dang gui shao yao san

Tangkuei and Peony Powder

About dang gui shao yao san

Dang Gui Shao Yao San, Tangkuei and Peony Powder, is Dang Gui, Shao Yao, Fu Ling, Bai Zhu, Ze Xie and Chuan Xiong. The record credits it with spreading Liver Qi and strengthening the Spleen to resolve Dampness.

Ingredients

Herb	Amount
dang gui	9 g
shao yao	48 g
fu ling	12 g
bai zhu	12 g
ze xie	24 g
chuan xiong	9 g

Actions and indications

Nourishes Liver Blood and softens the Liver

Liver and Spleen disharmony with Blood deficiency and Dampness
Continuous, cramping abdominal pain that is not severe and is eased by pressure or warmth
Dull, dragging or cramping lower abdominal pain, in pregnancy, with painful periods, or as ongoing discomfort
Abdominal pain with edema in pregnancy, from deficient Blood and poorly moving fluids
Pale or dull complexion, anemia, tiredness and lack of energy
Dizziness, vertigo, ringing in the ears and palpitations
Painful or irregular periods
Pain in the right upper abdomen with an enlarged liver
Tongue pale or pink, possibly with petechiae on the edges, with a thin or greasy white coat; pulse deep and weak, soft, floating, small and slow, or wiry and small, wiry and rough, or wiry and fine

Spreads Liver Qi

Poorly functioning Liver and Spleen with Qi and Blood held up by Dampness

Strengthens the Spleen and resolves Dampness

Heavy head and body, lassitude
Mild edema, chiefly of the feet and lower legs
Scanty urine or difficult urination
Thirst without a wish to drink

Reinforces the Spleen and Kidneys

Abdominal pain from Spleen and Kidney deficiency
Sore back and lumbago
Cold feet, or very cold hands and feet
Weak, numb lower back and legs in pregnancy or after childbirth
Problems in pregnancy, including a malpositioned fetus

Modern uses

Primary dysmenorrhea
Irregular menstruation
Amenorrhea
Menorrhagia
Functional menorrhagia
Metrorrhagia
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Postpartum uterine bleeding
Premenstrual syndrome
Perimenstrual migraines
Luteal insufficiency
Infertility
Leukorrhea
Endometritis
Adnexitis
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease
Uterine fibroids
Abdominal mass that is hard and fixed
Breast hyperplasia
Menopause
Menopausal symptoms
Perimenopausal syndrome
Threatened miscarriage
Habitual miscarriage
Unstable pregnancy
Fetal restlessness
Abdominal pain during pregnancy
Dizziness during pregnancy
Edema during pregnancy
Hypertension during pregnancy
Pre-eclampsia
Malposition of the fetus
Breech presentation
Premature rupture of the placenta
Postpartum weakness
Postpartum depression
Postpartum scar tissue
After abortion
After tubal ligation
After IUD insertion
After Caesarean section
Anemia
Hypochromic anemia
Chronic nephritis
Renal disease
Cystitis
Urinary tract stones
Benign prostatic hypertrophy
Chronic hepatitis
Early-stage liver cirrhosis
Ascites from cirrhosis
Chronic cholecystitis
Chronic gastritis
Peptic ulcers
Intestinal obstruction
Appendicitis
Hemorrhoids
Heart pain
Angina pectoris
Coronary artery disease
Congestive heart disease with swelling
Vascular diseases
Varicose veins
Hypotension
Thrombotic stroke
Monoplegia
Vascular headaches
Post-concussion syndrome
Meniere's disease
Senile dementia
Cognitive complaints of old age
Trigeminal neuralgia
Sciatica
Rheumatoid arthritis
Gout
Beriberi
Acne
Chloasma
Chilblains
Psoriasis
Eczema
Urticaria
Allergic rhinitis
Conjunctivitis
Tension
Palpitations
Vertigo
Dizziness
Fatigue
Weakness
Lumbago
Edema
Abdominal pain

Symptoms

Abdominal pain
Anemia
Back pain
Cold limbs
Difficult urination
Dizziness
Dysmenorrhea
Edema
Fatigue
Heavy body
Heavy head
Hepatomegaly
Hypochondriac pain
Irregular menstruation
Low back pain
Lower abdominal pain
Numbness
Pain
Pain relieved by pressure
Pallor
Palpitations
Preference for warmth
Scanty urination
Thirst with no desire to drink
Tinnitus
Weak limbs

