Cang Er Zi San, Xanthium Powder, is Cang Er Zi, Xin Yi Hua, Bai Zhi and Bo He. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that release an Exterior disorder showing in the head and neck, and records it as dispersing Wind to unblock the nose.

Herb

Amount

6 g

3 g

6 g

3 g

Actions and indications

Disperses Wind and unblocks the nose

Wind-Heat invading and causing a blocked nose or heavy nasal discharge
Wind-Heat attacking the head with profuse nasal discharge
Wind-Cold with Heat trapped inside in the muscles
Bi yuan (sinus congestion): blocked nose with thick, turbid, often yellowish discharge and a reduced sense of smell
Copious, purulent nasal discharge with a foul smell; dry nose
Fever with intolerance of cold or mild aversion to wind; muscle aches; a heavy, stuffy feeling in the head
Bloodshot eyes, bitter taste, dizziness and insomnia
Tongue normal or with a thin white or slightly yellow coat; pulse floating, or floating and rapid

Alleviates pain

Frontal or temporal headache
Dull, distending pain in the forehead or over the sinuses, worse on bending forward

Modern uses

Rhinorrhea
Nasal suppuration
Acute or chronic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis
Nasal congestion
Acute or chronic sinusitis
Sinusitis with thick discharge
Fever
Headache

Modifications

More Lung heat: + sang bai pi, + di gu pi

Heavy nasal discharge: + jin yin hua

Heavy nasal discharge (second option): + jin yin hua, + e bu shi cao, + gan cao

Heavy nasal discharge (third option): + sang bai pi, + huang qin

Sinusitis from Stomach excess heat (combined with Qing Wei San)

Sinusitis from Stomach excess heat with sticky yellow mucus (combined with Qing Wei San): + bai jiang cao, + zao jiao ci, + shi gao

Sinusitis from Stomach excess heat with restlessness and thirst (combined with Qing Wei San): + zhi mu

Sinusitis from Stomach excess heat with swollen, bleeding gums (combined with Qing Wei San): + bai mao gen, + xiao ji

