Chinese: 酸枣仁汤
Pinyin: Suān Zǎo Rén Tāng
Other names: Sour Jujube Decoction
Chinese: 酸枣仁汤
Pinyin: Suān Zǎo Rén Tāng
Other names: Sour Jujube Decoction
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that nourish the Heart and calm the Mind
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: InsomniaMigraineDepression and ten other conditions
Contraindications: Use with caution in cases with loose stools.
Source date: 220 AD
Source book: Essentials from the Golden Cabinet
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Suan Zao Ren Tang is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Jujube Seeds (Suan Zao Ren) as a principal ingredient.
Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that nourish the Heart and calm the Mind. Its main actions are: 1) nourishes the Blood and 2) calms the Mind and eliminates irritability .
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Suan Zao Ren Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Liver Blood Deficiency, Heart Blood Deficiency or Empty-Heat or Fire caused by Yin Deficiency. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as insomnia, sleep walking or nervous exhaustion for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the five ingredients in Suan Zao Ren Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that Suan Zao Ren Tang helps treat.
Suan Zao Ren is a king ingredient in Suan Zao Ren Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
Suan Zao Ren is sweet, sour, and bland. It nourishes the Liver while calming the Mind. It also regulates the Qi, moistens the Liver to nourish the Yin, warms the Middle Burner to facilitate water metabolism, restrains the Qi to stop sweating, strengthens the resolve to settle angry outbursts, enhances the hearing and brightens the eyes.
Chuan Xiong is a deputy ingredient in Suan Zao Ren Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: GallbladderLiverPericardium
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Chuan Xiong is acrid, warming, and aromatic. It regulates the Liver Blood by
encouraging it to flow freely, calming the Mind by providing
them with their natural abode.
Fu Ling is an assistant ingredient in Suan Zao Ren Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
Part used: Dried sclerotium
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartKidneyLungSpleen
Category: Herbs that drain Dampness
Fu Ling is sweet and bland. It calms the Mind and tonifies the Spleen and Stomach, along with bitter, sweet, and cooling Zhi Mu.
Zhi Mu is an assistant ingredient in Suan Zao Ren Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Cold
Meridian affinity: KidneyLungStomach
Category: Herbs that clear Heat and purge Fire and/or clear Summer Heat
Zhi Mu is bitter, sweet, and cooling. It drains Heat to preserve the Yin and thus, by protecting the Stomach from Dryness, indirectly enriches the Body Fluids.
Gan Cao is an envoy ingredient in Suan Zao Ren Tang. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Gan Cao performs multiple roles simultaneously. Firstly, in conjunction with Fu Ling, it strengthens the Middle Burner and enhances Qi, ensuring a balanced distribution of Qi and Blood. Secondly, being sweet in nature, it mitigates Liver hypertonicity. When paired with an herb like Suan Zao Ren, it embodies the concept of blending 'sour and sweet flavors' to shift the formula's effect towards 'the generation or protection of Yin.' Lastly, it coordinates the effects of other herbs and brings harmony to the Middle Burner.
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Suan Zao Ren Tang is used by TCM practitioners to treat five different patterns which we describe below.
But before we delve into these patterns here is an overview of the Western conditions they're commonly associated with:
Insomnia Sleep walking Nervous exhaustion Paroxysmal tachycardia Hypertension General anxiety disorder Depression Schizophrenia Hepatolenticular degeneration Trigeminal neuralgia Migraine Angina pectoris Chronic hepatitis
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Suan Zao Ren Tang treats insomnia" for instance. Rather, Suan Zao Ren Tang is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind insomnia.
Now let's look at the five patterns commonly treated with Suan Zao Ren Tang.
The Liver is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Liver in Chinese Medicine
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Fine (Xi)
Tongue color: Pale
Symptoms: Insomnia Dry hair Dry skin Pale lips Dizziness Amenorrhea Depression Joint pain Blurred vision Scanty periods Muscle weakness Floaters in eyes Tingling of limbs Dull-pale complexion Numbness in the limbs Dream disturbed sleep Feeling of aimlessness Diminished night vision Withered and brittle nails
Suan Zao Ren Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Liver Blood Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as blurred vision, dull-pale complexion, scanty periods and numbness in the limbs. Patients with Liver Blood Deficiency typically exhibit choppy (Se) or fine (Xi) pulses as well as Pale tongue, especially on the sides with thin, dry and white coating.
This pattern has all the general manifestation of the Blood Deficiency, such as dizziness, pale lips, dull pale face. The Liver stores Blood, that is the reason any Blood Deficiency often involves the Liver.
