INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Ramulus Cinnamomi |
| Common English: | Cinnamon Twig Cassia Twig |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Acrid Sweet |
Warm |
Heart Lung Urinary Bladder (Liver) (Kidney) |
External conditions: 3-10g Painful obstruction: 9-15g Tincture: 1-3ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Releases the exterior, assists the Yang, adjusts the Ying and Wei and releases the muscle layer |
Wind-Cold Tai Yang Zhong Feng Stage |
Warms the channels and collaterals to relieve pain |
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi |
Unblocks Yang and transforms the Qi and thin mucus |
Edema due to Cold-Phlegm or Yang Qi Deficiency with urinary dysfunction, dizziness and palpitations |
Assists the Heart Yang and warms and facilitates the flow of Yang Qi in the chest |
Palpitations due to Yang Obstruction in the chest due to Stagnation or Deficiency Listless chest Yang with upward movement of Phlegm and thin mucus and disorderly descent of Lung Qi with shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations |
Warms and facilitates the flow of Qi through the channels and collaterals and Blood through the vessels |
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Blood Stasis due to Cold, causing dysmenorrhea with or without abdominal masses |
Warms the Middle and directs Turbid Yin downward |
Middle Jiao Yang Deficiency Heart and Spleen Yang Deficiencies (patient usually craves sweets) |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Hb. Ephedrae |
Rx. Paeoniae Albae |
Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata |
Wind-Cold Excess conditions with fever and chills but no sweat Wind-Cold-Damp Bi |
External Wind-Cold with disharmony between the Ying and Wei (Tai Yang Zhong Feng), with spontaneous sweating, fever and chills Warms and tonifies the Middle Jiao |
Chills and painful extremities due to Yang Deficiency with Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Backache due to Wind-Cold Damp Bi |
Rz. Chuanxiong |
Rx. Stephaniae Tetrandrae |
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Expels Wind-Dampness, warms the channels and collaterals, facilitates joint movement and relieves the discomfort of painful obstruction |
Wind-Cold Damp Bi |
Irritability and insomnia due to floating Yang in the Upper Jiao and injured Yin in the Lower Jiao due to Heart Yang Deficiency |
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata |
Poria |
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Spermatorrhea due to exhaustion |
Palpitations and shortness of breath due to injured Yang of the chest |
Unblocks the Yang and facilitates the removal of congested fluids associated with Yang Deficiency edema Palpitations and dyspnea due to Heart Yang Deficiency |
Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae |
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Palpitations and chest pain due to Heart Yang Deficiency and subsequent painful obstruction due to Blood Stasis blocking the channels |
Heart and Spleen Yang Deficiencies with palpitations, edema and shortness of breath |
Trauma induced pain Gynecological discomfort due to Blood Stasis Lower abdominal masses |
Fr. Evodiae |
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Angina pectoris due to Yang Deficiency in the chest |
Abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, and menstrual irregularity due to Cold from Deficiency in the Chong and Ren channels |
Amenorrhea and abdominal pain due to Cold Invasion and Blood Stasis |
Rx. Astragali |
Rx. Bupleuri |
Rx. et Rz. Rhei |
Sick sinus syndrome with brady-cardia and palpitations |
Tai Yang Stage moving to Shao Yang Stage |
Blood Stasis (removes Stasis and unblocks the flow of Qi) Combined Interior/Exterior conditions with chills, headache, fever, sweating and abdominal fullness and pain Abdominal fullness and pain as a result of purging an Exterior condition too soon |
Rz. Curcumae Longae |
Fr. Aurantii |
Rx. Aconiti Preparata |
Congealed painful obstruction in either the upper or lower limbs Shoulder disorders |
Stabbing pain in the chest and flanks |
Bi syndrome |
Rz. Curcumae Longae |
Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii |
Poria |
Bi syndrome in the upper body, especially the shoulders |
Rheumatoid arthritis |
Edema and dysuria due to Yang Deficiency |
Poria |
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata |
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Phlegm accumulation with dizziness, fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, vertigo and palpitations |
Chest Bi due to Yang Deficiency |
Palpitations and intermittent pulse due to Heart Yin and Yang Deficiencies |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
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Irregular menstruation due to Yang Deficiency with Cold Stagnation |
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- It is used in most Wind-Cold conditions.
- It is often used to provide a warming balance in cooling formulas.
- It is often used in formulas to treat chronic pain.
- In general, it has six therapeutic routes: harmonizing the Ying. unblocking the Yang, promoting urination, directing Qi downward, promoting movement and tonifying the Middle.
- Both Gui Zhi and Ram. Mori Sang Zhi unblock the collaterals. Gui Zhi is acrid and warm and therefore more appropriate for Cold Bi, and has a wider scope of action than Sang Zhi which expels Wind and eliminates Dampness. It is slightly cooling and therefore is superior in treating Wind-Heat and Dampness or when itching is a prominent symptom.
- Cinnamon Twig Tips Gui Zhi Shao/Jian have a greater capacity to unblock blood vessels and disperse Wind-Cold.
- Cinnamon Twig Wood Gui Zhi Mu are at mobilizing the exterior, releasing the muscle layer and inducing sweat, but they are stronger at warming the channels and unblocking the collaterals.
- Dry-fried Cinnamon Twigs Chao Gui Zhi have a milder acrid, dispersing action but increased warm, unblocking properties and are useful in treating older or weaker patients.
- Prepared/Honey prepared Cinnamon Twigs Zhi Gui Zi / Mi Zhi Gui Zhi have an increased Yang tonifying action with a reduced acrid dispersing action and are used to tonify the Middle Jiao.