Source: Jingui Yaolue (Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet).

Ingredients:
No.1 Suanzaoren (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae) (baked after broken) 15 - 18 g;
No.2 Fuling (Poria) 6 g;
No.3 Zhimu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae) 6 g;
No.4 Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong) 6 g;
No.5 Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae) 3 g.

Administration:
Decoct the above drugs in water for oral application.

Actions:
Nourishing the blood and tranquilizing mind, clearing away heat and relieving restlessness.

Clinical Application:
This recipe is indicated for syndrome of restlessness and insomnia due to deficiency, marked by insomnia, palpitation, vexation, vertigo, dry throat and mouth, reddened tongue, taut and thready pulse. It is applicable to neurosis, cardiac neurosis and menopausal syndrome with the above symptoms. The second ingredient is now often replaced with Fushen (Sclerotium Poriae Circum Radicem Pini). In case of excessive fire of deficiency type manifested as dysphoria with smothery sensation, insomnia and dreaminess, subtract ingredient No. 4 and add Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae), Baishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) and Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis) instead to nourish yin and clear away heat for relieving dysphoria.
In case of severe night sweat, add Muli (Concha Ostreae) and Fuxiaomai (Fructus Tritici Levis) to arrest sweating and restore peaceful mind. In case of frequent waking-up with a start, palpitation and dreaminess, pale tongue, taut and thready pulse, which are indicative of qi deficiency of the heart and gall bladder, add Dangshen (Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae) and Longchi (Dens Draconis) to supplement qi and relieve fright.

Elucidation:
The syndrome is caused by deficiency of liver-blood, disturbance of deficiency-heat in the interior and mental irritability. It should be treated by nourishing blood and clearing away heat to restore peaceful mind and relieve dysphoria. With a larger dosage, the first ingredient acts as monarch drug with the action of nourishing blood and reinforcing the liver to tranquilize mind. Used as minister drugs, Ingredient No. 2 bears the effect of easing mind and No. 3 nourishing yin and clearing away heat, the combination of which promotes the function of the monarch drug in relieving dysphoria and tranquilizing mind.

Ingredient No. 4 can regulate qi function and release the stagnated liver-qi. No. 1 and No. 4 are opposite and supplementary to each other, one being sour with astringent action and the other pungent with diaphoretic effect. Both play the role of adjuvant drugs, nourishing liver blood to invigorate the liver and dispersing stagnanted liver-qi to activate the liver. The last ingredient serves as guiding drug, which can clear away heat, regulate the middle-energizer and mediate the efficacy of other drugs.

Cautions: This recipe should not be used for excessive liver-fire manifesting dysphoria, insomnia, headache, flushed face, bitter mouth and dry throat, taut rapid and forceful pulse.