GINSENG & ZIZYPHUS
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan

 

 ‘Emperor of Heaven’s Special Formula to Tonify the Heart’
Source: Secret Investigations into Obtaining Health  (She Sheng Mi Pou by Hong Ji, 1638 CE)

Keywords
emotional disturbances associated with menopause, chronic mouth ulcers

Ingredients
Rehmannia glutinosa (Sheng Di, rehmannia)
Angelica sinensis (Dang Gui)
Schizandra chinensis (Wu Wei Zi, schizandra)
Zizyphus spinoza (Suan Zao Ren, zizyphus)
Biota orientalis (Bai Zi Ren, biota)
Asparagus lucidius (Tian Dong, asparagus)
Ophiopogon japonicus (Mai Dong, ophiopogon)
Scrophularia ningpoensis (Xuan Shen, scrophularia)
Salvia miltorrhiza (Dan Shen, salvia)
Codonopsis pilosula (Dang Shen, codonopsis)
Poria cocos (Fu Ling, hoelen)
Platycodon grandiflorum (Jie Geng, platycodon)
Polygala sibiricum (Yuan Zhi, polygala)

Major therapeutic action
Aids the Heart and calms the mind, clears low grade and/or afternoon fevers.

 Biomedical action
Sedative and tranquilliser, nervine, calmative.

Indications
o  The main formula for mental and emotional disturbances with the symptoms listed below.
o  With the appropriate key symptoms, this formula can be used to treat other biomedical conditions such as chronic anxiety states, menopausal syndrome, chronic urticaria, chronic or recurrent apthous ulcers, chronic insomnia, loss of memory, palpitations, tachycardia, arrhythmias and neurasthenia. Especially good for patients who have taken sedatives or tranquillising drugs for so long they have become ineffective.

Key symptoms for use
o  anxiety, panic attacks, palpitations
o  insomnia
o  signs of heat and dryness — waking feeling hot, night sweats, hot hands and feet, dry skin and hair, tendency to constipation
o  red dry tongue, or very red at the tip of the tongue, or normal colour with multiple surface cracks
o  patients tend to be thin, dry, nervous or agitated, mostly women >40yrs, with a tendency to overheating
o  insomnia, emotional disturbance and anxiety in a hot dry patient

Combinations
o  With severe insomnia or anxiety, add Mu Li & Long Gu.
o  With severe heat, add Zhi Mu & Huang Bo.
o  With acid reflux, add Huang Lian & Wu Zhu Yu.
o  With depression and irritability, add Chai Hu & Bai Shao.
o  For mouth ulcers: gargle with a little Huang Lian Jie Du Tang. 		Dosage
The typical dose is three grams twice daily, before meals. In severe cases or the early stages of treatment (the first two weeks), a 50-100% increase in dose may be used, then reduced as the treatment takes effect.

Cautions and contraindications
In some patients this formula can cause bloating and loose stools; this can usually be remedied by the addition of a moving combination such as Xiang Fu & Sha Ren.
Patients should avoid all stimulant and heating substances, such as coffee, nicotine, chilli, excessive alcohol (especially spirits) and stimulant drugs such as amphetamines and cocaine.
Contraindicated during the acute phase of colds and flu.