WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

Chinese Angelica Cold Limbs Decoction dang gui si ni tang

[SOURC]: Treatise on Cold-Attack I

[NGREDIENTS]: Chinese angelica root 12g, Cassia Twig 9g, White peony root 9g, Asarum herb 1. 5g, Ricepaper pith 3g, Chinese date 8 pcs.

[DIRECTIONS]: Decoct the above herbs in water for oral administration.

[EFFECTS]: Warming meridians to expel cold, nourishing blood and activating vessels.

[INDICATIONS]:

(1)   Deficiency of yang-qi and blood with exogenous attack of cold-evil mani­fested by cold limbs, pale tongue with white coating, thread pulse or deep thread pulse.

(2)   Cold invading meridians manifested by pain of waist, thigh, leg and foot.

ANALYSIS OF FORMULA: This formula is chiefly for the “root” of blood deficiency. Being sweet flavor and warm nature, Chinese angelica root as the main herb nourishes and activates blood. As the assistant herbs, cassia twig and white peony root can activate yang’-qi and nourish yin-qi to harmonize the nutrient and defenaive qi. As the adjuvant herbs asarum herb is to dispel cold for relieving pain;ricepaper pith to activate blood vessels. Chinese date and licorice as the dis­patcher herbs reinforce the spleen and stomach as well as harmonizing all the components.

In the present clinic, this formula is used for thromboangitis obliterans per­taining to blood deficiency with cold in meridians.

There are three formulae named by “cold limbs”，i. e. Cold Limbs Powder, Cold Limbs Decoction and Chinese Angelica Cold Limbs Decoction. Though they are all named by “cold limbs”，their effects, components and indications are differ­ent. It should be careful to distinguish them in clinical application.