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Dang Gui Si Ni Tang: a good recipe for warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking meridians

Writer's picture: Hongji MedicalHongji Medical

Dang Gui Si ni Tang, also known as Chinese Angelica Frigid Extremities Decoction, comes from "Shang Han Lun" and is a warming agent.


Dang Gui Si ni Tang is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription with significant curative effects. It is mainly used to treat blood deficiency cold syndrome, and has the effects of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking blood vessels. Through the synergistic effect of multiple ingredients, it achieves multiple pharmacological effects such as improving blood circulation, relieving pain, and anti-inflammation. Modern research has further verified its potential application in the treatment of various diseases.


This article will introduce in detail the composition, efficacy, indications and application of Danggui Sini Decoction in modern medicine.


Formula composition


Dang Gui Si NI Tang : a good recipe for calming the liver and extinguishing wind, clearing away heat and activating blood circulation, and nourishing the liver and kidneys is composed of the following Chinese herbs:

  • Angelica root 3 liang (12g)

  • 3 liang of cinnamon twig, peeled (9g)

  • Peony 3 liang (9g)

  • 3g

  • 2 liang of licorice, roasted (6 g)

  • Tongcao 2 liang (6g)

  • 25 jujubes, broken (8 pieces)


Usage: Boil the above seven herbs with eight liters of water and take out three liters. Remove the residue and take one liter of the warm liquid three times a day (modern usage: decocted in water).


Angelica Sini Decoction
當歸四逆湯

effect

  1. Warming the meridians and dispelling cold : Danggui Sini Tang can warm the meridians and dispel the cold in the body. This has a significant effect on symptoms such as cold limbs and pain caused by the invasion of cold evil.

  2. Nourishing blood and dredge meridians : This prescription can nourish blood and promote blood circulation. It has a good effect on improving symptoms such as poor blood circulation and cold limbs caused by blood deficiency.




Indications

  1. Blood deficiency and cold syndrome : The main symptoms are cold hands and feet, weak pulse or even almost untouchable pulse. This symptom is usually caused by blood deficiency and invasion of cold pathogens.

  2. Other related diseases : In modern clinical applications, Danggui Sini Decoction is often used to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, periarthritis of the shoulder, frostbite, dysmenorrhea, diabetes, paralysis and many other diseases.


Pathogenesis Analysis

  1. Blood deficiency and cold stagnation : The main pathogenesis of Danggui Sini Decoction is blood deficiency and cold stagnation, that is, blood deficiency and cold evil stagnation. Blood deficiency will lead to insufficient blood supply to the extremities, and cold evil stagnation will further block the flow of blood, leading to symptoms such as cold limbs and pain.

  2. Yang Qi cannot reach the extremities: Due to insufficient blood and stagnation of cold pathogens, Yang Qi cannot reach the extremities, further aggravating the symptoms of cold limbs.


Modern Studies


Modern research has found that Dang Gui Si Ni Tang: a good recipe for calming the liver and extinguishing wind, clearing away heat and activating blood circulation, and nourishing the liver and kidneys has a variety of pharmacological activities, including anticoagulation and antithrombosis, improvement of peripheral and systemic blood circulation, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, anticonvulsant, and increased nerve conduction speed. These pharmacological activities provide a scientific basis for its wide clinical application.


Ingredients and mechanism of action


The main ingredients of Danggui Sini Tang include angelica root, cinnamon twig, peony root, scutellaria baicalensis, tongcao, liquorice and jujube. These ingredients work synergistically through multiple mechanisms to achieve the effects of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking blood circulation:


  • Angelica dahurica : nourishes blood and harmonizes blood.

  • Cinnamon twig : warms the meridians and dispels cold, warms and unclogs the blood vessels.

  • Peony : nourishes blood and nourishes blood, helps Angelica to replenish blood.

  • Xixin : warms the meridians and dispels cold, helps cinnamon twig warm and circulate blood.

  • Tongcao : Clears the meridians and promotes blood circulation.

  • Licorice and jujube : replenish qi, strengthen the spleen, nourish blood, and harmonize the properties of the medicine.


Clinical application


Dang Gui Si ni Tang is widely used in clinical practice to treat a variety of diseases, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy, periarthritis of the shoulder, frostbite, dysmenorrhea, diabetes, paralysis, etc. Its mechanism of action includes regulating intestinal flora and relieving metabolic disorders related to neuroinflammation.


