Si Ni Tang (Frigid Extremities Decoction)

Si Ni Tang (Frigid Extremities Decoction)

Formula 8 of 10 in Formulas that Warm Interior Cold

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Sub-Category:

  • Formulas that Warm the Channels and Disperse Cold

Pattern:

  • Kidney Yang deficiency with internal cold

Actions:

  • Tonifies Kidney Yang and rescues devastated Yang
  • Warms the Middle Jiao and relieves abdominal pain and stops diarrhea.

Indications:

  • Very cold extremities, intolerance of cold, a desire to lie down or sleep and curl in a fetal position, cold abdominal pain, diarrhea with undigested food, vomiting, no thirst, and somnolence
  • Devastated Yang symptoms may include profuse cold sweat, cold limbs, pale face, weak breath, and fainting.

Possible Tongue Appearance:

  • Pale or dusky with a white slippery coat

Possible Pulse Patterns:

  • Minute and deep pulse
  • Floating weak pulse

Western Uses:

  • Prostration
  • Acute Myocardial Infarction
  • Cardiac Insufficiency
  • Acute or Chronic Gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhea
  • Hypopituitarism
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Adrenal Insufficiency
  • Intractable Arthritis

Cautions, Contraindications, Herb Drug Interactions:

  • Do not use in cases of cold limbs due to true heat and false cold, Blood deficiency, or Qi stagnation
  • This formula contains one or more toxic substances.
    While some Chinese herbs are toxic, many come prepared, or are combined, to mitigate their toxicity.

Preparation Notes:

  • Decoction. Cook Fu Zi 30-60 minutes (depending on the dosage) before adding Gan Jiang and Gan Cao.

Originally Appeared In:

  • On Cold Damage (Shang Han Lun)

Combined Channels of all herbs in this formula:

  • Spleen, Heart, Kidneys, Lungs, Stomach

There are 3 Substances in this Chinese Medicne

Fu Zi (Processed Aconite)
Quantity = 6-9 grams
Hot Fu Zi (Radix Lateralis Praeparatus Aconiti Carmichaeli)
Channels:
HT, KI, SP
Properties:
Spicy, Hot, Toxic
Latin:
Radix Lateralis Praeparatus Aconiti Carmichaeli
Chinese:
附子
Tone Marks:
fù zi
Translation:
Appendage
Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger Rhizome)
Quantity = 4.5 grams
Hot Gan Jiang (dry Rhizoma Zingiberis)
Channels:
HT, LU, SP, ST
Properties:
Spicy, Hot
Latin:
dry Rhizoma Zingiberis
Chinese:
干姜
Tone Marks:
gān jiāng
Zhi Gan Cao (Honey Fried Licorice Root)
Quantity = 6 grams
Warm Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae)
Channels:
All 12 Channels
Properties:
Sweet, Warm
Latin:
Radix Glycyrrhizae
Chinese:
炙甘草
Tone Marks:
zhì gān căo

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References Used

The TCM information presented here has been referenced from numerous sources; including teachers, practitioners, class notes from Five Branches University, the following books, as well as other sources. If you have benefited from this information, please consider supporting the authors and their works by purchasing the books below.

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