Settle the Emotions Pill
Chinese Prescription: Ding Zhi Wan
English Translation: Settle the Emotions Pill
Formula Type: Nourish the Heart and Calm the Spirit (Shen)
Actions: Tonifies the Heart qi, pacifies timidity, & calms the spirit.
Indications: Feeling apprehensive, easily frightened, worried, disheartened, or incessant laughter & glee, together with fright palpitations & forgetfulness. Dizziness & a pale tongue with a white tongue coating may be other manifestations of this pattern.
Contraindications: This formula is acrid & warming & thus should not be used without modification to treat patterns involving deficiency blood or yin.
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Ren Shen / Panax Ginseng |
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Taste: Sweet, Slightly Bitter • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Qi |
Dosage1-9g, up to 30 grams (hemorrhagic shock) |
ActionsRen Shen / Panax Ginseng is used in treating patterns of qi, yang & yin deficiency.
1. Strongly tonifies the basal qi: for extreme collapse of the qi or abandoned conditions that manifest in shallow respiration, shortness of breath, cold limbs, profuse sweating, & a minute or weak pulse. The herb is used alone for this condition after severe loss of blood.
2. Tonifies the Lungs & augments the qi: for wheezing, shortness of breath, & labored breathing with exertion caused by Lung qi deficiency. There is usually also a concurrent failure of the Kidneys to grasp the qi.
3. Strengthens the Spleen & tonifies the Stomach: for lethargy, lack of appetite, chest & abdominal distention, chronic diarrhea, & in severe cases, prolapse of the stomach, uterus, or rectum.
4. Generates fluids & stops thirst: for wasting & thirsting disorders, as well as in cases when the qi & fluids have been injured by high fever & profuse sweating.
5. Benefits the Heart qi & calms the spirit: for palpitations with anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness, & restlessness due to qi & blood deficiency.
Notes: Red Ginseng is more warming than White Ginseng. American Ginseng is considered cool and is better suited for those patients having a tendency towards heat signs. |
MeridiansLung, Spleen |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, heat excess, or in the absence of significant qi deficiency. Contraindicated for hypertensive patient with ascendant Liver yang, & in cases of very high blood pressure (systolic over 180mmHg). Overdose can lead to headache, insomnia, palpitations, & a rise in blood pressure. The traditional antidote is mung bean soup. This herb may antagonize wu ling zhi & may be incompatible with li lu. Patients taking this herb are advised to abstain from drinking tea & eating tunips, as this may reduce the effect of the herb. |
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Fu Ling / Poria, Hoelen, Tuckahoe |
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Taste: Sweet, Bland • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Drain Damp • Sub Category: |
Dosage9-15g, up to 60g |
Actions1. Promotes urination & leaches out dampness: for urinary difficulty, diarrhea, or edema due to stagnation of fluids or dampness. Also used in cases of scanty urine due to damp-heat (more often in its red form).
2. Strengthens the Spleen & harmonizes the middle burner: for Spleen deficiency compounded by dampness with such symptoms as loss of appetite, diarrhea, & epigastric distention.
3. Strengthens the Spleen & transforms phlegm: for Spleen deficiency with congested fluids in which phlegm moves upward with such symptoms as palpitations, headache, dizziness, & a thick, greasy tongue coating.
4. Quites the Heart & calms the spirit: for palpiations, insomnia, or forgetfulness. |
MeridiansHeart, Spleen, Lung |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of frequent, copious urine due to cold from deficiency. May counteract di yu, qin jiao & bie jia. Taking this herb in large doses or long-term is discouraged. |
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Shi Chang Pu / Sweetflag Rhizome (Acorus Calamus) |
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Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Open Orifices - Aromatic • Sub Category: |
Dosage3-9g decoction, pill or powder; topical as pwdr or decoction for wash |
Actions |
MeridiansHeart, Stomach |
CautionsCaution with yin deficiency, blood deficiency, & spermatorrhea. |
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Yuan Zhi / Polygala Root |
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Taste: Bitter, Acrid • Temperature: Slighty warm • Category: Calm Shen • Sub Category: Nourish Heart |
Dosage3-9g |
Actions1. Calms the spirit & quiets the Heart: for insomnia, palpitations with anxiety, restlessness, & disorientation. Most effective in cases related to excessive brooding or constrained, pent-up emotions.
2. Expels phlegm & clears the orifices: used when phlegm envelopes the orifices of the Heart with such manifestations as emotional & mental disorientation or seizures.
3. Expels phlegm from the Lungs: for coughs with copious sputum, especially when difficult to expectorate.
4. Reduces abscesses & dissipates swellings: for boils, abscesses, sores, & swolllen & painful breasts. Used in powdered form & applied topically or taken with wine. |
MeridiansHeart, Lung |
CautionsContraindicated for yin deficiency with heat signs. Use with caution in cases with ulcers or gastritis. May counteract with zhen zhu & li lu. |