Severe nasal obstruction: + e bu shi cao, + xi xin

Fever with Lung heat: + huang qin, + yu xing cao

Bloody nasal discharge: + qian cao gen, + sheng di huang

Worse dizziness and headache: + ju hua, + bai ji li

Show all 60 modifications

Heavy pus-like nasal discharge: + jin yin hua, + lian qiao
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: severe frontal or cheekbone headache: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + bai zhi, + man jing zi
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: temple headache: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + chai hu
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: cough with much phlegm: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + xing ren, + jie geng, + gua lou ren, + dong gua ren
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: pus-like discharge: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + jin yin hua, + yu xing cao
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: Lung heat: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + shi gao, + zhi mu
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: existing phlegm-damp: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + zhi ban xia, + fu ling, + chen pi
Blocked nose and sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: leftover wind-cold: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + xi xin, + gao ben, + fang feng, + qiang huo
Rhinitis from Lung Qi deficiency (combined with Yu Ping Feng San) (pick from the added herbs): + tu si zi, + du zhong, + hu tao ren, + bu gu zhi, + ba ji tian, + xu duan, + fu pen zi, + wu wei zi, + huang qi
Rhinitis from Lung Qi deficiency: severe blockage (combined with Yu Ping Feng San) (pick from the added herbs): + tu si zi, + du zhong, + hu tao ren, + bu gu zhi, + ba ji tian, + xu duan, + fu pen zi, + wu wei zi, + huang qi
Rhinitis from Lung Qi deficiency: bouts of exhausting sneezing (combined with Yu Ping Feng San) (pick from the added herbs): + tu si zi, + du zhong, + hu tao ren, + bu gu zhi, + ba ji tian, + xu duan, + fu pen zi, + wu wei zi, + huang qi, + xi xin, + gui zhi, + chuan jiao, + mu xiang
Rhinitis from Lung Qi deficiency: constant heavy watery discharge (combined with Yu Ping Feng San) (pick from the added herbs): + chan tui, + quan xie, + she tui, + di long, + tu si zi, + du zhong, + hu tao ren, + bu gu zhi, + ba ji tian, + xu duan, + fu pen zi, + wu wei zi, + huang qi, + jin ying zi, + fu xiao mai, + nuo dao gen
Nasopharyngeal cancer: + ban zhi lian, + shan dou gen, + xia ku cao, + man jing zi, + zi he che, + ye ju hua
Runny nose from wind-cold in the Lungs: + ma huang, + jing jie, + huo xiang, + xi xin, − bo he
Runny nose from wind-heat in the Lungs: + sang ye, + ju hua, + ge gen
Blocked nose from Lung heat: + huang qin, + yu xing cao, + jie geng
Blocked nose and sinusitis from Lung heat: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen
Blocked nose and sinusitis from Lung heat, wind-heat foremost (combined with Sang Ju Yin)
Blocked nose and sinusitis from Lung heat, pent-up heat foremost: + sang bai pi, + ju hua, + zhi mu
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: + huo xiang, + xi xin, − bo he
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: sneezing: + huo xiang, + xi xin, + di long, + chan tui, − bo he
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: runny nose with much clear mucus: + huo xiang, + xi xin, + he zi, + wu wei zi, − bo he
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: itchy eyes: + huo xiang, + xi xin, + chuan xiong, + jing jie, − bo he
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: blocked nose: + huo xiang, + xi xin, + shi chang pu, + gui zhi, − bo he
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: long-lasting blockage with purplish-blue nasal lining: + huo xiang, + xi xin, + lu lu tong, + chuan xiong, − bo he
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: marked wind-cold signs: + huo xiang, + xi xin, + ma huang, + jing jie, − bo he
Allergic rhinitis from wind-cold in the Lungs: severe Qi deficiency as well: + huo xiang, + xi xin, + huang qi, + bai zhu, − bo he
Blocked nose (combined with Sang Ju Yin)
Blocked nose (second option): + niu bang zi
Sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: strong Lung heat and pus-like discharge: + huang qin, + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + pu gong ying, + bai jiang cao
Sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: coughing with much phlegm: + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + xing ren, + jie geng
Sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: vertex headache: + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + gao ben
Sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: frontal headache or pain over the brow ridge: + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + man jing zi, + bai zhi
Sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: pain at the temples (Tai Yang area): + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + chai hu
Sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: headache at the back of the head: + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen
Sinusitis from wind-heat in the Lungs: severe blockage: + ju hua, + lian qiao, + ge gen, + yu xing cao, + huo xiang
Sinusitis with Qi and Yin damaged (combined with Xin Yi Qing Fei Yin): + huang qi, − xin yi hua, − huang qin
Chronic sinusitis, Liver-Spleen disharmony, heavy greenish pus-like phlegm (combined with Wen Fei Zhi Liu Dan): + dang shen, + shi chang pu, + jin yin hua, + yu xing cao, + e bu shi cao, − ren shen
Sinusitis, Qi deficient (combined with Wen Fei Zhi Liu Dan): + dang shen, + huang qi
Sinusitis, easily catching wind (combined with Wen Fei Zhi Liu Dan and Yu Ping Feng San)
Sinusitis with headache, heavy head or dizziness (combined with Wen Fei Zhi Liu Dan): + bai zhi, + chuan xiong, + shi chang pu
Sinusitis, severe blockage (combined with Wen Fei Zhi Liu Dan): + shi chang pu, + huo xiang
Sinusitis, discharge alternating white and yellow (combined with Wen Fei Zhi Liu Dan): + huang qin, + yu xing cao
Sinusitis with blood stasis: + mu dan pi, + chi shao
Stronger heat with thick yellow discharge: + huang qin, + yu xing cao
Early exterior wind invasion needing more wind-dispersing: + fang feng
Prone to repeated wind attacks, after the acute phase has passed: + huang qi

Cautions

caution Cang Er Zi is a toxic herb: use only processed (stir-fried) fruit and keep within reference doses. The raw fruit holds carboxyatractyloside and atractyloside, which harm the liver; stir-frying cuts the more dangerous of the two

contraindication Raw, unprocessed Cang Er Zi, or more than the reference dose: too much raw fruit or seed has been linked to liver and kidney injury

paediatric Children react more strongly to the toxic parts of Cang Er Zi; take extra care over dose and processing

contraindication Headache from Blood or Yin Deficiency: the acrid, dispersing herbs dry the fluids further

caution Not for long use after the Wind pattern has cleared, as it depletes fluids

caution Meant for an active Wind pattern, not chronic nasal blockage without one; reassess if symptoms last beyond a short course

Pinyin

cang er zi san

English Name

Xanthium Powder

cang er zi san

About cang er zi san

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Disperses Wind and unblocks the nose

Alleviates pain

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification