Shen Fu Tang, Ginseng and Prepared Aconite Decoction, pairs Ren Shen with Zhi Fu Zi. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that rescue devastated Yang, and records it as tonifying Yuan Qi strongly and restoring Yang where collapse threatens.

Herb

Amount

ren shen

12 g

zhi fu zi

9 g

Actions and indications

Restores Yang and rescues from collapse

Devastated Yang with collapsing Qi (desertion)
Exhausted Heart Yang (vanquished Yang)
Phlegm blocking the Heart orifice, with exhaustion
Shaoyin Cold
Sudden cold sweating, profuse or spontaneous, with limbs cold perhaps as far as the elbows and knees
Extremely pale face, intolerance of cold and dizziness
Mental fog or no response as Yang fails
May come after severe vomiting, diarrhea or a large loss of blood or fluids
Cold pain in the abdomen, loose stools and an upset stomach

Strongly tonifies Yuan Qi

Breathing weak and shallow, with shortness of breath
Tongue pale; pulse faint and minute, barely perceptible, as if about to expire

Modern uses

Shock
Cardiogenic shock
Hypovolemic shock
Septic shock
Severe hypotension
Prostration
Congestive heart failure
Acute heart failure
Myocardial infarction
Coronary heart disease
Cor pulmonale
Palpitations
Pulmonary failure
Apoplexy
Dizziness
Postpartum hemorrhage
Post-surgical bleeding
Uterine bleeding
Bleeding peptic ulcer
Hematemesis
Epistaxis
Common cold
Influenza
Pneumonia
Asthma
Dyspnea
HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS-related cough and asthma
Dysentery
Indigestion
Cholecystitis
Cholelithiasis
Urinary incontinence
Spontaneous perspiration
Rheumatic fever
Scleroderma
Lupus erythematosus

Modifications

Shock or heart failure: + long gu, + mu li, + bai shao, + zhi gan cao

Exhausted Yin with a large, forceless pulse: + shu di huang, + shan zhu yu, + wu wei zi, + mai men dong

Stroke (combined with Sheng Mai San)

Bleeding: + san qi

Stroke with spontaneous sweating (combined with Sheng Mai San): + long gu, + mu li, + huang qi

Nosebleed from collapse of Yin and Yang (combined with Sheng Mai San): + long gu

Palpitations: + long gu, + mu li

Severe sweating (add two or three of these): + long gu, + huang qi, + mu li, + wu wei zi, + shan zhu yu

Severe sweating, other option: + huang qi

Unceasing perspiration: + duan long gu, + duan mu li

Unceasing sweating, limbs badly chilled: + duan long gu, + duan mu li, + gan jiang

Severe unceasing sweating: + duan long gu, + duan mu li, + huang qi

Show all 18 modifications

Pneumonia: Yuan Qi deficient, Yin and Yang not communicating: + long gu, + duan mu li, + dan shen, + mai men dong, + wu wei zi, + hong hua, + chi shao, + gan cao, + gui zhi
Lupus, cold limbs, spontaneous sweating: + sheng di huang, + zhi gan cao, + mai men dong, + e jiao, + gui zhi, + sheng jiang, + da zao
Lupus, cold limbs, spontaneous sweating, fright palpitations: + sheng di huang, + zhi gan cao, + mai men dong, + e jiao, + gui zhi, + sheng jiang, + da zao, + long gu, + mu li
Lupus, cold limbs, spontaneous sweating, chest pain from Blood stagnation: + sheng di huang, + zhi gan cao, + mai men dong, + e jiao, + gui zhi, + sheng jiang, + da zao, + dan shen, + chi shao, + gan cao
HIV/AIDS cough and asthma, Yang deficient and near collapse: + long gu, + zhi gan cao
Qi and Yin collapsing together with the Yang: + wu wei zi

Cautions

caution For emergencies only: stop once the patient is conscious again, and do not take it long term

caution Ren Shen must not be replaced by any substitute

caution A rescue formula for qualified clinical or hospital use, never self-treatment; this kind of collapse is a medical emergency needing immediate emergency care

caution Fu Zi is toxic: only processed Fu Zi that has been prepared correctly may be used, never raw aconite, which poisons with numbness and heart arrhythmia

pregnancy Contraindicated in pregnancy

contraindication Yin deficiency with Heat, or true Heat with false Cold where the cold signs mislead

contraindication Excess patterns or closed (bi) disorders

Pinyin

shen fu tang

English Name

Ginseng and Prepared Aconite Decoction

shen fu tang

About shen fu tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Restores Yang and rescues from collapse

Strongly tonifies Yuan Qi

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification