INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Cortex Cinnamomi
Common English: Cinnamon Bark
Cassia Cinnamon Bark
Herbs that Warm the Interior and Expel Cold
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Acrid
Sweet
Hot
(Very Hot)
Heart
Liver
Kidney
Spleen
(Bladder)
1.5-5g add near the end
Powders: 1-2g
Tincture: 0.25-2ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Warms the Kidneys, Spleen and Heart and strengthens Yang and Ming Men Fire

Kidney Yang Deficiency and Deficiency of Ming-Men Fire with aversion to Cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence and urinary frequency

Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency with abdominal pain and Cold, reduced appetite and diarrhea

Kidney Unable to Grasp Qi

Heart Yang Deficiency, particularly with chest Bi

Disperses deep Cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels and alleviates pain

Deep Cold causing Qi Stagnation or Blood Stasis with Cold in the Blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, Cold-Damp Bi, Yin-type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave and ooze a clear fluid) and sores or abscesses that do not heal

It enters the Blood aspect and, in small amounts, enhances the Blood moving action of other substances

Leads the Fire back to its source

Upward Floating of Deficient Yang (False Heat, True Cold or Heat Above and Cold Below) with flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (the sweat pours out like oil), weak and cold lower extremities and a deficient and rootless pulse

Any condition with Heat in the Upper body (dry mouth, sore throat, or teeth which is worse at night) and Cold in the Lower body (Lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhea and weakness in the proximal portion of the pulse)

Assists in the generation of Qi and Blood

Chronic Qi and Blood Deficiency (auxiliary)

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Yin Deficiency with Heat signs.
  • Contraindicated for those with Internal Excess Heat.
  • Contraindicated for those with reckless movement of Hot Blood.
  • Contraindicated for those with coughing with a sore throat.
  • Contraindicated for those with Blood Deficiency with Internal Dryness.
  • Contraindicated for those with Blood Heat following parturition.
  • Use caution during pregnancy.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata
Zhi
Fu Zi

Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata
Zhi
Fu Zi
Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang

Rz. Alpiniae Officinarum
Gao Liang Jiang
Rz. Zingiberis Preparatum
Pao Jiang
Fr. Piperis Longi
Bi Ba

Powerfully tonifies Kidney Yang, for Kidney Yang Deficiency with lower back pain and weakness in the legs and knees.

Deficiency of Ming Men Fire with impotence or infertility.

Overabundant Yin leading Yang to float outward. (separation of Yin and Yang)

Damp-Cold Bi in the channels with generalized aches and pains and difficulty in rotating the trunk.

Leads Fire back to its source for Kidney Yin Deficiency with Fire Blazing Upward (small dose of each, 1-2g, combined with Yin tonics.

Cold, painful abdomen, anorexia and diarrhea due to Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency.

Cold, painful abdomen, anorexia, and diarrhea due to Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency.

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Hb. Ephedrae
Ma Huang

Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi

Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui

Palpitations and shortness of breath due to Deficiency of Heart and Kidneys.

Yin-type localized swellings that blend into the surrounding tissues.

Yin-type boils due to Qi and Blood Deficiency especially those that form but do not ulcerate.

Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui

Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong

Fr. Evodiae
Wu Zhu Yu
(Fr. Foeniculi)
(Xiao Hui Xiang)

Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai
Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu

Dysmenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain or amenorrhea due to Deficiency Cold of the Chong and Ren channels.

Cold hernial disorders with abdominal pain.

Urinary retention and discomfort due to Kidney Deficiency.

Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian

Rz. and Rx. Rhei
Da Huang

Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata
Zhi
Fu Zi
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Fr. Corni
Shan Zhu Yu

Irritability, restlessness, coolness of the lower limbs and difficulty falling asleep due to Disharmony between the Heart and Kidneys.

Chronic dysentery.

Invigorates the Blood.

Kidney Yang Deficiency.

Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata
Zhi
Fu Zi
Sulfur
Liu Huang

Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum
Lu Rong
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Sm. Cuscutae
Tu Si Zi
Fr. Corni
Shan Zhu Yu

Hb. Epimedii
Yin Yang Huo
Hb. Cistanches
Rou Cong Rong
Rx. Morindae Officinalis
Ba Ji Tian

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao
Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong
Rz. Cyperi
Xiang Fu
Fol. Artemisiae Argyi
Ai Ye
Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata
Zhi
Fu Zi
Fluoritum
Zi Shi Ying
Fr. Evodiae
Wu Zhu Yu
Rx. Linderae
Wu Yao

Asthma or wheezing.

Impotence.

Lack of libido.

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Rz. Dioscoreae
Shan Yao
Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae
Niu Xi
Poria
Fu Ling
Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata
Zhi
Fu Zi
Rz. Alismatis
Ze Xie
Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi

Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu
Per. Citri Reticulatae
Chen Pi

Rx. Curcumae
Yu Jin
Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong

Edema due to Kidney Yang Deficiency.

Chronic diarrhea.

Hypochondriac pain due to Liver Qi Stagnation.

Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
Flos Carthami
Hong Hua
Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Myrrh
Mo Yao

Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii
Qiang Huo
Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis
Du Huo
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Gel. Cornu Cervi
Lu Jiao Jiao
Hb. Ephedrae
Ma Huang
Sm. Sinapis
Bai Jie Zi

External or traumatic injury with Blood Stasis.

Feelings of oppression and pain in the abdomen.

Cold-Damp Bi.

Yin sores.

  1. Its nature includes a descending action which means it can lead Kidney Fire back to its source.
  2. This is the principle herb for treating upward-floating of Deficient Yang.
  3. It is rarely decocted due to loss of volatile oils during decoction.
  4. It is not toxic but a large overdose can cause respiratory changes, dilation of the auricular blood vessels and convulsions.
  5. It is one of the most warming of Chinese herbs.
  6. It can be used alone for epigastric and abdominal coldness and pain.
  7. It opens channels in the abdomen.
  8. This herb and Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata Zhi Fu Zi warm and tonify the Ming Men Fire and treat Yang Deficiency Cold of the Lower Jiao, however Rou Gui is milder and more specific for Lower Jiao disorders. It is used to lead Ming Men Fire back to its source, has some dispersing properties and is therefore not used for Collapse of Yang. This combination is often used for low back an knee pain, arthralgia, frequent urination, chills, epigastric and abdominal chills, Cold-Damp Bi, Yin ulcers, Cold-type Blood Stagnation in the channels and amenorrhea.
  9. Rou Gui, Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum Lu Rong and Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata Zhi Fu Zi all warm the Kidneys and fortify Yang. Zhi Fu Zi and Rou Gui are both acrid, harsh, hot and drying with a strong, rapid effect of warming the Interior, expelling Cold, and assist in tonifying Yang. Lu Rong is sweet, warm, soft and moistening with a gradual effect that tonifies Yang while moistening Jing and Blood. They all treat Kidney Yang Deficiency, however Zhi Fu Zi and Rou Gui are only suitable for Kidney Yang Deficiency with Excess Internal Cold and are inappropriate if Jing or Blood is deficient. Lu Rong is not suited for expelling Internal Cold, but is most appropriate for Yang Deficiency with Jing, Blood and marrow insufficiency.
  10. Both Rou Gui and Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi are from the same plant. Rou Gui is the bark and Gui Zhi is the twig. Both warm Ying Qi and Blood, assist Qi transformation and disperse Cold. Rou Gui is best for warming the Interior and stopping pain . It enters the Lower Jiao to tonify Kidney to tonify Kidney Yang and restore Ming Men Fire. Gui Zhi is best for dispersing pathogenic Cold in the Exterior, primarily moving upward to warm and unblock the channels and collaterals.
  11. Official Cinnamon Guan Gui has less oil and is thought to be drier. it warms the Middle Jiao and dries Dampness and is less of a Yang tonic. The dosage is 4.5-9g.
  12. Cinnamon Heart Rou Gui Xin is not as drying as other types of Cinnamon Bark and is best used to assist the Heart Yang and assist communication between the Heart and Kidneys.