Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang - 芍藥甘草湯 - Peony And Licorice Combination

English:	Peony and Licorice Decoction
Also Known As:	Peony and Licorice Combination Decoction of Paeoniae and Glycyrrhizae

Herbs And Actions

Pharmaceutical Latin	Pin Yin	Dosage	Actions
Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	6-30g	Alleviates pain, Nourishes the Blood, Preserves Yin, Softens the Liver. With Bai Shao, Regulates the Liver and Spleen and nourishes the sinews. With Zhi Gan Cao for abdominal pain due to disharmony between the Liver and Stomach and muscle spasms, especially in the calf, due to Blood Deficiency.
Rx. Glycyrrhizae Preparata	Zhi Gan Cao	6-20g	Tonifies and augments the Qi of the Middle Jiao, especially that of the Spleen.

Formula Actions

• Softens the Liver
• Nourishes the Blood
• Nourishes Yin
• Moderates painful spasms
• Relieves pain
• Harmonizes the Middle Jiao
• Replenishes Body Fluids

Syndromes

• Pain in the calves with Blood Deficiency or injury to fluids
• Cramps in the hands and abdominal pain that improves with pressure
• Insufficiency of Yin and Yang
• Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen
• Blood deficiency with injury to the Fluids (Secondary source)

Clinical Manifestations

Abdominal pain Irritability Slight chills Spasms of the calf muscles Cramps in the hands Weak legs Hypertonicity of the extremities characterized by difficult flexion and extension Wheezing Coughing Hiccup Constipation

Vomiting Diarrhea Sciatic pain Severe and painful muscle spasms in the Stomach, bronchi, Gallbladder and uterus. Intestines Shoulder pain Pain in the head, body or limbs due to arterial spasms characterized by a severe pulling pain T: Normal or Reddish C: None or Yellowish P: Wiry and rapid or Thready and rapid T: Pale with no coat (Secondary source)

Treats

Intercostal neuralgia Sciatica Trigeminal neuralgia Post-herpetic neuralgia Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease Primary dysmenorrhea Muscular rheumatism Chronic pancreatitis Dysuria Bronchial asthma Spasmodic cough Hemorrhoid pain Bladder pain Fibromyalgia Cramping calf muscles Priapism Post stroke contractures Acute lumbar strain Biliary colic Gastric spasm Chronic gastritis Peptic ulcers Pertussis End-stage hepatic carcinoma Rheumatoid arthritis Cervical spine syndrome Disc disease Recalcitrant hiccups Bruxism Parkinson's disease Atrial fibrillation Enuresis Allergic purpura Bronchiectasis Infertility Impotence from increased prolactin levels Chronic hepatitis Acute mastitis Habitual constipation Coronary artery disease Intestinal cramps Systremma Perimenopause with uterine leiomyoma Hyperosteogeny Abdominal pain Purpura Cervical spondylosis Ulcerative colitis

Calf spasm Toothache Beriberi Palsy in legs Noctiphobia Lumbago Frozen shoulder Hernia pain Nephrolithiasis pain Cholelithiasis pain Muscle spasms in waist and back Intestinal cramps Pain and discomfort from spasms of the skeletal muscles, ligaments and related tissues Vaginismus Laryngeal spasm Periarthritis of the shoulder Spinal osteophytes Renal colic Intestinal adhesions Atrophic gastritis Colitis Chronic colitis Threatened miscarriage Heel pain Necrosis of the femoral head Neuralgia Diabetic neuropathy Restless leg syndrome Facial tics Essential tremors Night terrors Thrombocytopenic purpura Upper gastrointestinal bleeding Recurrent epistaxis Hypertestosteronemia Myasthenia gravis Diabetes Bacillary dysentery Anal fissures Convulsions Frozen shoulder Drug induced menopause Urolithiasis pain Weakness Indigestion

Contraindications And Herb/Drug Interactions

Notes

• Some say the dosage between Peony and Licorice should be two to one.
• Sour (Bai Shao) plus sweet (Gan Cao) combine to augment Yin and thereby relieve pain.