Angelica Sini Decoction
當歸四逆湯

Key points of diagnosis

This prescription is a commonly used prescription for nourishing blood, warming meridians and dispersing cold. The clinical application is based on cold hands and feet, pale tongue with white fur, and thin and weak pulse as the key points of syndrome differentiation.


Fang Ge

Angelica sinensis, Sinipi, Peony Root, Cinnamon Twig, and Radix Licorice are used together with Akebia. They are most suitable for treating blood deficiency, coldness, and coldness in the four extremities. They can warm the meridians and unclog the blood vessels.

Formula composition explanation

  • Angelica dahurica : sweet and warm, nourishes and harmonizes blood.

  • Cinnamon twig : pungent and warm, warms the meridians and dispels cold, warms and unclogs the blood vessels.

  • Xixin : warms the meridians and dispels cold, helps cinnamon twig warm and circulate blood.

  • White Peony Root : nourishes blood and nourishes blood, helps Angelica Root to replenish blood and nourishment.

  • Tongcao : Clears the meridians and promotes blood circulation.

  • Jujube and Licorice : Tonify Qi, strengthen the spleen and nourish blood. Jujube is used heavily. It not only combines with Radix Angelicae Pubescentis and Radix Paeoniae Alba to replenish blood, but also prevents the cinnamon twig and Radix Angelicae Pubescentis from being too dry and strong, which may damage the yin and blood. Licorice also regulates the properties of the medicine and serves as a guiding drug.


The whole prescription has the effects of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking meridians. The characteristics of this prescription are that it warms the yang and dispels cold, nourishes blood and unblocks meridians, warms without being dry, and replenishes without being stagnant.




Addition and subtraction

  • Pain in waist, thigh, leg and foot is caused by blood deficiency, cold stagnation and obstructed blood circulation . You may add Achyranthes bidentata, Millettia reticulata and papaya to activate blood circulation and unclog blood circulation.

  • For those with long-term internal cold and vomiting due to drinking water : add Cornus officinalis and ginger to warm the stomach, dispel cold and stop vomiting.

  • For abdominal pain during menstruation caused by blood deficiency and cold stagnation, or cold hernia in men : add Wuyao, fennel, ginger, and Cyperus rotundus to regulate qi, dispel cold and relieve pain.


Dang Gui Si ni Tangplus Wuzhuyu and Shengjiang Tang is a classic prescription in Shanghan Lun, which is mainly used to warm the body, promote blood circulation and relieve pain. This prescription is particularly suitable for those with cold constitution and insufficient blood, who often feel cold hands and feet, numbness, pain, or even cold pain all over the body. In this case, the pulse will become very weak and almost untraceable, and may also be accompanied by symptoms such as headache, nausea, spitting, stomachache, etc.


This recipe is based on Dang Gui Si ni Tang, with the addition of Fructus Corni and ginger. Danggui Sini Tang itself has the effect of nourishing blood, activating blood circulation and warming the meridians, while Fructus Corni and ginger further enhance the effect of dispelling cold and relieving pain. In modern medicine, this recipe is used to treat a variety of diseases, such as thromboangiitis, Raynaud's disease, chronic urticaria, frostbite, etc. It can also be used to relieve symptoms of digestive tract diseases, headaches, ulcers, rheumatic arthritis, dysmenorrhea, etc.


Angelica Sini Decoction
當歸四逆湯加減

Diet therapy combined with adjunctive therapy


While using Dang Gui Si ni Tang, patients can use food therapy as an auxiliary treatment. Here are some suggestions:

  • Ginger and jujube tea : Boil ginger and jujube in water, which has the effect of warming the middle and dispelling cold, and replenishing blood.

  • Angelica, ginger and mutton soup : Angelica, ginger and mutton soup has the effect of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking blood circulation.

  • Red dates and longan soup : Red dates and longans boiled into soup has the effect of nourishing blood, warming the middle and dispersing cold.

These dietary therapy methods can help patients better absorb the therapeutic effects of drugs and achieve better treatment results.


Modern Studies


Modern pharmacological experiments and clinical studies have shown that Danggui Sini Decoction has the effects of regulating blood circulation, improving peripheral circulatory disorders, and has a variety of effects such as sedation, analgesia, promoting digestive function, relieving gastrointestinal spasm, regulating uterine function, and relieving uterine cramps.


