Properties: Pungent, sweet, hot, toxic
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart, Kidney and Spleen
Extraordinary Vessels: Chong, Du
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Restores Devastated Yang and rescues from rebellion
Devastated Yang with diarrhoea containing undigested food, chills, cold extremities and a faint almost imperceptible pulse (often as a result of severe vomiting, diarrhoea or sweating)
- Warms Ming Men Fire and assists Heart, Kidney and Spleen Yang
Heart Yang Deficiency
Spleen Yang Deficiency
Kidney Yang Deficiency
- Disperses Cold and Dampness, warms the channels and stops pain
Wind-Damp-Cold Bi
Cold blocking the organs, channels, bones and Blood vessels
Yin flat abscesses
Gu Parasites /
chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
Suggested Daily Dosage: 3-15g in decoction. Fire Spirit practitioners prescribe doses of 60-200g per day (Fruehauf, 2009).
Cautions: It is contraindicated for heat syndrome, yin-deficiency leading to hyperactivity of yang and the pregnant because of its pungent, hot, dry and drastic properties. It must be soaked and decocted for about half and hour to one hour until numbing taste disappears for oral use. Over-dosage and incorrect processing must be avoided.
This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA. It is generally substituted with various Yang tonics depending on the presentation although none can imitate its powerful cardiovascular effects making them ineffective substitutes for rescuing devastated Yang. External use is permitted at 1.3% or below.
Appears in 15 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Ba Du Chi Wan (Eight Toxins Red Pill)
From: Ancient and Modern Records of Proven Prescriptions by Zhen Liyan (Tang Dynasty)
Bai Tong Tang (White Penetrating Decoction)
From: Discussion of Cold Damage by Zhang Zhong-Jing (c. 220)
Bu Lao Ren Shen Wan (Supplement Exhaustion with Ginseng Pills)
From: Essential Subtleties on the Silver Sea by Unknown, attributed to Sun Si Miao (Maybe composed in the Song - Ming Dynasty, published ~1579)
Die Da Sun Shang Yu (Traumatic Bruises Bath)
From: Shen-nong.com
Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan (Aconite Accessory Root Pill to Regulate the Middle)
From: Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People of the Taiping Era by Tai Yi Ju (Imperial Medical Bureau) (1107)
Gua Lou Qu Mai Wan (Trichosanthes and Dianthus Pill)
From: Essentials from the Golden Cabinet by Zhang Zhong-Jing (c. 220)
Qi Zheng Fang (Strange Disease Formula)
From: Collection of Strange Conditions by Shen Yuan (1786)
San Sheng Tang (Three Unprepared Ingredients Drink)
From: Simple Book of Formulas (1191) by Wang Shuo
Shu Di Dang Shen Tang (Prepared Rehmannia and Codonopsis Decoction)
From: Journal of Ethnopharmacology 324, 117786 by Xiao-min Liu, Hui Shi & Wei Li (2024)
Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang (Frigid Extremities plus Ginseng Decoction)
From: Discussion of Cold Damage by Zhang Zhong-Jing (c. 220)
Si Ni Tang (Frigid Extremities Decoction)
From: Discussion of Cold Damage by Zhang Zhong-Jing (c. 220)
Tan Yin Wan (Phlegm and Thin Mucus Pill)
From: Shaanxi New Medicine (1972)
Tong Mai Si Ni Tang (Unblock the Pulse Decoction for Frigid Extremities)
From: Discussion of Cold Damage by Zhang Zhong-Jing (c. 220)
Yi Gan Er Jing Ruan Gao (Dry and Clean Ointment)
From: Ingredients label by Jiangxi Yangzhen Biology and Technology Co. Ltd.
Yu Zhen San (True Jade Powder)
From: Orthodox Lineage of External Medicine by Chen Shi-Gong (1617)
Research Links & References: (click to display)
Research Links:
Reference Notes:
Individual herb information has sourced mainly from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes. Zhou, Xie and Yan (2011): Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Vol. 5, has been used for entries not available from those sources with additional material searched for and filled in where available. Western herbs not appearing in the Chinese literature have used Ross (2010): Combining Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine: A Clinical Materia Medica, White Rabbit Institute of Healing and therapeutika.ch. Choices of which source to use or combine have been my own.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted. Actions and indications are taken from traditional uses and do not necessarily reflect the evidence base which should be researched independently. Dosages are for guidance only and will vary dependening on the potency of the batch and the tolerance of the individual so should be evaluated by a professional based on individual needs.
