Sedative prescriptions refer to those mainly composed of sedatives with the effect of tranquilizing mind for the treatment of mental disorders.
 
By mental disorders is meant mental derangement with chief clinical manifestations as palpitation, insomnia, dysphoria and mania, the basic pathology of which may either be disturbed mentality by pathogenic heat or failure of blood to nourish the heart. Therefore, these prescriptions are accordingly subdivided into prescriptions with heavy sedatives and those with tonic sedatives.
 
Prescriptions with heavy sedatives are chiefly made up of tranquilizers of great weight, which bear the properties of tranquilizing mind, suppressing yang and purging away fire. They are indicated for restlessness of mind with chief pathologic changes as yang hyperactivity of the heart and liver as well as mental disturbance due to heat and fire. Prescriptions with tonic sedatives possess the effect of tranquilizing mind and nourishing yin and blood. They are suitable for irritability as a result of failure of blood to nourish the heart and liver due to deficiency.
 
Minerals, metals or shells in prescriptions with heavy sedatives are apt to impair stomach-qi. Prolonged administration is therefore inadvisable. Patients with usual weakness of the spleen and stomach should use some drugs which can regulate the spleen and stomach. Though in this group of prescriptions, Zhusha (Cinnabaris) is very effective in tranquilizing mind, it should not be taken in large dosage or for a long time to prevent mercurialism because its chief ingredient is mercuric sulfide.