Author: Jiao Shu-De, 焦树德
Year: 2005
Source: Ten Lectures on the Use of Formulas from the Personal Experience of Jiao Shu-De (Fang Ji Xin De Shi Jiang, 方剂心得十讲)
Category: Formulas that Warm Interior Cold
Pattern: Disharmony of the Middle Jiao with Cold invasion
Key Symptoms: Epigastric pain that is worse with exposure to cold, nausea and vomiting
Ingredients
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Gao Liang Jiang
| 6-10g | |
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Pinyin: Gao Liang Jiang
Chinese: 高良姜
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Alpiniae Officinarum
Taxonomy: Alpinia officinarum
English: Lesser Galangal Root |
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Tastes: Pungent, hot
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach |
Actions & Indications:
- Warms the Middle Jiao and alleviates pain
Epigastric and abdominal pain, vomiting, hiccup or diarrhoea due to Cold in the Middle Jiao
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Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction.
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Xiang Fu
| 6-10g | |
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Pinyin: Xiang Fu
Chinese: 香附
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Cyperi
English: Nut-Grass Rhizome |
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Tastes: Pungent, slightly bitter and sweet, bland
Meridians Entered: Liver and Triple Energizer |
Actions & Indications:
- Spreads and regulates Liver Qi
Liver Qi Stagnation with hypochondriac pain and epigastric distention
Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen
- Regulates menstruation and alleviates pain
Gynecological disorders due to Liver Qi Stagnation with dysmenorrhea or irregular menstruation
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Standard Dosage: 6-10g in decoction.
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Bai He
| 30g | |
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Pinyin: Bai He
Chinese: 百合
Pharmaceutical: Bulbus Lilii
English: Lily Bulb |
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Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Heart |
Actions & Indications:
- Nourishes Yin, moistens the Lungs, clears Heat and stops coughing
Dry coughs or sore throat due to Lung Yin Deficiency, dry Lungs or Lung Heat
Especially useful for Lung Yin Deficiency
- Clears the Heart and calms the Spirit
Intractable low-grade fever, insomnia, restlessness and irritability in the aftermath of febrile disease
Heart Fire
Palpitations due to insufficiency of Qi and Yin
One of the chief spirit calming herbs for Gu Sydnrome with Qi and Yin deficiency (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
- Nourishes Stomach Yin and harmonizes the Middle Jiao
Pain associated with Stomach Yin Deficiency
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Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: All lilies are acutely nephrotoxic to cats and some other animals due to the high level of insoluble calcium oxalate so should be not be used in vetinary formulas without absolute certainty that the animal in question is not vulnerable. Long term consumption of oxalates in humans can also lead to kidney stone formation. |
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Wu Yao
| 9-12g | |
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Pinyin: Wu Yao
Chinese: 烏藥
Pharmaceutical: Radix Linderae
English: Lindera Root |
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen, Liver, Kidney and Gallbladder |
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes the movement of Qi and alleviates pain
Cold and Qi Stagnation with a stifling sensation in the chest, flank pain, epigastric and abdominal pain.
- Warms the Kidneys and disperses Cold
Urinary frequency or incontinence due to Kidney Yang Deficiency or Urinary Bladder Deficiency Cold
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
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Dan Shen
| 30g | |
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Pinyin: Dan Shen
Chinese: 丹參
Pharmaceutical: Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae
Taxonomy: Salvia miltiorrhiza
English: Red Sage Root / Salvia Root / Zi Dan Shen 紫丹參 (Purple Cinnabar Ginseng) / Xue Shen 血參 (Blood Ginseng) |
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Tastes: Bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver |
Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat and soothes irritability
Ying Stage Heat with restlessness, irritability, palpitations and insomnia
Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency
- Cools the Blood and reduces abscesses
Adjunctive to treat sores or early-stage breast abscesses
- Nourishes the Blood and calms the Spirit
Palpitations and insomnia due to Ying and Xue Stage Heat or Heart Blood Deficiency
Agitation due to Gu Parasites / chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
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Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with caution for pregnant women. Contraindicated to Li Lu. |
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Tan Xiang
| 6-9g | | (add near end)
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Pinyin: Tan Xiang
Chinese: 檀香
Pharmaceutical: Lignum Santali Albi
English: Sandalwood |
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Lung |
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes movement of Qi, harmonizes the Middle Jiao and alleviates pain
Pain associated with Qi Stagnation in the chest and abdomen
- Dispels Cold and improves digestion
Stomach Cold
- Removes Blood Stagnation
Blood Stagnation
- Treats coronary artery disease
Coronary artery disease
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Standard Dosage: 1-3g as powder. Should be added to decoctions at end.
Cautions: Used with cautions for the case of yin deficiency and effulgent fire or hemorrhage due to excess heat. |
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Sha Ren
| 3-5g | | |
Pinyin: Sha Ren
Chinese: 砂仁
Pharmaceutical: Fructus villosi
Taxonomy: Amomum villosum syn. Wurfbainia villosa
English: Villous Cardamom |
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Kidney |
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes the movement of Qi, aromatically transforms Dampness, strengthens the Spleen and stops vomiting
Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation or Dampness Distressing the Spleen/ Stomach with distention and pain, in the epigastrium and abdomen, anorexia, vomiting and diarrhoea
- Warms the Middle and stops diarrhoea
Diarrhoea from Spleen Cold
- Calms the fetus and prevents miscarriage
Restless fetus or morning sickness
- Prevents Stagnation from tonic herbs
Middle Jiao Stagnation due to herbal tonification
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Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction, added near end.
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Subsitutions:
In a version of this formula from Jiao Shu-De's earlier work, Ten Lectures on the Use of Medicinals from the Personal Experience of Jiao Shu-De (2003), Sha Ren is replaced with 9g of Cao Dou Kou and 6g of Chuan Lian Zi. No name for this formula is given so it is presumably a modification of the current one.
Preparation: Decoction
Actions: Warms the Middle Jiao, harmonises the Stomach, unbinds the Liver and transforms Stagnation, Regulates Qi and moves Blood
Notes:
This formula has been studied for acting on common pathways in cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases by Zhang et al. (2016): https://doi.org/10.1038/srep32400
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.
