Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang: A TCM Formula for Heart Yang Deficiency

Hongji Medical
Jun 2
4 min read

Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang, or Cinnamon Twig Plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell Decoction, is a classic formula from the Treatise on Cold Damage (Shanghan Lun) by Zhang Zhongjing.

This revered Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remedy is designed to warm and tonify heart yang while calming the mind and relieving palpitations. It treats heart yang deficiency, with symptoms like irritability, palpitations, insomnia, chest tightness, cold limbs, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, pale complexion, a pale tongue with white coating, and a slow, weak pulse. The formula’s simple yet effective blend of herbs works synergistically to restore balance.

Formula Composition and Roles

Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang is composed of herbs organized according to the TCM principle of “monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy”:

Monarch: Cinnamon Twig (Gui Zhi)Cinnamon Twig, pungent and sweet with a warm nature, is the primary herb. It warms heart yang, invigorates heart function, and promotes blood circulation, addressing the core issue of heart yang deficiency and improving blood flow to relieve symptoms.
Minister: Licorice (Gan Cao)Licorice plays a dual role: it tonifies heart qi, working with Cinnamon Twig to warm and restore heart yang, and strengthens spleen qi to support qi and blood production, addressing the root of deficiency.
Assistants: Dragon Bone (Long Gu) and Oyster Shell (Mu Li)These herbs have a heavy, calming effect, stabilizing the mind and relieving palpitations. They address irritability, palpitations, and insomnia by anchoring the unsettled spirit caused by heart yang deficiency.
Envoy: None explicitly designated, though Licorice also harmonizes the formula, ensuring the herbs work together effectively.

Pathophysiology

The formula targets three key pathological mechanisms:

Heart Yang DeficiencyHeart yang deficiency occurs when the heart’s warming and propelling energy is weak, impairing its ability to circulate blood and warm the body. This leads to symptoms like cold limbs, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, pale complexion, a pale tongue with white coating, and a slow, weak pulse. It also affects the mind, causing irritability, palpitations, and insomnia.
Unsettled Spirit (Heart Shen Disturbance)A deficient heart yang fails to anchor the spirit, leading to a “floating” heart shen. This causes emotional unrest, manifesting as irritability, palpitations, and insomnia.
Impaired Blood CirculationWeak heart yang hinders blood flow, causing stagnation and symptoms like chest tightness, pale complexion, and a weak pulse. Poor circulation further exacerbates heart yang deficiency.

海天-桂枝加龍牡湯

Buy Now

Indications and Benefits

Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang is primarily used for heart yang deficiency, with symptoms including:

Irritability and restlessness
Palpitations
Insomnia
Chest tightness
Cold limbs
Shortness of breath
Spontaneous sweating
Pale complexion
Pale tongue with white coating
Slow, weak pulse

農本方 - 桂枝加龍骨牡蠣湯

Buy Now

The formula’s main benefits are:

Warming Heart Yang: Cinnamon Twig invigorates heart yang to relieve symptoms of deficiency.
Calming the Mind and Relieving Palpitations: Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell anchor the spirit, easing irritability, palpitations, and insomnia.
Promoting Blood Circulation: Cinnamon Twig improves blood flow to address stagnation.
Tonifying Heart Qi: Licorice strengthens heart function, reducing palpitations and shortness of breath.
Strengthening Spleen Qi: Licorice supports the spleen to enhance qi and blood production, addressing the root of deficiency.

Modern Applications of Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang

Modern research highlights the formula’s effectiveness in treating heart and neurological conditions, including:

Anti-arrhythmic Effects: It regulates heart rhythm in conditions like tachycardia, bradycardia, premature beats, and sick sinus syndrome.
Improved Heart Function: It enhances cardiac pumping in heart failure patients.
Calming Effects: It soothes the nervous system, alleviating anxiety and insomnia.

Clinically, it is used for:

Arrhythmias: Regulates heart rhythm and improves cardiac function.
Heart Failure: Strengthens heart pumping and circulation.
Neurosis: Calms irritability, palpitations, and insomnia in conditions like anxiety or stress-related disorders.

