Dang gui si ni tang
dang gui 9 gui zhi 9 bai shao 9 da zao 15 zhi gan cao 6 xi xin 9 tong cao 6
Line 351 When there is reversal cold of the limbs and the pulse is fine and verging on expiry, dang gui si ni tang governs.
This formula is based on gui zhi tang. The sheng jiang has been removed and xi xin has been added. The reason is due to the lack of internal yang qi.
The fine and verging on expiry pulse indicates a shao yin and jue yin level pattern. Fire fails to warm the interior and transform qi, but there is also a lack of yin to transform.
Dang gui, gui zhi, xi xin, warm and move the yang qi.
Bai shao, da zao, and zhi gan cao nourish yin and blood.
Tong cao is a jue yin herb that moves blood and drains heat that can build up in the pericardium nutritive level. It tonifies wood by tonifying the fresh kidney water. Tong cao is bitter and bitter tonifies the kidneys in the five element correspondences.
All other sources use mu tong. Mu tong is cold, bitter and clears heat from the heart and small intestine. It clears from the heat upper and promotes urination to lead it out the lower.
Zhi gan cao replenishes the nutritive ying layer and clears deficient heat while moistening tendons and connective tissue, and so often combined with bai shao. Strengthens qi and moderates other pungent herbs from being too dispersing. It also moistens to prevent excessive drying from pungent herbs.
Why remove sheng jiang and add xi xin? Xi xin is better at adding yang warmth and function to the body then sheng jiang. Sheng jiang adds warmth and function but mostly to the tai yin spleen and lungs. Xi xin is better than sheng jiang at warming and moving the jue yin liver blood. And reversal cold is exactly that, a deficiency of warm circulating yang qi.
Dang gui si ni jia wu zhu yu sheng jiang tang
dang gui 9 gui zhi 9 bai shao 9 sheng jiang 24 da zao 15 zhi gan cao 6 xi xin 9 tong cao 6 wu zhu yu 48 (18)
Line 352 If the person has enduring internal cold, dang gui si ni jia wu zhu yu sheng jiang tang governs.
This formula treats the same pattern as dang gui si ni tang but is stronger at warming the jue yin blood with wu zhu yu and stronger at dispersing outward with sheng jiang.
A note on the dose of the wu zhu yu. Most sources recommend the lower dose of 18 grams instead of the original 48 grams. Therapists choice.