SHI QUAN DA BU WAN (BP021) Ginseng & Dang Gui Ten Formula Complex

Indication

This formula, which was recorded in the ‘Formulary of the Tai Ping Welfare Dispensary Bureau’ (tai ping hui min he ji ju fang), 1151 CE, is based on a combination of Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Major Herbs Formula) and Si Wu Tang (Dang Gui Four Combination), together with two additional herbs that serve to augment the actions of tonifying the Qi and nourishing the Blood: Astragalus (huang qi) and Cinnamon (rou gui). This makes the formula more potent than Ba Zhen Wan (Ginseng and Dang-gui Eight Combination), which was not formally recorded until some four centuries later.

There is a certain degree of confusion over whether or not this formula is specifically warming and Yang tonifying, which would restrict its use to deficiency Cold conditions. However, this is not necessarily so.

Both of these two additional herbs do, if fact, have Yang properties: Astragalus root (huang qi), with a slightly warm nature, tonifies the Qi and raises the Yang Qi of the middle Jiao; while Cinnamon bark (rou gui), an Interior warming herb with a hot nature, warm-tonifies the Spleen Yang and the Kidney Yang, dispels Cold and promotes the circulation of the Qi and Blood.

However, the latter is only used in a relatively small dose as a catalyst for Qi and Blood production; while the mild nature of the former does not give the formula an Interior Cold dispelling action – on the contrary, this herb is often used in formulas for fever due to Qi deficiency; thus, it too serves to enhance both the Qi tonifying and Blood nourishing actions of the formula.

Thus, in terms of clinical efficacy, the addition of the two herbs mentioned above makes this formula a stronger and more rapidly acting tonic for the Qi and Blood than the related formula, Ba Zhen Wan.

The synergistic actions of the herbs are as follows:

Astragalus root (huang qi), Codonopsis root (dang shen), Atractylodes rhiz. (bai zu), Poria cocos (fu ling), Glycyrrhiza root (zhi gan cao): tonify the (Spleen) Qi.

Paeonia root (bai shao), Rehmannia root (shu di huang), Angelica root (dang-gui), Ligusticum root (chuan xiong): nourish the (Liver) Blood.

Atractylodes rhiz. (bai zu), Poria cocos (fu ling): dispel Damp.

Angelica root (dang-gui), Ligusticum root (chuan xiong): activate the Blood and dispel stasis.

Cinnamomum bark (rou gui): warm-tonifies the Spleen and Kidney, promotes the circulation of the Qi and Blood (to promote Qi and Blood production).

Indications:

General debility

Side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (e.g. mouth ulcers, leukopenia)

Anaemia

Erectile dysfunction

Menstrual disorders (e.g. irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhoea)

Post-operative hypoalbuminaemia and anaemia

Chronic gastritis

Malnutrition

Chronic non-healing ulcers

Post-partum debility

Thrombangiitis obliterans

Signs & Symptoms:

Fatigue, muscular weakness

Poor appetite

Exertional dyspnoea (shortness of breath on mild exertion)

Weak, low voice, reluctance to speak

Palpitations

Pale or sallow complexion

Postural dizziness

Dry, lustreless skin and hair

Cold extremities

Paraesthesia or numbness of the extremities

Sweating on mild exertion

Dark rings under the eyes

Chronic sores or chronic ulcers

Pale tongue with a thin white coat

Thready and weak pulse

Combinations:

Chronic fatigue syndrome:

BA JI YIN YANG WAN

BU ZHONG YI QI WAN

YU PING FENG SAN

SHEN QI DA BU WAN

ZHUANG YANG YI JING WAN

QI BAO MEI RAN DAN (Jia Wei)

TAO HONG SI WU WAN

ENERGY TONIC Formula

Poor digestion:

BAO HE WAN

XIANG SHA LIU JUN ZI WAN

DIGEST-AID Formula

Poor sleep:

AN SHEN DING ZHI WAN

TCM Syndromes: Qi-Blood dual deficiency.

TCM Actions: Tonifies the Qi and nourishes the Blood, warms the Yang.