Research by Japanese scholar Yoshio Nishizawa shows that Angelica Sini Chinese Herb plus Fructus Corni and Ginger Soup can activate catecholamine metabolites, increase deep body temperature through the increase of adrenaline and norepinephrine, and dilate terminal blood vessels, thus improving the coldness of the limbs.


Angelica Sini Decoction
當歸四逆湯適用症狀

These diseases are all caused by blood deficiency and cold stagnation. Danggui Sini Decoction can effectively relieve these symptoms by warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking blood vessels.


1. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Danggui Sini Tang is commonly used in modern clinical practice to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Studies have shown that Danggui Sini Tang can alleviate the symptoms of DPN by regulating intestinal flora and relieving metabolic disorders associated with neuroinflammation.


2. Dysmenorrhea

Danggui Sini Tang is also used to treat primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Studies have found that Danggui Sini Tang can relieve dysmenorrhea symptoms by regulating the balance of progesterone receptors in the body. In addition, Danggui Sini Tang can also improve the body's qi and blood deficiency and cold stagnation in the meridians, thereby reducing the recurrence rate of dysmenorrhea.


3. Shoulder periarthritis

Periarthritis of the shoulder (frozen shoulder) is a common orthopedic disease, and Danggui Sini Tang is also effective in treating frozen shoulder. Studies have shown that Danggui Sini Tang can improve the range of motion of the shoulder joint, reduce pain, and thus improve the patient's quality of life.


Angelica Sini Decoction
當歸四逆湯

4. Frost sores

Danggui Sini Tang is often used to treat frostbite. Frozen sores are caused by poor local blood circulation due to cold stimulation. Danggui Sini Tang’s effects of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking blood vessels can effectively improve the symptoms of frostbite.


5. Rheumatoid arthritis

Danggui Sini Tang is also used to treat rheumatic arthritis. Rheumatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Danggui Sini Tang's anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and blood circulation-improving effects can effectively relieve the symptoms of rheumatic arthritis.


6. Thrombo-occlusive angitis

Danggui Sini Tang also has significant effects in treating thromboangiitis obliterans. Thromboangiitis obliterans is a vascular inflammatory disease. Danggui Sini Tang's anticoagulant and antithrombotic effects, as well as its ability to improve blood circulation, can effectively alleviate the symptoms of the disease.


7. Arrhythmia and Raynaud's disease

Danggui Sini Tang is also used to treat apulsia and Raynaud's disease. Apulsia is the absence of pulse due to blood vessel obstruction, and Raynaud's disease is coldness and discoloration of the extremities due to vasospasm. Danggui Sini Tang's effects of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking meridians can effectively improve the symptoms of these diseases.


8. Polio

Danggui Sini Tang is also used in the treatment of polio. Polio is caused by viral infection that leads to damage to the nervous system. Danggui Sini Tang can effectively relieve the symptoms of polio by nourishing blood and improving blood circulation.


9. Other Applications

Danggui Sini Tang is also used to treat many other diseases, including dermatology, gynecology, and nervous system diseases. For example, Danggui Sini Tang can improve blood circulation in the skin, thereby treating certain skin diseases; in gynecology, Danggui Sini Tang can regulate menstruation and treat symptoms such as irregular menstruation.


Conclusion


Dang Gui Si ni Tanghas a wide range of applications in modern medicine, mainly for the treatment of blood deficiency cold syndrome and related diseases. Its multiple pharmacological activities, such as anticoagulation and antithrombosis, improvement of blood circulation, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, make it show significant effects in the treatment of various diseases. Modern research has further verified the application potential of Danggui Sini Tang in the treatment of various diseases and provided a scientific basis for its wide clinical application.


As a classic Chinese medicine prescription, Dang Gui Si ni Tang has the remarkable effects of warming the meridians and dispelling cold, nourishing blood and unblocking blood circulation. It is suitable for the treatment of various blood deficiency and cold stagnation syndromes. In modern medicine, Danggui Sini Tang is widely used in the treatment of various diseases, showing its wide application prospects and efficacy. When using this prescription, patients can cooperate with appropriate dietary therapy methods to achieve better therapeutic effects.


References

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