Xiao Jian Zhong Tang, Minor Construct the Middle Decoction, is the Gui Zhi Tang base with Yi Tang, malt sugar, added and the peony increased. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that warm the Middle and dispel Cold.

Herb

Amount

18 g

9 g

18 g

6 g

9 g

12 g

Actions and indications

Warms and tonifies the Middle Jiao

Deficiency Cold of the Spleen and Stomach (Middle Yang)
Cramping pain of the epigastrium or abdomen that comes and goes, eased by warmth, pressure and often by eating
Poor appetite, lusterless complexion, tired, cold and aching limbs, and general unease

Replenishes Qi, harmonizes Yin and Yang and relieves spasmodic pain

Consumptive illness from deficiency of both Yin and Yang, or after high fever
Palpitations, restlessness and irritability, insomnia, possibly low-grade fever, dry mouth and throat
Heat in the palms, soles and chest, night sweats, nosebleeds and seminal emission
Blood too deficient to nourish the Heart
Frequent or scanty urination, long-standing constipation, purpura and asthma
Tongue pale with a thin white coat; pulse thin and wiry, or thin and weak

Strengthens the constitution in children

Weak, sickly children with bedwetting, night crying, diarrhea, habitual headache or hernia pain

Modern uses

Chronic gastritis
Gastric and duodenal ulcers
Gastric and intestinal spasm
Gastroenteritis
Enteritis
Gastrectasis
Gastroptosis
Indigestion
Inflammatory bowel disease
Irritable bowel syndrome
Dysentery
Diarrhea
Chronic and habitual constipation
Rectal prolapse
Abdominal pain and abdominal cold
Nausea and vomiting
Anorexia
Chronic hepatitis
Hepatitis B
Cirrhosis of the liver
Jaundice
Hemolytic jaundice
Cholelithiasis
Cholecystitis
Pernicious anemia
Aplastic anemia
Leukemia
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Hypoglycemia
Hypothyroidism
Hypotension
Raynaud's disease
Chemotherapy for breast cancer
Neurasthenia
Autonomic dystonia
Depression
Insomnia
Palpitations and cardiac neurosis
Migraine and headache
Fatigue and weakness
Chronic nephritis
Edema
Frequent urination
Oliguria
Benign prostatic hypertrophy
Nocturnal emission
Night sweats
Low-grade fever
Fever of unknown origin
Postpartum fever
Postpartum pain
Endometriosis
Infertility
Vaginal discharge
Enuresis in children
Constant crying in children
Malnutrition with low fever in children
Chronic illness and debility in children
Asthma
Tonsillitis
Nosebleeds
Dry skin

Symptoms

Abdominal pain

Abdominal spasms

Arm pain

Cold limbs

Constipation

Diarrhea

Dry mouth

Dry throat

Easy bruising

Enuresis

Epigastric pain

Epistaxis

Fatigue

Five-center heat

Frequent urination

Headache

Hernia

Insomnia

Irritability

Leg pain

Low-grade fever

Lusterless complexion

Night crying

Night sweats

Pain relieved by pressure

Palpitations

Poor appetite

Preference for pressure

Preference for warmth

Restlessness

Scanty urination

Shortness of breath

Spermatorrhea

Weak limbs

Weakness

Wheezing

Modifications

More severe Cold: + rou gui, − gui zhi

Relapse after eating raw or cold food: + gui zhi, + wu yao

Concurrent Qi stagnation: + mu xiang, + ji nei jin

Roundworms: + yi tang, + bai shao, + wu mei

Diarrhea: + bai zhu

Formula causing fullness or nausea: + chen pi, + sha ren

Fatigue from Qi deficiency: + huang qi, + ren shen

Fatigue from Blood deficiency: + dang gui, + chuan xiong

Sallow face and tiredness: + huang qi, + ren shen, + dang gui, − yi tang

Irritability from weak Lungs: + mai men dong, + wu wei zi

Long-term weakness in women (combined with Si Wu Tang)

Long-term weakness in men (combined with Si Jun Zi Tang)

