Transcript Class11~12: Herbs and Formulas That Calm the Spirit

Class11~12: Herbs and
Formulas That Calm the Spirit
Xianhui Li and Cui Han
Herbs
• Herbs that anchor, settle and calm the spirit
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Os Draconis (Long gu)
Magnetitum (Ci shi)
Haematitum (Dai zhe shi)
Cinnabaris (Zhu sha)
Fluoritum (Zi shi ying)
Concha Ostreae (Mu li)
Succinum (Hu po)
• Herbs that nourish the heart and calm the spirit
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Radix Polygalae (Yuan zhi)
Semen Zizyphi Spinosae (Suan zao ren)
Cortex Albizziae (He huan pi)
Caulis Polygoni Multiflori (Ye jiao teng)
Semen Biotae (Bai zi ren)
Long gu (Os Draconis )
• Taste and Property: Sweet, astringent, slightly cold
• Meridian Tropism: HT LV
• Actions: Calm the liver and suppress yang; calm the
mind; and prevents leakage of fluids
• Application:
– Restlessness, irritability, dizziness and vertigo due to yin
deficiency and hyperactivity of yang, often used with Mu Li, Bai
Shao and Dai Zhe Shi, i.e. Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang
– Restlessness palpitation, insomnia, epilepsy, often used with
Zhu Sha, Yuan Zhi and Suan Zao Ren, i.e. Jiu Ni Tang
– Emission, leukorrhea, sweating due to deficiency and
metrostaxis and metrorrhagia
• Dosage: 15-30g. To be decocted first in decoction
Ci shi (Magnetitum)
• Taste and Property: acrid, salty, cold
• Meridian Tropism: KI LV
• Actions: anchors and calms the spirit; nourishes the
kidneys, augments the liver, and improves hearing and
vision; aids the kidneys in grasping the qi
• Application:
– Restlessness, palpitations, insomnia, or tremors, especially in
patients with yin deficiency and ascendant yang. Particularly
useful when kidney deficiency leads to upward blazing of liver
fire that deranges and disturbs the heart spirit. Also used for
dizziness or vertigo in patients with similar patterns, or
convulsions in children caused by shock
– Impaired hearing or deafness, tinnitus, or visual disturbances
due to liver and kidney deficiency
– Chronic asthma due to failure of the kidneys to grasp the
• Dosage: 15-30g. To be decocted first in decoctyion
Dai zhe shi (Haematitum)
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Categories: herbs that extinguish wind and stop tremors
Taste and property: Bitter and cold
Meridian tropism: Liver and Heart
Actions: Suppress the liver yang, lower rising of qi and arrest bleeding
Applications:
– Headache and dizziness due to hyperactivity of liver yang, used with Long Gu,
Mu Li and Bai Shao, Zhen gan Xi Feng tang
– Eructation, hiccup, vomiting or asthma: Used with Xuan Fu Hua, Sheng Jiang
and Ban Xia, ie. Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang. For asthma due to deficiency of both the
lung and the kidney, used with Dang Shen and Shan Zhu Yu, i.e Shen Zhe Na Qi
tang
– bleeding: bleeding in the upepr part: used with Bai Shao, Zhu Ru and Niu Pang
Zi, i.e. han Jiang Tang
– Dizziness and vertigo due to long-standing metrostaxis and metrorrhagia, used
with Yu Yu Liang, Chi Shi Zhi and Wu Ling Zhi, i.e. Zhen Ling Dan
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Dosage: 10-30g
Attention: Not used for pregnant woman
Zhu sha (Cinnabaris)
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Taste and Property: Sweet, cool, toxic
Meridian Tropism: Heart
Actions: clears heart fire and focuses the mind, resolves toxicity
Applications:
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Sedates the heart and calms the spirit, for restlessness, palpitations
with anxiety, insomnia, or convulsion, used with dang gui, sheng di
huang, i.e. zhu sha an shen wan, for blood and yin deficiency
For seizures, childhood, convulsions, and other problems due to
phlegm-heat blocking the pericardium and heart, used with niu huang,
she xiang, i.e. an gong niu huang wan
Topically for carbuncles, mouth sores, sore throat and snakebite
Dosage: 0.1~1.5g.
Attention: should not be used in large amounts or in long term, to
prevent mercury poisoning, do not heat
Zi shi ying (Fluoritum)
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Taste and Property: Sweet, warm
Meridian Tropism: HT, LV
Actions: sedates the heart and settles tremors and palpitations,
warms the lungs and directs the qi downward, warms the womb,
chong and ren vessels
Applications:
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For disorientation, insominia, palpitations with anxiety, or convulsions
due to either heart blood deficiency or ascendant liver yang, used with
bai zi ren, suan zao ren or long gu, han shui shi
For cough or wheezing due to cold from deficiency of the lungs, used
with wu wei zi, kuan dong hua
For excessive menstruation, uterine bleeding, or infertility due to cold
from deficiency of the womb, used with dang gui, shu di huang
Dosage: 9~15g.
Attention: spleen and stomach cold from deficiency, sinking due to
qi deficiency, or during pregnancy
Mu li (Concha Ostreae )
• Taste and Property: Salty and slightly cold
• Meridian Tropism: Liver and Kidney
• Actions: Calms the liver, suppresses yang, softens hardness,
dissipates nodules, astringe
• Applications:
– Restlessness, palpitation, insomnia, dizziness, vertigo or tnnitus due to
yin deficiency and hyperactivity of yang: Used with Loong Gu, Gui ban
and Bai Shao.
– Scrofula: Used with Zhe Bei and Xuan Shen, Xiao Luo Wan.
Hepatomegaly or splenomegaly, used with Dan Shen, Ze Lan and Bie
Jia
– Roasted one is good at astringing, used for sweating, emission,
leukorrhea and metrostaxis or metrorrhagia
• Sweating: Used with Fu Xiao Mai and Ma Huang gen, i.e. Mu Li San
• Emission: With Sha Yuan Ji Li, Qian Shi and Lian Xu, i.e. Jin Suo Gu Jing
Wan
– This herb can also reduce secretion of acid
• Dosage: 9-30g. To be decocted first in decoction
Hu po (Succinum)
• Taste and Property: sweet, neutral
• Meridian Tropism: UB, HT, LV
• Actions: arrests tremors and calms spirit, invigorates blood,
promotes urination, reduces swelling and promotes healing
• Application:
– For palpitations with anxiety, excessive dreams, insomnia, forgetfulness,
anxiety, and seizures due to disturbance of the spirit, also used for
childhood convulsions and seizures
– For amenorrhea or pain associated with palpable fixed masses due to
blood stasis.
– For urination retention and or painful urinary dribbling, especially with
bloody urine
– Topically applied for sores, carbuncles, and ulcerations of the skin. Also
for swelling and pin in the area of the scrotum or vulva
• Dosage: 1~1.5g, do not decoct
Yuan Zhi (Radix Polygalae)
• Taste and Property: bitter, acrid, slightly warm
• Meridian Tropism: heart, lung
• Actions: Calms the spirit and quiets the heart, reestablishes
harmonious communication between heart and kidneys, transforms
phlegm, reduce abscesses and dissipates swellings
• Applications:
– For insomnia, and palpitations with anxiety, restless and disorientation.
Use with suan zao ren, bai zhu, dang gui, gui pi tang, used with huang
qi, dang gui, long yan rou for forgetfulness, palpitations and insomina
– For phlegm envelops the orifice of the heart : emotional land mental
disorientation, spasms, or seizures, used with yu jin, shi chang pu. Also
for phlegm affecting the lungs with copious sputum, especially when it is
difficult to expectorate, used with chuan bei mu, gua lou, xing ren. Used
for angina pectoris, used with lai fu zi, wang bu liu xiu
– For boils, abscesses, sores and swollen, painful breasts
• Dosage: 6-15g
• Attention: contraindicated for those with yin deficiency with heat
signs as well as those with peptic ulcers or gastritis
Suan Zao Ren (Semen Zizyphi)
• Taste and Property: Sweet, sour and neutral
• Meridian Tropism: Gallbladder, liver, heart and spleen
• Actions: nourishes the heart yin and liver blood,
promotes sleep, inhibits the sweating
• Applications:
– For irritability, insomnia, and palpitations with anxiety due to
either blood deficiency or yin deficiency, used with zhi mu, fu ling,
suan zao ren tang, used with dang shen, fu ling, long yan rou,
gui pi tang
– For both spontaneous sweating and nightsweats, used with
huang qi, wu wei zi, shan zhu yu
• Dosage: 9-15g
• Attention: used with caution in cases of severe diarrhea
or heat from excess
He huan pi (Cortex Albizziae )
• Taste and Property: Sweet and neutral
• Meridian Tropism: LV, HT
• Actions: calms the spirit and relieves constraints, harmonizes the
blood, stops pain and reconnects the tendons and bones, reduces
swellings and abscesses
• Applications:
– For bad temper, depression, insomnia, irritability, and poor memory due
to constrained emotions, used with bai shao, ye jiao teng
– Ro pain and swelling due to trauma, including fractures, used with ru
xiang, mo yao
– For the pain and swelling of abscesses, both external and internal, used
with dong gua zi, yu xing cao, tao ren
• Dosage: 6-15g
• Attention: used with caution during pregnancy
Ye jiao teng (Caulis Polygoni
Multiflori )
• Taste and Property: Sweet and neutral
• Meridian Tropism: LV, HT
• Actions: nourishes the heart, calms the spirit, nourishes
the blood, unblocks channels, alleviates itching
• Applications:
– For patterns of yin or blood deficiency with insomnia and
irritability. Especially useful for dream-disturbed sleep, used with
he huan pi, suan zao ren, bai zi ren
– For generalized weakness, soreness, pain and numbness due to
blood deficiency. Used with dang gui, ji xue teng, and dan shen.
