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Source: Shāng Hán Lùn 伤寒论

Ingredients:

• Chái hú (柴胡 Bupleuri Radix, bupleurum [root]) 6–9g
• Bái sháo (白芍 Paeoniae Radix Alba, white peony [root]) 6–9g
• Zhǐ shí (枳实 Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, unripe bitter orange) 4–9g
• Gān cǎo (甘草 Glycyrrhizae Radix, licorice [root]) (mix–fried) 3–5g

Action: Harmonizes and resolves; discharges heat; courses the liver and resolves depression.

Indication: Depressed yáng qì failing to reach the outer body, characterized by counterflow cold of the limbs; liver-stomach disharmony pain in the chest, rib-side, stomach duct and abdomen; abdominal pain and diarrhea. Tongue fur: Glossy. Pulse: Sunken, fine, and faint.

Category: Harmonization formulas / Liver-spleen harmonization formula

Method: Modern method is to prepare as a decoction.

Rationale: Chái hú courses the liver and resolves depression. Bái sháo emolliates the liver and relieves pain. Chái hú, when combined with Bái sháo, does not penetrate the exterior, while Bái sháo, when combined with Chái hú, emolliates the liver without being sour and astringing. Zhǐ shí moves qì and relieves pain, thus enhancing the liver-coursing action of Chái hú. Zhì gān cǎo supplements the center and relieves tension. Combined with Bái sháo, it enhances the liver-emolliating and pain-relieving action of the formula. These two agents being the ingredients of Sháo yào gān cǎo tāng (芍药甘草汤 Peony and Licorice Decoction)from the Shāng Hán Lùn. Though this formula has few ingredients, it is very effective.

Variations:

• Spleen vacuity: Use zhike instead of Zhǐ shí (枳实 Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, unripe bitter orange) and add Dǎng shēn (党参 Codonopsis Radix, codonopsis [root]) and Bái zhú (白朮 Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, white atractylodes [root]).
• Abdominal pain: Add Xiāng yuán (香橼 Citri Fructus, citron), Fó shǒu (佛手 Sacrodactylis Fructus, Buddha's hand [fruit]), and Gān sōng (甘松 Nardostachydis Radix et Rhizoma, nardostachys [root]).
• Dysentery with pus and blood in the stool: Add Dāng guī (当归 Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Chinese angelica), Bái tóu wēng (白头翁 Pulsatillae Radix, pulsatilla [root]), and Dì yú (地榆 Sanguisorbae Radix, sanguisorba [root]).
• Pronounced liver depression: Add Xiāng fù (香附 Cyperi Rhizoma, cyperus [rhizome]), Yù jīn (郁金 Curcumae Radix, curcuma [root]), and Qīng pí (青皮 Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride, unripe tangerine peel).

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