Gui Zhi Tang - 桂枝湯 - Cinnamon Twig Decoction

English:	Cinnamon Twig Decoction
Also Known As:	Cinnamon Combination

Herbs And Actions

Pharmaceutical Latin	Pin Yin	Dosage	Actions
Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi	4-9g	Adjusts the Ying and Wei, Disperses Cold, Releases the exterior, Transforms Qi and releases the muscle layer, Unblocks Yang, Warms the channels and collaterals to relieve pain. With Bai Shao, harmonizes the Ying and Wei and warms and tonifies the Middle Jiao.
Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	4-9g	Astringes the Yin and adjusts the Ying and Wei.
Rz. Zingiberis Recens	Sheng Jiang	3-9g	Helps release the exterior, treats nausea and vomiting. strengthens the spreading and mobilizing actions of the other herbs and adjusts the Ying and Wei. With Zhi Gan Cao, harmonizes and regulates the Spleen and Stomach. With Da Zao, regulates disharmony between the Ying and Wei. and benefits the Middle Qi.
Fr. Zizyphi Jujube	Da Zao	3-12g	Helps Bai Shao regulate the Ying and Wei. With Gan Cao, tonifies and harmonizes the Middle Jiao.
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata	Zhi Gan Cao	2-6	Clears Heat and moderates, Harmonizes the harsh properties of the other herbs, Resolves Phlegm, Stops cough.

Formula Actions

• Releases Wind-Cold from the muscle layer
• Regulates and harmonizes the Ying and Wei

Syndromes

• Wind-Cold attacking the Exterior with deficiency of Ying and Wei
• Tai Yang Zhong Feng
• Exterior Wind-Cold of deficiency type (Secondary source)

Clinical Manifestations

Fever and chills unrelieved by sweating Headache Spontaneous perspiration Decreased body resistance Aversion to Wind Nasal congestion

No thirst Dry heaves Stiff neck T: Normal C: White and moist P: Floating and moderate or Floating and weak or slow Sneezing

Treats

Common cold Fever Upper respiratory tract infection Influenza Puerperal fever Allergic rhinitis Angioedema Cerebrovascular spasm Eczema Bronchial asthma Testicular pain Appendicitis Allergic purpura Enuresis in children Headache Cough Uterine fibroids Bronchitis Hemilateral sweating

Urticaria Morning sickness Frostbite Tinea Neuralgia Abdominal pain due to chills Eclampsia Neurasthenia Atrioventricular blockage Hernia Sciatica Itching Hyperactivity disorder Psoriasis Endometriosis Gastritis Pneumonia Spontaneous perspiration Unilateral pain

Contraindications And Herb/Drug Interactions

Notes

• Porridge should be consumed with this formula to strengthen the Interior.
• Also suitable for a similar presentation in those recovering from a serious illness or after childbirth.
• Gui Zhi and Sheng Jiang act on the Wei (defensive) level; Bai Shao and Da Zao act on the Ying (nutritive) level.
• Compared with Ma Huang Tang: Gui Zhi Tang treats exterior-deficiency Wind-Cold with sweating and a moderate pulse; Ma Huang Tang treats exterior-excess Wind-Cold without sweating and with a tight pulse.
• Modification: For abdominal fullness: increase Bai Shao (Gui Zhi Jia Shao Yao Tang)
• Modification: For chest fullness: remove Bai Shao (Gui Zhi Qu Shao Yao Tang)
• Modification: For painful obstruction: add Fu Zi (Gui Zhi Fu Zi Tang)