Modifications

Cold-leaning presentation: + gui zhi, + wu zhu yu
Heat-leaning presentation: + mu dan pi, + zhi zi
Edema with periods from Kidney Qi deficiency: + xian mao, + yin yang huo
Marked Dampness with edema and absent periods (combined with Wu Ling San)
Threatened miscarriage: + sha ren, + du zhong, + xu duan, + huang qin, + ai ye
Enlarged liver: + mu xiang, + yu jin, + zhi shi
Recurrent miscarriage: + sheng ma, + e jiao, + huang qi, + ai ye, − ze xie
Abdominal pain in pregnancy: + chuan xiong, + zi su geng, + zhù má gēn, + du zhong, + sang ji sheng
Painful periods: + xiang fu, + yin yang huo, + chuan lian zi
Epigastric pain: + wu ling zhi, + mu xiang
Belly pain and sour regurgitation: + hai piao xiao, + wa leng zi
Flank pain: + yu jin, + chuan lian zi

Show all 43 modifications

Leg numbness with Bi-type pain: + gan jiang, + han fang ji, + huang qi
Red, painful eyes: + che qian zi
Severe abdominal pain: + xiang fu, + ai ye
Dizziness with headache: + bai zhi, + huang qi, + qiang huo
Irritability with thirst: + huang lian, + huang qin
Nasal congestion, chronic rhinitis or sinusitis, nasal polyps: + xin yi hua, + ju hua, + di long, + bo he, + huang qin, + gan cao
Nasal congestion, chronic rhinitis or sinusitis, nasal polyps, with headache or dizziness: + xin yi hua, + ju hua, + di long, + bo he, + huang qin, + gan cao, + bai zhi, + bai ji li, + man jing zi
Nasal congestion, chronic rhinitis or sinusitis, nasal polyps, with cough: + xin yi hua, + ju hua, + di long, + bo he, + huang qin, + gan cao, + xing ren, + jie geng, + gua lou ren
Nephrotic syndrome (combined with Wu Pi San)
Uterine bleeding, heavy flow: + di yu, + hai piao xiao, + chao pu huang
Uterine bleeding, Qi deficiency: + dang shen, + huang qi
Uterine bleeding, severe abdominal pain: + qian cao gen, + wu ling zhi
Menopausal complaints: + cang zhu, − bai zhu
Adnexitis: − chuan xiong
Pelvic inflammatory disease: + bai hua she she cao, + hong teng, + yi yi ren
PID, Damp-Heat: + bai hua she she cao, + hong teng, + yi yi ren, + sheng di huang, + mu dan pi
PID, stagnant Qi and Blood: + bai hua she she cao, + hong teng, + yi yi ren, + tao ren, + dan shen
PID, Cold stagnating in the uterus: + bai hua she she cao, + hong teng, + yi yi ren, + xiao hui xiang, + rou gui
Chloasma: + yi yi ren, + bai zhi
Chloasma, Liver Qi stagnation: + yi yi ren, + bai zhi, + chai hu, + xiang fu
Chloasma, Blood stasis: + yi yi ren, + bai zhi, + hong hua, + tao ren, + ze lan
Chloasma, Blood Heat: + yi yi ren, + bai zhi, + chao zhi zi, + mu dan pi
Chloasma, Qi deficiency: + yi yi ren, + bai zhi, + huang qi, + dang shen
Chloasma, Blood deficiency: + yi yi ren, + bai zhi, + e jiao, + ji xue teng
Chloasma, accumulated Dampness: + yi yi ren, + bai zhi, + cang zhu, + zhu ling, + ze xie
Chloasma, Kidney Yang deficiency: + zhi fu zi, + rou gui
Chloasma, Kidney Yin deficiency: + zhi fu zi, + rou gui, + shu di huang, + shi hu
Angina: + chi shao, + tai zi shen, + dan shen, + shui zhi, − bai shao
Angina, Qi deficiency: + chi shao, + tai zi shen, + dan shen, + shui zhi, + ren shen, − bai shao
Angina, Phlegm stagnation: + chi shao, + tai zi shen, + dan shen, + bai jie zi, + dan nan xing, + gua lou, − bai shao
Angina, severe Blood stasis: + chi shao, + tai zi shen, + dan shen, + chuan xiong, + shui zhi, − bai shao

Cautions

pregnancy Although a classical formula for pregnancy, it holds Blood-moving herbs (Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong); in pregnancy use it with caution, only under a qualified practitioner who has confirmed the pattern, and never as self-medication
contraindication Not for pain from Blood stasis (sharp, fixed, stabbing), from excess Heat (thirst, red tongue, rapid pulse) or from pure Qi stagnation without deficiency and Damp
caution Ze Xie drains strongly and can deplete if the formula is kept up after the Damp has cleared

Preparation

Classically ground to powder and swallowed with warm rice wine or water a few times daily; today more often boiled as a decoction of all six herbs, or taken as granules

Names

Pinyin	dang gui shao yao san
English Name	Tangkuei and Peony Powder