Show all 46 modifications

Weakness after childbirth with cramping abdominal pain, or marked Blood deficiency: + dang gui
Breathlessness and spontaneous sweating, or marked Qi deficiency: + huang qi
Frequent colds with spontaneous sweating and low fever: + zhì huáng qí
Weakness and generalized abdominal pain after childbirth: + dang gui, + sheng jiang
Abdominal Cold: + gan jiang
Severe abdominal Cold pain: + gao liang jiang, + zhi fu zi
Cold abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting and sour regurgitation: + wu zhu yu
Damp building up from Spleen Yang deficiency: heaviness, bloated Stomach and abdomen, poor appetite, tiredness, glossy white coat (use Hou Po Wen Zhong Tang in place of this formula)
Severe Qi deficiency: + dang shen, + huang qi
Abdominal pain, Blood deficiency: + dang gui
Middle Jiao Yang too weak to move Qi, with bloating, rumbling and wind (use Chen Xiang Tang in place of this formula)
Abdominal pain with clear Qi deficiency: + huang qi
Gastrointestinal disorders: + gan jiang, + dang shen, + bai zhu, + fo shou, − sheng jiang
Gastritis with reflux: + wu zhu yu, + hai piao xiao, + mu li, − yi tang
Gastritis with night pain and a purplish, spotted tongue: + yan hu suo, + chi shao, + dan shen
Gastritis with H. pylori: + da huang, + pu huang
Gastritis, Qi-deficient and generally weak: + bai zhu, + huang qi, + fu ling
Gastritis with peptic ulcer: + gua lou, + wu zhu yu, + xie bai
Gastritis and ulcer with marked reflux: + gua lou, + wu zhu yu, + xie bai, + huang lian, + mu li, − yi tang, − da zao
Gastritis plus nausea and vomiting: + gua lou, + wu zhu yu, + xie bai, + zhi ban xia
Gastritis, frequent belching: + gua lou, + wu zhu yu, + xie bai, + zhi ban xia, + xuan fu hua, + dai zhe shi
Gastritis with bloated chest and abdomen: + gua lou, + wu zhu yu, + xie bai, + hou po, + zhi ke, − da zao
Gastritis, palpitations: + gua lou, + wu zhu yu, + xie bai, + fu ling
Gastritis, loose stools: + gua lou, + wu zhu yu, + xie bai, + bai zhu
Habitual constipation: − sheng jiang
Hepatitis B: + sha ren, + ji nei jin, + shan zha tan, + shen qu tan, + mai ya tan
Hepatitis B, Damp-Heat type: + sha ren, + ji nei jin, + shan zha tan, + shen qu tan, + mai ya tan, + yin chen, + cang zhu, + pu gong ying, + chui pen cao
Hepatitis B, Qi-deficient type: + sha ren, + ji nei jin, + shan zha tan, + shen qu tan, + mai ya tan, + dang shen, + shan yao, + bai zhu, + huang qi
Hepatitis B, Yin-deficient type: + sha ren, + ji nei jin, + shan zha tan, + shen qu tan, + mai ya tan, + bei sha shen, + mai men dong, + gou qi zi, + yin yang huo
Jaundice with deficient Spleen Qi and Blood: + yin chen hao, + dang shen, + chai hu
Jaundice with weak Spleen Qi and Blood, Qi very deficient: + yin chen hao, + dang shen, + chai hu, + huang qi
Jaundice with weak Spleen Qi and Blood, Blood very deficient: + yin chen hao, + dang shen, + chai hu, + dang gui
Jaundice with weak Spleen Qi and Blood, plus abdominal bloating: + yin chen hao, + dang shen, + chai hu, + hou po, + chen pi, + fu ling
Jaundice with weak Spleen Qi and Blood, plus gathered Damp: + yin chen hao, + dang shen, + chai hu, + bai zhu, − yi tang

Cautions

contraindication Heat from Yin deficiency, other Heat or Damp-Heat patterns, and abdominal pain of an excess type

caution Leave out the sweet flavor when there is vomiting or roundworms; the rich sweetness can also worsen fullness from Damp

caution Modify the formula when there is abdominal distention

caution The large amount of malt sugar (Yi Tang) calls for care in diabetes

Pinyin

xiao jian zhong tang

English Name

Minon Construct and Middle Decoction

xiao jian zhong tang

About xiao jian zhong tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Warms and tonifies the Middle Jiao

Replenishes Qi, harmonizes Yin and Yang and relieves spasmodic pain

Strengthens the constitution in children

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification

Support