sodium.
The NHS recommends avoiding during pregnancy. |
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Xiao Mai
| 9-15g | |
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Pinyin: Xiao Mai
Chinese: 小麥
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Tritici
Taxonomy: Triticium aestivum
English: Wheat Grain |
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Tastes: Sweet, slightly astringent, cool
Meridians Entered: Heart |
Actions & Indications:
- Nourishes the Heart and calms the Spirit
Heart Deficiency
Visceral agitation (脏躁, Zang Zao), vexation, sadness
- Stops excessive sweating due to Deficiency
Spontaneous sweating due to Qi Deficiency Night sweats due to Yin Deficiency Postpartum Deficiency sweat Steaming Bones
- Stops bed wetting in children
Bed wetting in children
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Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.
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Da Zao
| 10pcs | | |
Pinyin: Da Zao
Chinese: 大枣
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Jujubae
English: Jujube Berry / Black Date / Chinese Date |
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Tastes: Sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Heart |
Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach and augments Qi
Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with weakness, shortness of breath, lassitude, anorexia and loose stools
- Nourishes the Blood and calms the Spirit
Blood Deficiency
Restless Organ Syndrome with wan complexion, irritability and severe emotional debility
- Moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs
Added to formulas with to counter harsh, drying and draining herbs by fortifying the Spleen, nourishing Blood and settling the Spirit.
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
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Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: It is used with cautions in cases of damp-phlegm or food stagnation because it can help dampness produce heat, and induce distention in middle energizer. |
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Preparation: Decoction.
Actions: Nourishes the Heart, calms the Spirit, harmonises the Middle Jiao, relaxes hypertonicity
Notes:
Many clinicians believe it needs to be taken long-term to have the best effect.
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One liang is taken as 3g in modern sources but in Eastern Han times it was equivalent to 13.875g. This means that the dosages in classical formulae could have been more than 4x what is given today making them far higher than recommended safe dosages today but prompts consideration of what an effective dose may be (He, 2013).
Research Links:
Reference Notes: (click to display)
Most formulas are found in Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet (2009): Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies and Chen & Chen (2015) Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications. Others are from translations of primary sources. It is recommended that the original material is cross-referenced for mistakes and additional information.
Substitutions have been taken from Ken Lloyd & Prof. Leung (2004): Mayway UK Substitution List or the above publications and are intended as suggestions to help navigate the tight restrictions in the UK quickly. More applicable substitutions may be appropriate in specific situations.
Individual herb information has initially been sourced from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.