Modifications

For more fever that chills:		For shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and rough breathing:
+ Gypsum Fibrosum	Shi Gao	+ 9g Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis	Hou Po
+ Rz. Anemarrhenae	Zhi Mu	+ 9g Sm. Armeniacae	Xing Ren
For a swollen, heavy sensation in the head:		For Wind-Cold Damp Bi:
+ Flos Chrysanthemi	Ju Hua	+ Rz. Curcumae Longae	Jiang Huang
+ Periostracum Cicadae	Chan Tui	+ Hb. Asari	Xi Xin
For profuse sweating:		+ Rx. Clematidis	Wei Ling Xian
+ More Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	+ Hb. Asari	Xi Xin
+ 1/3 less Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi	For severe headache:
+ 1/3 less Glycyrrhizae	Zhi Gan Cao	- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ Rx. Astragali	Huang Qi	+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae	Fang Feng	+ Rz. and Rx. Ligustici	Gao Ben
For joint pain in the extremities accompanied by fatigue (Dampness):		For severe vomiting:
+ Rx. and Rz. Notopterygii	Qiang Huo	+ More Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae	Fang Feng	+ More Rz. Zingiberis Recens	Sheng Jiang
For imbalance or Deficiency of Yin and Yang with nocturnal emission, excessive dreams, coldness of the external genitalia and a Deficient pulse:		+ Per. Citri Reticulatae	Chen Pi
+ Fossilia Ossis Mastodi	Long Gu	+ Cx. Magnoliae	Hou Po
+ Concha Ostreae	Sheng Mu Li	For psoriasis due to Wind-Cold:
For aversion to Cold, and anhidrosis:		+ 3g Rx. et Rz. Notopterygii	Qiang Huo
+ Rx. Ephedrae	Ma Huang	+ I3g Rx. Saposhnikoviae	Fang Feng
+ Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen	- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
For neck and shoulder pain and severe body aches:		+ 12g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ 9g Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen	+ 12g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui
For headache:		+ 12g Cx. Dictamni	Bai Xian Pi
+ Rz. et Rx. Ligustici	Gao Ben	+ 6g Rx. Chuanxiong	Chuan Xiong
+ Rz. Chuanxiong	Chuan Xiong	+ 6g Hb. Ephedrae	Ma Huang
+ Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae	Bai Zhi	+ 6g Sm. Armeniacae	Xing Ren
For profuse white Phlegm:		For sneezing, runny nose and nasal obstruction:
- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae	Fang Feng
- Fr. Jujube	Da Zao	+ Flos Magnoliae	Xin Yi Hua
+ Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum	Zhi Ban Xia	Or
+ Per. Citri Reticulatae	Chen Pi	+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae	Fang Feng
For convalescing patients:		+ Flos Magnoliae	Xin Yi Hua
+ Minor Bupleurum Decoction Xiao Chai Hu Tang		+ Hb. Schizonepetae	Jing Jie
For incessant sweating:		For habitual Qi Deficiency:
+ 6g Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata	Zhi Fu Zi	+ 12g Rx. Codonopsis	Dang Shen
For habitual Yin Deficiency:		Or
+ 12g Rz. Polygoni Odorati	Yu Zhu	+ 6g Rx. Ginseng	Ren Shen
For bronchial asthma:		For atrioventricular block:
+ Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis	Hou Po	+ Rx. Notoginseng	San Qi
+ Rx. Astragali	Huang Qi
For atrioventricular block with palpitations:		For atrioventricular block with a feeling of chest oppression:
+ Rx. Notoginseng	San Qi
+ Rx. Astragali	Huang Qi	+ Rx. Notoginseng	San Qi
+ Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae	Suan Zao Ren	+ Rx. Astragali	Huang Qi
For testicular pain:		+ Rx. Curcumae	Yu Jin
+ Fr. Toosendan	Chuan Lian Zi	+ Per. Trichosanthis	Gua Lou Pi
+ Rz. Dryopteris	Guan Zhong	For severe testicular pain:
For testicular pain with redness, swelling and a burning sensation:		+ Fr. Toosendan	Chuan Lian Zi
+ Fr. Toosendan	Chuan Lian Zi	+ Rz. Dryopteris	Guan Zhong
+ More Rz. Dryopteris	Guan Zhong	+ Sm. Citri Reticulatae	Ju He
+ Rx. Gentianae	Long Dan Cao	+ Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
