zhi zi dou chi tang

Gardenia and prepared soybean decoction

About zhi zi dou chi tang

Zhi Zi Dou Chi Tang, Gardenia and Prepared Soybean Decoction, pairs Zhi Zi with Dan Dou Chi. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that clear Heat from the Qi level, and records it as clearing Heat lingering in the chest and diaphragm and settling restlessness.

Ingredients

Herb	Amount
zhi zi	9 g
dan dou chi	9 g

Actions and indications

Clears lingering Heat from the chest and diaphragm

Heat left behind in chest and diaphragm when a Cold Damage fever has not fully cleared despite sweating, purging or emesis
The Heat is formless (unbound to food, Phlegm or Blood), so no fixed or painful mass forms
Stifling, oppressed feeling in the chest
Soft, non-tender epigastrium, hunger with no wish to eat, sometimes a mild remaining fever
Thin, faintly yellow coat; rapid pulse, which may also be floating, or strong in the cun position

Eliminates irritability and restlessness

Vague inner anguish and agitation that is hard to describe
Poor sleep, turning over and over in bed

Modern uses

Insomnia
Anxiety
Low mood
Lingering low-grade fever
Inflammatory conditions of the chest and throat with irritability

Symptoms

Chest oppression
Fatigue
Hunger with no desire to eat
Insomnia
Irritability
Low-grade fever
Nausea
Restless sleep
Restlessness
Retching
Shortness of breath

Modifications

Retching or nausea: + sheng jiang
Qi deficiency with fatigue and breathlessness: + zhi gan cao
Epigastric and abdominal fullness outweighing chest oppression: + hou po, + zhi shi, − dan dou chi
Remaining Heat with food stagnation while recovering from a fever: + zhi shi

Cautions

contraindication Unsuitable where the pattern is genuinely Cold
caution Zhi Zi is bitter and cold and can worsen Spleen deficiency; take care, or avoid, with chronic loose stools or long-standing weak digestion
caution Use briefly for the acute picture; it is no tonic for prolonged taking
caution If vomiting follows a dose, give no more

Preparation

Decoction with Zhi Zi simmered first and Dan Dou Chi added near the end; strained and taken warm in two portions

Names

Pinyin	zhi zi dou chi tang
English Name	Gardenia and prepared soybean decoction

Classification

Category: Clear Heat from Qi Level