Sour Jujube Decoction
Chinese Prescription: Suan Zao Ren Tang
English Translation: Sour Jujube Decoction
Formula Type: Nourish the Heart and Calm the Spirit (Shen)
Actions: Nourishes the blood, calms the spirit, clears heat, & eliminates irritability.
Indications: Irritability, inability to sleep, palpitations, night sweats, dizziness & vertigo, dry throat & mouth, a dry tongue, & a wiry or thin, rapid pulse.
Contraindications: Use with caution in cases with loose stools.
Pinyin | English | Suggested Dosage |
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view: Suan Zao Ren |
Jujube-Zizyphus Seeds | 12-18g |
view: Fu Ling |
Poria | 6g |
view: Zhi Mu |
Anemarrhena | 6g |
view: Chuan Xiong |
Sichuan Lovage Rhizome / Ligusticum Wallichi | 6g |
view: Gan Cao |
Licorice | 3g |
Suan Zao Ren / Jujube (Sour) Seed | |||
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Taste: Sweet, Sour • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Calm Shen • Sub Category: Nourish Heart | |||
Dosage9-18g decoction, 1.5-3g powder |
Actions1. Nourishes the Heart yin, augments the Liver blood, & quites the spirit: for irritability, insomnia, & blood palpitations with anxiety due to either blood deficiency (inability to nourish the heart) or yin deficiency (with upward-rising fire).2. Prevents abnormal sweating: for both spontaneous sweating & night sweats. |
MeridiansGallbladder, Heart, Liver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of severe diarrhea or heat excess. |
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. |
Zhi Mu / Anemarrhena Rhizome | |||
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Taste: Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Drain Fire | |||
Dosage6-12g |
Actions1. Clears heat & drains fire: for high fever, irritability, thirst, & a rapid, flooding pulse in patterns of exessive heat in the Lungs & Stomach. Also for cough due to heat in the Lungs with expectoration of thick, yellow sputum.2. Enriches yin & moistens dry conditions: for exhaustion or deficiency of Lung & Kidney yin wih heat signs such as night sweats, steaming bone disorder, irritability, afternoon or low-grade fevers, warmth in the five centers, & bleeding gums. Also for such Kidney heat signs as spermatorrrhea, nocturnal emissions, & abnormally elevated sexual drive. 3. Generates fluids & clears heat: for oral ulcers & in flammation due to yin deficiency as well as wasting & thirsting disorder. |
MeridiansLung, Stomach, Kidney |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of diarrhea due to Spleen deficiency. |
Chuan Xiong / Lovage Root (Ligusticum) | |||
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Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage3-6g, up to 9g for irregular menstruation |
Actions1. Invigorates the blood & promotes the movement of qi: for any blood stasis pattern. This is an important herb in gynecology & is used for such problems as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, difficult labor, or lochioschesis. It is also indicated for patterns of stagnant qi & blood stasis with pain & soreness in the chest, flanks, & hypochondria.2. Expels wind & alleviates pain: a leading herb for any externally contracted wind disorder characterized by headache, dizziness, or painful obsstruction. Also used for a variety of skin problems caused by wind. 3. Headaches: moves the qi upward & alleviates pain. Depending with which other herbs it is combined, it can be used for headaches due to wind, heat, cold, or blood deficiency. |
MeridiansLiver, Gallbladder, Pericardium |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, headaches due to ascendant Liver yang, qi deficiency, or excessive menstrual bleeding. Vomiting & dizziness may occur from overdosage. May antagonize shan zhu yu & huang qi, may counteract hua shi & huang lian, & may be incompatible with li lu. |
Gan Cao / Licorice Root (Chinese) | |||
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Neutral (raw root) • Category: Tonic / Harmonize • Sub Category: Tonify Qi | |||
Dosage2-12g |
Actions1. Tonifies the Spleen & augments the qi: commonly used for Spleen deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude, & loose stools. Also for qi or blood deficiency patterns with an irregular or intermittent pulse & /or palpitations.2. Moistens the Lungs & stops coughing: for coughing & wheezing. Because of its neutral properties, it can be used for either heat or cold in the Lungs. 3. Clears heat & relieves fire toxicity: used raw for carbuncles, sores, or sore throat due to fire toxin. For this purpose, it can be taken internally or applied topically. 4. Moderates spasms & alleviates pain: for painful spasms of the abdomen or legs. 5. Moderates & harmonizes the characteristics of other herbs: by virtue of its sweet, neutral, & moderating properties, this herb moderates hot & cold herbs, & mitigates the violent properties of other herbs. Since it is said to enter all 12 primary channels, it can lead & conduct other herbs into the channels. 6. Used as an antidote for a variety of toxic substances, both internally & topically. 7. The raw root clears heat & relieves toxicity, the honey-fried tonifies the middle & moderates spasms. |
MeridiansAll 12 channels (principally the Heart, Lung, Spleen, & Stomach) |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of excess dampness, nausea, or vomiting. May be in compatible with jing da ji, yuan hua, gan sui, & hai zao, & may antagonize yuan zhi. The toxicity of gan cao is very low, but if taken long-term it may cause hypertension &/or edema. Glycyrrhetinic acid has been reported to cause a reduction in the activity of the thyroid & a reducation in the basal metabolic rate. |