Also used as an auxilliary herb for wind-damp painful obstruction,
used with qiang huo, sang ji sheng, qin jiao
– Used as an external wash for itching and skin rashes, used with
chan tui, da fu zi
• Dosage: 15-30g
Bai zi ren (Semen Biotae )
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Taste and Property: Sweet, neutral
Meridian Tropism: Heart, kidney and large intestine
Actions: nourishes the heart blood and yin to calm the spirit,
moisten large intestines
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For irritability, insomnia, forgetfulness, and palpitations with anxiety due
to heart yin deficiency and insufficient blood, also used for night terrors
in children, used with suan zao ren, dang gui, fu shen, i.e. yang xin
tang, used with mai men dong, shu di huang shi chang pu, i.e. bai zi
yang xin tang, for lack of communication of heart and kidney
For constipation in the elderly, debilitate, and postparturm women due
to blood or yin deficiency, used with tao ren, xing ren, yu li ren, i.e. wu
ren wan
Also used for night sweats due to yin deficiency, used with ma huang
gen, mu li
Dosage: 3~9g.
Attention: contraindicated loose stools or phelgm disorders
Formulas
• Formulas that nourish the heart and calm the
spirit
– Emperor of Heaven's Special Pill to Tonify the Heart
(tian wang bu xin dan)
– *Sour Jujube Decoction (suan zao ren tang)
– Settle the Emotions Pill (ding zhi wan)
– Licorice, Wheat, and Jujube Decoction (gan mai da
zao tang)
– Coptis and Ass-Hide Gelatin Decoction (Huang Lian E
Jiao Tang)
• Formulas that sedate and calm the spirit
– Bupleurum plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell
Decoction (chai hu jia long gu mu li tang)
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan (Emperor
of Heaven’s Special Pill to Tonify
the Heart)
Ingredients: Sheng di huang, Tian men
dong, Mai men dong, Suan zao ren, Dang
gui, Dan shen, Xuan shen, Ren shen, Fu
ling, Wu wei zi, Yuan zhi, Jie geng, Bai zi
ren, Zhu sha
Actions and indications of the
formula
• Actions
– Enrich yin, nourish blood, tonify heart and
calm the spirit.
• Indications
– Irritability, palpitations with anxiety, insomnia,
fatigue, poor concentration, nocturnal
emissions, forgetfulness, dry stool, red tongue
little coating, thin rapid pulse. Sores of mouth
and tongue. Low grade fever, night sweat.
Analysis of Formula
• Sheng di huang, Tian men dong, Mai men dong,
Xuan shen: nourish yin and clear heat.
• Dang gui, Dan shen: tonify heart and nourish
blood.
• Ren shen, Fu ling: augment heart qi.
• Bai zi ren, Suan zao ren: nourish heart blood
and calm the spirit.
• Wu wei zi, Yuan zhi: astringe heart qi and calm
the spirit.
• Jie geng: conduct herbs upward.
• Zhu sha: anchor and calm spirit.
Modern application and
modifications
• Modern application:
– Heart disease, menopausal syndrome, chronic
urticaria and neurasthenia
• Modifications:
– For severe palpitations and insomnia: add long yan
rou, ye jiao teng
– For severe dry mouth and throat, add shi hu
– Fro mouth and tongue sores, add lian xin
• Attentions: not be taken long-term, some
prepared formulations do not contain zhu sha
and can taken long-term
Suan zao ren tang (sour
jujube decoction)
Ingredients: Suan zao ren 15-18g,
Fu ling 6g, Zhi mu 6g, Chuan
xiong 6g, Gan cao 3g
Actions and indications of the
formula
• Actions
– Nourish the blood, calm the spirit, clear heat
and eliminate irritability
• Indications
– irritability, inability to sleep, palpitations, night
sweats, dizziness and vertigo, dry throat and
mouth, a dry red tongue, and a wiry or thin
rapid pulse.