+ Caulis Akebiae	Mu Tong	For testicular pain due to trauma with Blood Stagnation:
+ Rz. Atractylodis	Cang Zhu	+ Fr. Toosendan	Chuan Lian Zi
For testicular pain with fatigue:		+ Rz. Dryopteris	Guan Zhong
+ Fr. Toosendan	Chuan Lian Zi	+ Sm. Persicae	Tao Ren
+ Rz. Dryopteris	Guan Zhong	+ Flos Carthami	Hong Hua
+ Rx. Codonopsis	Dang Shen	+ Rx. Aucklandiae	Mu Xiang
For sciatica:		For sciatica with Cold lower extremities:
+ Rz. Chuanxiong	Chuan Xiong	+ Rz. Chuanxiong	Chuan Xiong
+ Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua	+ Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua
For sciatica with Qi Deficiency:		+ Rz. Rz. Aconiti Lateralis Preparatum	Zhi Fu Zi
+ Rz. Chuanxiong	Chuan Xiong
+ Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua	+ Hb. Asari	Xi Xin
+ Rx. Astragali	Huang Qi	For sciatica withsevere lower back pain:
For sciatica with chronic pain or Blood Stagnation:		+ Rz. Chuanxiong	Chuan Xiong
+ Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua
+ Rz. Chuanxiong	Chuan Xiong	+ Cx. Eucommiae	Du Zhong
+ Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua	+ Rx. Clematidis	Wei Ling Xian
+ Caulis Spatholobi	Ji Xue Teng	For allergic purpura:
+ Pheretima	Di Long	+ Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae	Dan Shen
For itching:
+ Rx. Saposhnikoviae	Fang Feng	For frostbite:
+ Caulis Spatholobi	Ji Xue Teng	+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui	+ Grain-based alcohol
For frostbite with Excess Cold:		For frostbite with Qi Deficiency:
+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ Grain-based alcohol	+ Grain-based alcohol
+ Rx. Ephedrae	Ma Huang	+ Rx. Astragali	Huang Qi
+ Hb. Asari	Xi Xin	For frostbite with Excess Cold:
For frostbite with Yang Deficiency and aversion to Cold:		+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ Grain-based alcohol
+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	+ Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae	Dan Shen
+ Grain-based alcohol
+ Rz. Aconiti Lateralis Preparatum	Zhi Ban Xia	+ Flos Carthami	Hong Hua
+ Topical application of Lasiosphere/Calvatia Ma Bo Mixed with sesame oil
+ Hb. Asari	Xi Xin
+ More Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi
For enuresis:		For enuresis in children:
+ 15g Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae	Yi Zhi Ren	+ Shut the Sluice Pill Suo Quan Wan
+ 15g Sm. Cuscutae	Tu Si Zi	For with dysmenorrhea and fever:
+ 10g Rx. Linderae	Wu Yao	+ Minor Bupleurum Decoction Xiao Chai Hu Tang
+ 2pcs Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua
For coughing and/or panting:		For severe body aches:
+ 9g Ginger-fried Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis	Jiang Hou Po	+ 9g Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen
+ 6g Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata	Zhi Fu Zi
+ 9g Sm. Armeniacae	Xing Ren
For incessant sweating:		For hemilateral sweating with a weak constitution:
+ 6g Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata	Zhi Fu Zi
+ Engender the Pulse Powder Sheng Mai San
For unilateral pain:
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii	Qiang Huo	For unilateral pain with a headache:
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii	Qiang Huo
For unilateral pain with a stiff neck:
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii	Qiang Huo	+ 6g Rz. Chuanxiong `	Chuan Xiong
For severe unilateral pain with a Cold sensation:
+ 15g Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen	+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii	Qiang Huo
For unilateral pain with joint pain:
+ 10g Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii	Qiang Huo	+ 10g Rz. Zingiberis	Gan Jiang
+ 10g Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
+ 10g Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis	Du Huo
+ 20g Rz. Dioscoreae Nipponicae	Chuan Shan Long