十全大补汤

Ren Shen (ginseng) 6 g + Bai Zhu (white atractylodes rhizome) 9 g + Fu Ling (poria) 9 g + Zhi Gan Cao (honey-fried licorice root) 3 g + Shu Di (prepared rehmannia root) 12 g + Dang Gui (Chinese angelica root) 9 g + Bai Shao (white peony root) 9 g + Chuan Xiong (Sichuan lovage rhizome) 6 g + Huang Qi (astragalus root) 12 g + Rou Gui (cinnamon bark) 3 g = 78 g.

Conversion to 5:1 granules:

78 g raw herb ÷ 5 = 15.6 g of granules.

Granule dose: Dissolve in warm water and take twice daily, morning and evening, about 8 g per dose.

5. Cautions and clinical notes

• Contraindications:
  1. This formula warms and tonifies qi and blood, and its properties are somewhat warm and drying; it is therefore contraindicated in yin deficiency with effulgent fire (e.g., the five-center heat, tidal fever, and night sweats) or in excess heat patterns.
  2. It should not be used when an unresolved exterior pattern from external contraction is present, so as to avoid trapping the pathogen inside.
• Characteristics: This formula is a potent one for jointly tonifying qi and blood, with strong tonifying power; it is suitable for patterns of relatively severe qi and blood deficiency with a tendency toward deficiency cold.
• Modern applications: Widely used for various types of anemia, neurasthenia, chronic fatigue syndrome, deficiency after illness or surgery, sores and ulcers that fail to heal for a long time, women's menstrual irregularities (of the qi and blood deficiency type), and as adjunctive treatment after radiotherapy or chemotherapy for malignant tumors.
• Duration of use: This formula is a heavy tonifying preparation; it must be taken for a certain period of time before its effects become apparent, and may be taken long-term under a physician's guidance. If signs of "excess heat," such as dry mouth or constipation, appear during use, a physician should be consulted.