Analysis of Formula
• Chief: Suan zao ren
– Nourishes the heart and liver while calming the spirit
• Deputy: Chuan xiong
– Regulates liver blood by encouraging it to flow freely. Chief and
deputy, the combination of one astringent and one dispersing
herb is very effective in nourishing and regulating the liver while
calming the spirit.
• Assistant: fu ling, zhi mu
– Fu ling: calm the spirit and tonify the spleen and stomach
– Zhi mu: enrich the yin, clear heat and moisten internal dryness
• Envoy: Gan cao
– Regulates the actions of other herbs and harmonize the middle
burner.
Ding zhi wan (Settle the
Emotions Pill )
Ingredients: ren shen 90g, fu ling
90g, chang pu 60g, yuan zhi 60g
Actions and indications of the
formula
• Actions
– Tonifies the heart qi and calms the spirit
• Indications
– Apprehensiveness, easily frightened, or
incessant laughter and glee, together with
palpitations , anxiety and forgetfulness.
Analysis of Formula
• Chief: ren shen, fu ling
– Calm the spirit by augmenting the qi.
• Depute: chang pu, yuan zhi
– Clear the senses in order to calm the spirit
Modern application and
modifications
• Modern application:
– A wide range of psychological disorders
including anxiety neurosis and obsessive
compulsive disorders
• Modifications:
– For severe palpitations, add long gu, hu po
– For upward rebellion of phlegm, add ban xia,
zhu li
– For heart blood deficiency, add suan zao ren,
long yan rou, dang gui
Gan mai da zao tang (Licorice,
Wheat, and Jujube Decoction )
Ingredients: gan cao 9g, fu xiao
mai 9-15g, da zao 10 pieces
Actions and indications of the
formula
• Actions
– Nourishes the heart, calms the spirit, and
harmonizes the middle burner
• Indications
– Disorientation, frequent attacks of melancholy
and crying spells, inability to control oneself,
restless sleep, frequent bouts of yawning, a
red tongue with a sparse behavior and
speech become abnormal.
Analysis of Formula
• Chief: fu xiao mai
– regulates and nourishes the qi and yin of the
heart and liver, calms spirit.
• Depute: gan cao, da zao
– Gan cao: nourishes the heart and harmonizes
the middle burner
– Da zao: arguments qi and moistens internal
dryness
Modern application and
modifications
• Modern application:
– Hysteria, neurosis, menopausal syndrome,
autonomic dystonia, enuresis
• Modifications:
– For irritability with sensation of heat in the
chest, add bai he, bai zi ren
– For insomnia, add suan zao ren
– For constipation: add he shou wu, hei zhi ma
Chai hu jia long gu mu li tang
(Bupleurum plus Dragon Bone
and Oyster Shell Decoction )
Ingredients: chai hu, huang qin, ban
xia, ren shen, sheng jiang, gui zhi, fu
ling, long gu, mu li, da huang, da zao,
qian dan
Actions and indications of the
formula
• Actions
– Unblocks the three yang stages, and sedates
and calms the spirit
• Indications
– Fullness in the chest, irritability with
occasional attacks of palpitations, urinary
difficulty, constipation, delirious speech,
inability to rotate the trunk, a sensation of
extreme heaviness throughout the body, a red
tongue with a slippery coating and a wiry
rapid pulse.
Analysis of Formula
• Chief: gui zhi, chai hu, huang qin, da huang
– Gui zhi: resolve the problems in the superficial levels,
and to promote the flow of yang qi in order to relieve
the sensation of heaviness in the body
– Chai hu, huang qin: resolves lesser yang disorders
– Da huang: resolves yang ming symptoms.
• Assistant:
– mu li, long gu, qian dan: weigh down and calm the floating spirit
– Ren shen, fu ling: tonify spleen qi and calm the spirit
– Ban xia: transforms the phlegm and open the diaphragm
• Envoy: sheng jiang, da zao
– Harmonize ying and wei
Modern application and
modifications
• Modern application:
– Neurosis, schizophrenia, hysteria, epilepsy,
hypertension, first or second degree A-V block,
hyperthyroidism, meniere’s disease, spasm of the
sternocleidomastoid muscle, gastritis, menopausal
syndrome and postconcussion syndrome
• Modifications:
– For nightmares, vertigo, fever, add long dan
cao, xia ku cao
– For cases with regular bowel movements,
omit da huang
– For severe irritability and difficult sleep, add
zhu sha, suan zao ren, ye jiao teng