Er Xian Tang, Two-Immortal Decoction, is Xian Mao, Yin Yang Huo, Ba Ji Tian, Huang Bai, Zhi Mu and Dang Gui. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that warm and tonify Yang, and records it as regulating the Chong and Ren vessels.

Herb

Amount

6 g

9 g

9 g

4.5 g

4.5 g

9 g

Actions and indications

Warms and tonifies Kidney Yang and nourishes Kidney Yin and Jing

Kidney Yin and Yang both deficient, classically at the menopausal transition
Fatigue, lassitude and weak, flaccid muscles
Cold feet, lower back soreness, and passing clear urine often
Dizziness, tinnitus and headache
Tongue pale with a thin white coat; pulse thin and rapid. Because Yin and Yang are both depleted, the tongue and pulse can vary with whichever predominates

Drains deficiency Fire

Hot flushes with sweating and night sweats
Irritability, nervousness and mood swings
Palpitations and poor sleep
High blood pressure

Regulates the Chong and Ren

Chong and Ren out of harmony
Irregular or absent periods

Modern uses

Menopausal syndrome
Perimenopausal syndrome
Male menopause
Hypertension, including hypertension at menopause
Irregular menstruation
Amenorrhoea
Infertility
Infertility with candidiasis
Premature ovarian failure, prevention
Hypofunction of the pituitary
Hyperthyroidism
Nephritis and chronic glomerulonephritis
Nephropathy
Pyelonephritis
Polycystic kidneys
Renal vascular disease
Urinary tract infection
Frequent urination
Enuresis
Psoriasis
Urticaria
Dermatosclerosis
Lupus erythematosus
Aplastic anaemia
Breast cancer
Insomnia
Palpitations
Fatigue
Tinnitus
Hot flushes
Night sweats
Sweating

Modifications

Yin deficiency Heat predominating: give more weight to Zhi Mu and Huang Bai

Yang deficiency and Cold predominating: give more weight to Xian Mao and Yin Yang Huo

Psoriasis: + chi shao, + shu di huang, + nu zhen zi, + mo han lian

Dark menstrual blood: + hong hua, + tao ren, + ling xiao hua

Painful periods: + bai shao, + yan hu suo, + wu yao

Painful periods, alternative additions: + mu dan pi, + rou cong rong, + fu ling, + tu si zi, + he shou wu, + dan shen, + gou ji

Knee and lumbar pain: + du zhong, + huai niu xi

Cold and pain in the abdomen: + xiang fu, + wu ling zhi, + pu huang

Cold and pain in the abdomen, alternative additions: + shu di huang, + chi shao, + bai shao, + yi mu cao, + he shou wu, + yu zhu, + tu si zi, + cang er zi

Menopausal syndrome (combined with Er Zhi Wan)

Menopausal syndrome, alternative (combined with Zuo Gui Wan)

Preventing premature ovarian failure in Kidney Yin and Yang deficiency (combined with Gui Shen Wan and Si Wu Tang)

Show all 32 modifications

Insomnia: + yuan zhi, + suan zao ren
Hot flushes: + yin chai hu, + hu huang lian, + long gu, + mu li, − zhi shi
Fibrocystic breasts from Chong and Ren disharmony (combined with Er Zhi Wan and Xiao Yao San)
Kidney disease (nephropathy): + zhi mu, + bai zhu, + bu gu zhi, + huang qi, + rou cong rong, + dan shen, + fang feng, − ba ji tian, − huang bai
Fibrocystic breasts from Chong and Ren disharmony, with hard lumps (combined with Xiao Yao San and Er Zhi Wan): + yu jin, + e zhu, + hai zao
Fibrocystic breasts from Chong and Ren disharmony, with discharge from the nipple (combined with Xiao Yao San and Er Zhi Wan): + mu dan pi, + zhi zi, + mo han lian
Cushing's syndrome: + bai shao, + sheng di huang, − ba ji tian
Cushing's syndrome, marked Qi deficiency: + bai shao, + sheng di huang, + huang qi, + dang shen, − ba ji tian
Cushing's syndrome, marked Dampness: + bai shao, + sheng di huang, + bai zhu, + fu ling, + ze xie, − ba ji tian
Menopausal hypertension: + du zhong
Menopausal hypertension, alternative additions: + du zhong, + huai niu xi
Menopausal hypertension, Qi deficient: + du zhong, + huai niu xi, + huang qi, + dang shen
Menopausal hypertension, hot flushes and night sweats: + du zhong, + huai niu xi, + fu xiao mai, + mu li
Menopausal hypertension, weak Spleen and loose stools: + du zhong, + huai niu xi, + fu ling, + shan yao
Menopausal hypertension, Blood stasis: + du zhong, + huai niu xi, + tao ren, + hong hua
Menopausal hypertension, stagnant Liver Qi: + du zhong, + huai niu xi, + chuan lian zi
High blood pressure, dry mouth and throat: + shi hu, + gui ban
High blood pressure, chills and cold limbs: + lu jiao, + du zhong
Infertility, Yang deficiency of Spleen and Kidneys: + huang qi, + bai zhu, + shan zhu yu, + mu li, − huang bai, − zhi mu
Damp-Heat candidiasis with infertility: − dang gui

Cautions

contraindication Not for pure excess Heat, nor for marked Yin deficiency Heat with no Yang deficiency beneath it, where its warming Yang tonics could add to the Heat

caution Xian Mao is considered slightly toxic and is warm and drying: keep to moderate doses, avoid long use, and adjust to the person

caution Balance the warming and cooling herbs to each person's mix of Yin and Yang deficiency

pregnancy Use with caution in pregnancy

Pinyin

er xian tang

English Name

Two-Immortal Decoction

er xian tang

About er xian tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Warms and tonifies Kidney Yang and nourishes Kidney Yin and Jing

Drains deficiency Fire

Regulates the Chong and Ren

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification