WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

Cinnabar Mind-Tranquilizing Pills zhu sha an shen wan (also known as Mind-Tranquilizing Pills)---an shen wan

[SOURCE]: Invention of Medicine

[INGREDIENTS]:Cinnabar 15g,  Coptis 18g,  Roasted licorice root 16g,  Dried rehmannia root 8g,  Chinese angelica root 8g

[DIRECTIONS]: Make the above-mentioned herbs into pills, take 6 to 9 grams a time before going to bed. Or decoct the herbs except cinnabar in water, the cin­nabar should be refined into powder with water, and taken with decoction, the dosage should be decreased proportionally.

[EFFECTS]: Relieving palpitation, tranquilizing the mind, purging fire and nourishing yin. 

INDICATIONS: Exuberance of heart-fire due to deficiency of yin-blood mani­fested as mental irritability, insomnia and dreaminess, severe palpitation with fright, nausea, indescrible vexation in the chest, red tongue, rapid and thready pulse.

[ANALYSIS OF FORMULA]: It is a common formula which is used to treat in­somnia and palpitation due to flaring of the fire and impairment of yin. Cinnabar in the formula is cold and heavy in nature. It is used in large dosage to clear away heart-fire and tranquilize the mind. Coptis is bitter in flavor and cold in property. It purges the heart-fire and relieves restlessness. The combination of these two herbs has the effects of clearing away the heart-fire and tranquillizing the mind as principal herbs. Chinese angelica root is sweet in flavor and moisture in property. It nourishes the blood. Dried rehmania root as assistant herbs enriches yin and clears heat to promote kidney water flowing upward to nourish the heart. Licorice root as dispatcher herb harmonizes the actions of other herbs.