HERB FORMULAS

ZHEN GAN XI FENG TANG

English: Sedate the Liver and Extinguish Wind Decoction
Also Known As: Decoction to Subdue Endogenous Wind in the Liver
Calm the Liver and Subdue Wind Decoction

HERBS AND ACTIONS

Pharmaceutical Latin
Pin Yin
Dosage
Actions
Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae Niu Xi 10-30g Circulates Blood downward, separating Blood from ascendant Yang, and tonifies and nourishes the Kidneys and Liver.
With Long Gu, Zhe Shi and Mu Li, strongly sedates the Liver, extinguishes Wind, anchors Yang and descends Qi.
Haematitum Dai Zhe Shi 10-30g Descends Qi, controls rebellion, calms the Liver, anchors Yang, clears Liver Fire and cools the Blood.
With Long Gu, Mu Li and Niu Xi, for dizziness, vertigo, headache and tinnitus due to Liver Yang Rising
Fossilia Ossis Mastodi Long Gu 9-15g Calms the Shen, calms the Liver and anchors Yang.
Concha Ostreae Mu Li 9-15g Calms the Shen, benefits Yin, prevents leakage of fluids and anchors Yang.
With Long Gu and Bai Shao, for headache, dizziness, tinnitus, anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, dream disturbed sleep and other symptoms of Yin Deficiency with Yang Rising.
Plastrum Testudinis Gui Ban 9-15g Nourishes Yin and anchors Yang.
With Xuan Shen, Tian Men Dong and Bai Shao, nourishes Yin to anchor Yang.
Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen 9-15g Clears Heat, cools the Blood, nourishes Yin and drains Fire.
Tub. Asparagi Tian Men Dong 9-15g Nourishes Yin and nourishes the Kidneys and Lungs.
Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao 9-15g Calms Liver Yang, nourishes Blood and astringes Yin.
With Gan Cao, regulates the relationship between the Liver and Spleen and nourishes the sinews to treat abdominal pain due to disharmony between the Liver and Stomach and muscle spasms, especially in the calf, due to Blood Deficiency.
Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae Yin Chen Hao 3-6g Clears Damp-Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder.
With Chuan Lian Zi, Mai Ya and Niu Xi, clears and drains Liver Yang and reinforces the pacifying, controlling and sedating of Liver Yang.
Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi 3-6g Dredges Liver Qi, releases constraint, stops pain and conducts Heat out from below.
Fr. Hordei Germinatus Mai Ya 3-6g Smoothes the flow of Liver Qi.
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao 3-6g Regulates and harmonizes the other herbs.
With Mai Ya, harmonizes the Stomach and adjusts the Middle Jiao, preventing the metals in this formula from harming the Stomach.

FORMULA ACTIONS

  • Sedates the Liver
  • Extinguishes Wind
  • Nourishes Yin
  • Anchors Yang

SYNDROMES

  • Liver Wind Stirring Internally: Liver Yang (Liver Fire) Transforms into Wind
  • Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency with Liver Yang Rising leading to Liver Wind with Rebellious Qi and Blood
  • Jue Yin Heat type headache

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • A feeling of distention in the eyes
  • Tinnitus
  • Feverish sensation in the head
  • Headache
  • Irritability
  • Flushed face as if intoxicated
  • Frequent belching
  • Progressive motor dysfunction occurring over hours to days
  • Development of facial asymmetry
  • Sudden loss of consciousness
  • Spasms
  • Heat and pain of the brain
  • Mental confusion with moments of lucidity
  • Inability to fully recover after loss of consciousness
  • Hiccoughs
  • Irritable heat in the Heart
  • Deviation of mouth and eyes
  • Tremors
  • Limited mobility of the limbs
  • T: Red
  • C: Little
  • P: Wiry, Shi and long

TREATS

  • Essential hypertension
  • Renal hypertension
  • Hypertensive encephelopathy
  • Aphasia
  • Apraxia
  • Epilepsy
  • Cerebral arteriosclerosis
  • Arteriosclerotic heart disease
  • Postpartum fever
  • Apoplexy
  • Apoplectiform hypertension
  • Cerebral thrombosis
  • Chromaffinoma
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Pre-menstrual nervousness
  • Glaucoma

CONTRAINDICATIONS AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Use caution for those with Spleen Deficiency.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

NOTES

MODIFICATIONS

For a sensation of Heat in the chest: For profuse sputum:
+ Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao - Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao
+ Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi - Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen
For extreme Liver and Kidney Deficiencies:
 + Pul. Arisaemae cum Felle Bovis Dan Nan Xing
+ Rx. Rehmanniae Shu Di Huang + Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu
+ Fr. Corni Shan Zhu Yu
For headache and dizziness or vertigo:
For severe distending pain in the eyes, nausea and vomiting:
+ Spica Prunellae
+ Spica Prunellae Xia Ku Cao + Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua
+ Concha Haliotidis Shi Jue Ming
For a deficient pulse even with heavy pressure:
or
 - Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi
+ Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis Gou Teng + 24g Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Shu Di Huang
+ Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua + 15g Fr. Corni Shan Zhu Yu
or
For stools that are not well formed:
Cornu Saigae Tataricae Ling Yang Jiao - Haematitum Dai Zhe Shi
For postpartum fever with vertigo, twitching and spasms of the limbs, a red tongue and a wiry, rapid pulse:
- Plastrum Testudinis Gui Ban
+ Fr. Chaenomelis Mu Gua + Halloysitum Rubrum Chi Shi Zhi
+ Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis Gou Teng
For hypertension:
For cerebral arteriosclerosis:
 + Spica Prunellae Xia Ku Cao
+ Concha Haliotidis Shi Jue Ming + Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis Gou Teng
+ Per. Citri Reticulatae Chen Pi + Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua
+ Sm. Persicae Tao Ren
For arteriosclerotic Heart disease:
+ Hb. Agastaches/ Pogostemi Huo Xiang + Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao
    Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae Dan Shen