Chinese: 至宝丹
Pinyin: Zhì Bǎo Dān
Other names: Greatest Treasure Special Pill
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that clear Heat and open sensory orifices
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: Heat strokeHepatic comaToxic dysentery and four other conditions
- Clears Heat
- Opens the sensory orifices
- Resolves toxicity
- Transforms Phlegm
Contraindications: Contraindicated during pregnancy. This formula contains many drying, aromatic... Contraindicated during pregnancy. This formula contains many drying, aromatic ingredients that have a tendency to consume the Yin and Body Fluids. It should therefore not be used for patients with significant Yin Deficiency. see more
Source date: 1075
Source book: Fine Formulas by Su and Shen
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.
Zhi Bao Dan is a 9-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Water Buffalo Horns (Shui Niu Jiao) and Musk (She Xiang) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1075, it belongs to the category of formulas that clear Heat and open sensory orifices. Its main actions are: 1) clears Heat and 2) opens the sensory orifices.
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 Zhi Bao Dan is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Heat in Pericardium or Phlegm Fire harassing the Pericardium. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as acute encephalitis, acute meningitis or cerebrovascular accident for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the nine ingredients in Zhi Bao Dan, we review the patterns and conditions that Zhi Bao Dan helps treat.
The nine ingredients in Zhi Bao Dan
Shui Niu Jiao is a king ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Water Buffalo Horns (Shui Niu Jiao)
Part used: The horn, as a powder or as thin scrapes
Nature: Cold
Meridian affinity: StomachHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that cool the Blood
Shui Niu Jiao clears Heat from the Nutritive Level and cools the Blood. Its cool, aromatic properties make it useful for treating
Heat that affects the Pericardium Stagnation. Musk and Water buffalo horn works well together to clear Heat and open the sensory orifices.
She Xiang is a king ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Musk (She Xiang)
Part used: Musk gland of the deer
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that open the Orifices
She Xiang is highly aromatic and scurries everywhere. It penetrates all the Channels and it good for unblocking all the orifices of the body. Musk and Water buffalo horn works well together to clear Heat and open the sensory orifices.
Niu Huang is a deputy ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Ox Gallstones (Niu Huang)
Part used: Gallstones (hardened deposits of bile that form in the ox's gallbladder)
Nature: Cold
Category: Herbs that cool the Blood
Niu Huang assists Bubali Water buffalo horn by entering the Heart and Liver Channels to sedate the Heart, calm the Mind, clear heat, resolve toxicity, extinguish Wind, and settle spasms and convulsions. It also clears Phlegm and opening the sensory orifices. Traditional this formula also includes Hawksbill Turtle Shell (Dai Mao), which serves the same purpose as Ox Gallstone. However, this ingredient is no longer available due to the restriction in hunting Hawksbill Turtle. Therefore, the dosage of Ox Gallstone should be increased to replace Hawksbill Turtle Shell.
Bing Pian is a deputy ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Borneol (Bing Pian)
Part used: Organic compound obtained from plant extracts
Nature: Cool
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartLung
Category: Herbs that open the Orifices
In general Bing Pian's main actions are as follows: "Opens the Orifices and awakens the spirit. Clears Heat and relieves pain."
In the context of Zhi Bao Dan, it is used because it is also highly aromatic. It opens the sensory orifices and clears away filth.
An Xi Xiang is a deputy ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
5. Benzoin (An Xi Xiang)
Part used: The dried resin
Nature: Neutral
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that open the Orifices
An Xi Xiang is highly aromatic. It penetrates the sensory orifices, clears away filth, and transforms turbidity.
Zhu Sha is an assistant ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
6. Cinnabar (Zhu Sha)
Part used: The mineral itself
Nature: Cool
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: Heart
Category: Herbs that anchor and calm the Spirit
Zhu Sha sedates the Heart and calm the Mind, resolving the irritability and impairment of speech and consciousness.
Hu Po is an assistant ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
7. Amber (Hu Po)
Part used: Fossilized tree resin
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: BladderHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that anchor and calm the Spirit
Hu Po sedates the Heart and calm the Mind, resolving the irritability and impairment of speech and consciousness.
Xiong Huang is an assistant ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
8. Realgar (Xiong Huang)
Part used: The mineral
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: StomachHeartLiver
Category: Herbs for external application
Xiong Huang eliminates Phlegm and resolves toxicity. It assists Ox Gallstone in breaking up Phlegm and opening the orifices.
Jin Bo is an assistant ingredient in Zhi Bao Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
9. Gold Leaves (Jin Bo)
Jin Bo sedates the Heart and calm the Mind, resolving the irritability and impairment of speech and consciousness. The original formula also includes Silver leaves which serves the same role as Gold leaves here.
Conditions and patterns for which Zhi Bao Dan may be prescribed
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 Zhi Bao Dan is used by TCM practitioners to treat two 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:
Acute encephalitis Acute meningitis Cerebrovascular accident Seizure disorder Hepatic coma Toxic dysentery Heat stroke
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Zhi Bao Dan treats acute encephalitis" for instance. Rather, Zhi Bao Dan is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind acute encephalitis.
Now let's look at the two patterns commonly treated with Zhi Bao Dan.
The Pericardium is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Pericardium in Chinese Medicine
Heat in Pericardium
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Fine (Xi)
Symptoms: Coma Aphasia Macules Delirium Hot body Convulsions Fever at night Mental confusion Incoherent speech Cold hands and feet
Zhi Bao Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Heat in Pericardium. This pattern leads to symptoms such as fever at night, delirium, mental confusion and incoherent speech. Patients with Heat in Pericardium typically exhibit rapid (Shu) or fine (Xi) pulses.
According to the Four Levels theory, pathogenic Heat can penetrate four levels of depth in the human body: Wei (卫，the defensive Qi level), Qi (气）, Ying (营，Nutritive Qi) and the deepest level Blood. The deeper Heat penetrates within the levels, the more severe the condition.
As for the pattern of... read more about Heat in Pericardium
The Pericardium is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Pericardium in Chinese Medicine
Phlegm Fire harassing the Pericardium
Pulse type(s): Overflowing (Hong), Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian), Full (Shi)
Symptoms: Coma Mucus Thirst Anxiety Aphasia Red face Insomnia Shouting Dull face Chest pain Palpitations Rapid breath Restlnessness Rash behaviour Mental confusion Incoherent speech Mental depression Violent behaviour Muttering to oneself Dream disturbed sleep Bitter taste in the mouth Rattling sound in the throat Uncontrolled laughing or crying Feeling of oppression of the chest
Zhi Bao Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Phlegm Fire harassing the Pericardium. This pattern leads to symptoms such as palpitations, red face, bitter taste in the mouth and rattling sound in the throat. Patients with Phlegm Fire harassing the Pericardium typically exhibit overflowing (Hong), rapid (Shu), slippery (Hua), wiry (Xian) or full (Shi) pulses.
The Pericardium is the guard and the first defense line of the Heart. Therefore when the Heart was invaded by Phlegm and Fire, the Pericardium suffers as well. Actually the related mental symptoms of these two Organs by Phlegm and Fire are quick similar with just different severe levels.
Fire... read more about Phlegm Fire harassing the Pericardium
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