Effect

Purging pathogenic heat and nourishing Yin to tranquilize the mind.

Indications

Syndrome due to exuberance of the heart-fire and insufficiency of Yin-blood, marked by vexation, Insomnia, dreaminess, palpitation or even severe palpitation, burning sensation in the chest, reddened tongue, and thready rapid pulse; including such diseases with the above symptoms as neurosism, Myocarditis, and mental depression.

Ingredients

Cinnabaris (Zhusha) 15 g, 

Rhizoma Coptidis (Huanglian) 18 g, 

Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata) 16 g, 

Radix Rehmanniae (Shengdihuang) 8 g, 

Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Danggui) 8 g.

Explanation

Zhu Sha: One of the principal drugs, being sweet in taste and cold and heavy in nature, tranquilizing the mind.

Huang Lian: The other principal drug, being bitter in taste and cold in nature, clearing away heat to relieve vexation.

Dang Gui: Nourishing blood.

Sheng Di: Replenishing Yin.

Gan Cao: Tempering the actions of all the ingredients.

Administration

The ingredients are ground into fine powder and made into pills. 6-9 g of the pills is taken with boiled water before sleep in the night. This prescription may also be used in the form of decoction. In so doing, the doses of the drugs should be re-adjusted according to the proportions of the drugs in the original prescription. Zhu Sha is refined with water and taken with the decoction. Since Zhu Sha has toxicity, this prescription should not be used regularly, and Zhu Sha should be used in smaller dose.