This pattern has an impact on areas the Liver relates to, such as the eyes, the sinews,... read more about Liver Blood Deficiency
The Heart is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Heart in Chinese Medicine
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Fine (Xi)
Tongue color: Pale
Tongue shape: Thin
Symptoms: Anxiety Fatigue Insomnia Dizziness Pale face Pale lips Poor memory Tearfulness Palpitations Restlessness Easily scared Loss of libido Excessive dreams Feeling of guilt Dream disturbed sleep
Suan Zao Ren Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Heart Blood Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as easily scared, excessive dreams, palpitations and insomnia. Patients with Heart Blood Deficiency typically exhibit choppy (Se) or fine (Xi) pulses as well as Pale thin and slightly dry tongue .
This pattern is manifested by a pale face, pale lips and a pale tongue due to lack of Blood supply. Heart Blood Deficiency may eventually cause Heart Yin Deficiency because Blood is a Yin element. Dizziness is also a symptom because not sufficient Blood is able to nourish the Brain.
'Heat' as a body pattern in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Heat pattern in Chinese Medicine
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Empty (Xu), Floating (Fu)
Tongue coating: Complete absence of coating
Tongue color: Red
Symptoms: Thirst Anxiety Fatigue Insomnia Tinnitus Dry mouth Fidgeting Dizziness Chest heat Dry stools Malar flush Night sweats Mouth ulcers Restlnessness Dry throat at night Hot palms and soles Scanty dark urination Excessive sexual desire Thin body lacking strength Desire to drink in small sips Feeling of heat in the afternoon Insomnia with very restless sleep Coughing with blood-streaked sputum
Suan Zao Ren Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Empty-Heat or Fire caused by Yin Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as feeling of heat in the afternoon, dry mouth, desire to drink in small sips and dry throat at night. Patients with Empty-Heat or Fire caused by Yin Deficiency typically exhibit rapid (Shu), empty (Xu) or floating (Fu) pulses as well as Red tongue with no coating .
Yin Deficiency involves the excessive consumption of Body Fluids, Essence and Blood. The main cause is overwork, which usually develops very gradually and slowly over several years. The only exception to a rapid Yin Deficiency is when Pathological Heat consumes Body Fluids and Yin very fast.
If... read more about Empty-Heat or Fire caused by Yin Deficiency
The Liver is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Liver in Chinese Medicine
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Fine (Xi)
Symptoms: Cramps Anxiety Insomnia Dry hair Dry skin Dizziness Pale lips Amenorrhea Depression Poor memory Palpitations Blurred vision Scanty periods Muscle weakness Floaters in eyes Tingling of limbs Dull-pale complexion Dream disturbed sleep Numbness in the limbs Feeling of aimlessness Diminished night vision Propensity to be startled Withered and brittle nails
Suan Zao Ren Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Liver and Heart Blood Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, insomnia and dream disturbed sleep. Patients with Liver and Heart Blood Deficiency typically exhibit choppy (Se) or fine (Xi) pulses.
The Heart controls Blood circulation while the Liver stores Blood. Only when Heart Blood is plentiful does the Liver have Blood to store. And when Liver Blood is Deficient, Heart Blood is certain to be Deficient also.
As such signs of Heart Blood Deficiency almost always occur along Liver Blood... read more about Liver and Heart Blood Deficiency
The Liver is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Liver in Chinese Medicine
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Empty (Xu), Wiry (Xian), Floating (Fu)
Tongue coating: Complete absence of coating
Tongue color: Red points on the sides
Symptoms: Cramps Insomnia Dry eyes Dry hair Dry skin Dizziness Headaches Amenorrhea Depression Menopausal Malar flush Nervousness Night sweats Heavy periods Blurred vision Scanty periods Muscle weakness Afternoon fever Floaters in eyes Tingling of limbs 'Floaters' in eyes Hot palms and soles Dull-pale complexion Numbness in the limbs Dream disturbed sleep Feeling of aimlessness Diminished night vision Withered and brittle nails Thirst with desire to drink in small sips Dull-pale complexion without lustre but with red cheekbones
Suan Zao Ren Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Liver Yin Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as dizziness, numbness in the limbs, tingling of limbs and insomnia. Patients with Liver Yin Deficiency typically exhibit rapid (Shu), empty (Xu), wiry (Xian) or floating (Fu) pulses as well as Normal or red color on the sides with no coating or rootless coating .
This is a type of Empty-Heat pattern arising out of Liver Blood Deficiency or Kidney Yin Deficiency. It shares similar symptoms as Liver Blood Deficiency, such as blurred and impaired vision, numbness or tingling of limbs, scanty menstruation or amenorrhoea, dull-pale complexion, muscle pain and... read more about Liver Yin Deficiency
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