Modifications

For fixed pain that increases with pressure:		For a slow pulse and other signs of Cold:
- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	+ Rz. Zingiberis	Gan Jiang
+ Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	For a flooding pulse and other signs of heat:
To increase the effectiveness of the in treating spasms of the calf muscles:		+ Rz. Coptidis	Huang Lian
+ Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae	Niu Xi	For abdominal pain:
+ Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua	+ Rz. Cyperi	Xiang Fu
For Wind rash:		For spasms of the extremities and stiff neck and back associated with encephalitis, after the fever has broken:
+ Per. Cicadae	Chan Tui	+ Scorpio	Quan Xie
+ Fr. Jujube	Da Zao	+ Scolopendra	Wu Gong
+ Fr. Kochiae	Di Fu Zi	For spasms and cramps of the extremities:
For dysuria:		+ Hb. Asari	Xi Xin
+ Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae	Bai Zhu	+ Rz. Zingiberis	Gan Jiang
+ Poria	Fu Ling	For back pain:
For neck and shoulder pain:		+ Cx. Eucommiae	Du Zhong
+ Rx. Puerariae	Ge Gen	+ Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae	Niu Xi
Or		+ Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
+ Kudzu Decoction Ge Gen Tang		For severe pain:
For bone fractures:		+ Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
+ Olibanum	Ru Xiang	For dysmenorrhea:
+ Myrrh	Mo Yao	+ Rz. Cyperi	Xiang Fu
Or		+ Sudden Smile Powder Shi Xiao San
+ Purple and Gold Pill for Righteous Bones Zheng Gu Zi Jin Dan		For pain from Kidney stones:
For fibromyalgia due to Qi and Blood Stagnation:		+ Polyporus Decoction Zhu Ling Tang
+ Tonify Yang to Restore Five-Tenths Decoction Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang		+ Spora Lygodii	Hai Jin Sha
+ Hb. Lysimachiae	Jin Qian Cao
+ Drive Out Blood Stasis from a Painful Body Decoction Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang		+ Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli	Ji Nei Jin
For systremma:		For acute back pain:
+ Ram. Cinnamomi	Gui Zhi	+ 6g Rx. Notoginseng	San Qi
+ Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua	For chronic atrophic gastritis:
For chronic atrophic gastritis with epigastric burning and pain:		- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 24g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 24g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	For chronic atrophic gastritis with thirst:
- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ Rz. Coptidis	Huang Lian	+ 24g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi
For chronic atrophic gastritis with hypochondriac fullness and pain:		+ Rx. Trichosanthis	Tian Hua Fen
For chronic atrophic gastritis with distention and pain after meals:
- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 24g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 24g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ Rx. Scutellariae	Huang Qin
+ Rx. Bupleuri	Chai Hu	+ Pollen Typhae	Pu Huang
For chronic atrophic gastritis with insomnia and irritability:		+ Faeces Trogopterori	Wu Ling Zhi
For chronic atrophic gastritis with belching:
- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao	- Rx. Paeoniae Alba	Bai Shao
+ 24g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao	+ 24g Rx. Paeoniae Rubra	Chi Shao
+ Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae	Suan Zao Ren	+ Flos Inulae	Xuan Fu Hua
+ Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi	+ Haematitum	Dai Zhe Shi
For colitis:		For colitis with Cold-Damp:
+ Per. Zanthoxyli	Chuan Jiao	+ Per. Zanthoxyli	Chuan Jiao
+ Caulis Sargentodoxae	Hong Teng	+ Caulis Sargentodoxae	Hong Teng
For colitis with Damp-Heat:		+ Fr. Evodiae	Wu Zhu Yu
+ Per. Zanthoxyli	Chuan Jiao	+ Rz. Zingiberis Preparata	Pao Jiang
+ Caulis Sargentodoxae	Hong Teng
+ Rz. Coptidis	Huang Lian	For colitis with constipation:
+ Sm. Coicis	Yi Yi Ren	+ Per. Zanthoxyli	Chuan Jiao
For colitis with hematochezia:		+ Caulis Sargentodoxae	Hong Teng
+ Per. Zanthoxyli	Chuan Jiao	+ Rx. et Rz. Rhei	Da Huang
+ Caulis Sargentodoxae	Hong Teng	For constipation with Qi Deficiency:
+ Fr. Mume	Wu Mei	+ Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae	Bai Zhu
+ Flos Sophorae	Huai Hua Mi
For constipation with Cold:		For cholecystitis with alternating fever and chills:
+ Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata	Zhi Fu Zi
+ Rx. Bupleuri	Chai Hu
For cholecystitis with constipation:		+ Rx. Scutellariae	Huang Qin
+ Rx. et Rz. Rhei	Da Huang	+ Rx. Gentianae	Long Dan Cao
+ Rx. Rehmanniae	Sheng Di Huang	For cholecystitis with pain:
+ Rx. Scrophulariae	Xuan Shen	+ Fr. Toosendan	Chuan Lian Zi
For cholecystitis with a bitter taste in the mouth:		+ Rx. Curcumae	Yu Jin
+ Rx. Trichosanthis	Tian Hua Fen	+ Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo
+ Cx. Moutan	Mu Dan Pi	For cholecystitis with a poor appetite:
For cholecystitis with nausea and vomiting:		+ Fr. Hordei Germinatus	Mai Ya
+ Hb. Agastaches	Huo Xiang	+ Fr. Crataegi	Shan Zha
+ Caulis Bambusae in Taeniam	Zhu Ru	For cholecystitis with abdominal fullness:
+ Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis	Hou Po
+ Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum	Zhi Ban Xia
+ Fr. Aurantii	Zhi Ke
For cholecystitis with parasites:		For cholecystitis with jaundice:
+ Fr. Mume	Wu Mei	+Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae	Yin Chen
For urolithiasis:
+ Sm. Abutili/Malvae	Dong Kui Zi	+ Fr. Aurantii Immaturus	Zhi Ke
+ Talcum	Hua Shi	For hyperosteogeny:
+ Sm. Plantaginis	Che Qian Zi	+ Caulis Spatholobi	Ji Xue Tang
For dysmenorrhea:		+ Rx. Clematidis	Wei Ling Xian
+ Rz. Corydalis	Yan Hu Suo	For perimenopause syndrome with uterine leiomyoma:
+ Rz. Cyperi	Xiang Fu
Or		+ Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
+ Tangkuei and Peony Powder Dang Gui Shao Yao San
For cervical spondylosis with pain and contracture of the neck and arm muscles:
For impotence:
+ 12g Rx. Angelicae Sinensis	Dang Gui	+ 15g Fr. Chaenomelis	Mu Gua
+ 10g Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata	Shu Di Huang
+ 12g Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata	Shu Di Huang
+ 9g Rz. Polygonati	Huang Jing
+ 9g Fr. Corni	Shan Zhu Yu
+ 9g Fr. Schisandrae	Wu Wei Zi
+ 6g Fr. Lycii	Gou Qi Zi