Cinnabar Pill to Calm the Spirit
Chinese Prescription: Zhu Sha An Shen Wan
English Translation: Cinnabar Pill to Calm the Spirit
Formula Type: Sedate and Calm the Spirit (Shen)
Actions: Sedates the Heart, Calms the spirit, drains fire, & nourishes the yin.
Indications: Insomnia, continuous palpitations, a sensation of irritability & heat in the chest, a desire to vomit without result, dream-disturbed sleep, a tongue that is red at the tip, & a thin, rapid pulse. In some cases, the patient also develops a rancorous disposition.
Contraindications: Note that Cinnabaris (Zhu Sha) is no longer used & that appropriate substitutions must be made. Even though this formula contains yin-enriching herbs, it is not indicated for patients where yin deficiency is the primary problem. It is cooling in nature & thus, to avoid damaging the middle burner yang, should not be taken for long periods of time.
Dosage information not currently available
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Huang Lian / Coptis Rhizome |
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Taste: Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Drain Damp |
Dosage1.5-9g |
Actions1. Drains fire & relieves toxicity for heat with blazing fire with such symptoms as high fever, irritability, disorientation, delirium, red tongue, & a rapid full pulse. Also for exessive heat with toxicity with such symptoms as painful, red eyes & sore throat & for boils, carbuncles, & abscesses.
2. Clears heat & drains dampness: for damp-heat in the Stomach or Intestines that presents with diarrhea or dysenteric disorder. Also for vomiting &/or acid regurgitation due to Stomach heat.
3. Clears Heart fire: for irritability & insomnia due to lack of communication between the Heart & Kidneys.
4. Clears heat & stops bleeding: for nosebleed, or blood in the urine, stool, or vomit due to reckless moevement of the blood.
5. Drains Stomach fire: for digestive dysfunction with bad breath & belching with a putrid odor.
6. Clears heat topically: used topically for red & painful eyes & ulcerations of the tongue & mouth. |
MeridiansHeart, Large Intestine, Liver, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency, nausea or vomiting due to Stomach cold from deficiency, & diarrhea due to Spleen or Kidney deficiency. Long-term use is discouraged as it can injure the Spleen & Stomach. This herb may antagonize ju hua, xuan shen, bai xian pi, & jiang can, & may counteract kuan dong hua & niu xi. Some also say that it should not be taken with pork. |
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Dang Gui / Angelica (Chinese) Root |
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Taste: Sweet, Acrid, Bitter • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood |
Dosage3-15g |
Actions1. Tonifies the blood & regulates the meses: for patterns of blood deficiency with such symptoms as a pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, & palpitations. Also very commonly used fro blood deficiency associated with menstrual disorders such as irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, etc.
2. Invigorates & harmonizes the blood & disperses cold: an important herb for stopping pain due to blood stasis. Commonly used for abdominal pain, traumatic injury, & carbuncles due to blood stasis, especially when there is also cold from deficiency. Also used in the treatment of blood deficiency with chronic wind-damp painful obstruction.
3. Moistens the Intestiones & unblocks the bowels: for dry Intestines due to blood deficiency.
4. Reduces swelling, expels pus, generates flesh, & alleviates pain: used in treating sores & abscesses where its ability to both tonify & invigorate the blood leads to improvement. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of diarrhea or abdominal distention due to damp obstruction. Contraindicated for yin deficiency with heat signs. |
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Sheng Di Huang / Rehmannia Root, Unprepared |
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Taste: Sweet, Bitter • Temperature: Cold • Category: Clear Heat • Sub Category: Cool Blood |
Dosage9-30g |
Actions1. Clears heat & cools the blood: for all warm-febrile diseases where heat enters the nutritive level causing very high fever, thirst, & a scarlet tongue. Also indicated in cases of hemorrhage due to heat entering the blood level.
2. Nourishes the yin & generates fluids: for yin deficiency with heat signs, as well as injury to the body's fluids. Manifestations include dry mouth, continuous low-grade fever, & constipation. Also for throat pain associated with yin deficiency.
3. Cools the upward-blazing of Heart fire: for mouth & tongue sores, & for irritability, insomnia, afternoon or low-grade fevers, & malar flush.
4. Wasting & thirsting disorder. |
MeridiansHeart, Kidney, Liver |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of Spleen deficiency with dampness, yang deficiency, & in pregnant women with blood deficiency or Spleen or Stomach deficiency. |
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Zhi Gan Cao / Licorice Root, honey-baked |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • 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. |