Patients often report significant relief from palpitations, shortness of breath, insomnia, irritability, and chest tightness after using this formula.

台灣漢立方- 桂枝加龍骨牡蠣湯

Buy Now

Precautions for Use

When using Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang, consider the following:

Pattern Differentiation: The formula is specific to heart yang deficiency. A TCM practitioner must confirm the diagnosis to ensure suitability.
Individual Variations: Adjust the formula based on the patient’s constitution, under professional guidance.
Modifications: For severe shortness of breath or sweating, add Astragalus (Huang Qi) to boost qi and stabilize the exterior. For pronounced palpitations or insomnia, add Sour Jujube Seed (Suan Zao Ren) or Arborvitae Seed (Bai Zi Ren) to enhance calming effects.
Contraindications: Avoid in patients with heart yin deficiency or blood deficiency, as the warming nature may worsen these conditions.

Conclusion

Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang is a time-honored TCM formula that effectively treats heart yang deficiency with its blend of warming, tonifying, and calming herbs. By warming heart yang, promoting circulation, and soothing the mind, it relieves symptoms like palpitations, insomnia, and chest tightness.

Its modern applications in cardiac and neurological conditions highlight its enduring value. Always consult a qualified TCM practitioner to ensure proper diagnosis and safe use, tailored to individual needs. This formula’s historical significance and therapeutic potential continue to support patient well-being.

See All

Gui Zhi Jia Hou Pu Xing Ren Tang: Chinese herbal medicine for Cough and Asthma

Gui Zhi Jia Ge Gen Tang: Herbal Relief for Colds and Stiffness

Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan: A Simple Guide to a Blood-Activating, Stasis-Clearing Herbal Formula

Use Now

AI Chinese Medicine

Online Q&A

Use Now

AI Chinese Medicine

Online Q&A

中醫知識

Chinese Medicine - Qi

Blood and semen

Heart and lungs

Spleen and Liver

Kidney

Gallbladder, stomach, intestines, bladder

Interrelationships among the five internal organs

Other questions

Qi is the constantly moving subtle substance that constitutes the human body and maintains its vital activities.

There are three main sources of Qi in the human body: the innate essence inherited from parents, the essence of water and grain in food, and the pure Qi existing in nature.

Qi has many important physiological effects on the human body. The normal functioning of the internal organs, meridians, limbs, bones, five senses and nine orifices all depends on the physiological effects of Qi.

Generally speaking, the physiological effects of Qi include five aspects: promotion, warming, defense, consolidation, and qi transformation.

Yuan Qi is the most original Qi in the human body.

Yuan Qi is mainly composed of the essence of the kidneys and is generated from the essence of the kidneys.

The distribution of primordial energy is throughout the body, reaching everywhere. The internal organs, meridians, body parts, five senses and nine orifices are all places where primordial energy rises, falls, enters and exits.

The main physiological functions of Yuan Qi are twofold: one is to promote and stimulate the growth, development and reproduction of the human body. The other is to promote and stimulate the physiological activities of the internal organs and meridians.

If the kidneys are deficient in essence and energy due to congenital deficiency, postnatal malnutrition, or long-term illness, and the kidneys lack the source of vital energy, various diseases may occur.

Zong Qi is the Qi that accumulates in the chest. The place where Zong Qi accumulates is called "Tan Zhong" (between the two breasts). Because it is the place where Zong Qi is most concentrated, it is also called "Qi Hai".

Zong Qi is mainly composed of the fresh air from nature inhaled by the lungs and the essence of water and grain produced by the spleen and stomach from food.

The main functions of Zong Qi are twofold:

1. It is to walk the Xi Dao to control breathing. All breathing, speech, and voice are related to the Zong Qi. When the Zong Qi is abundant, the breathing is slow and the rhythm is even, the speech is clear and the voice is loud; otherwise, the breathing is short and the voice is low.

Second, it is to circulate Qi and blood through the heart meridians. All the beating of the heart and the circulation of Qi and blood are related to Zong Qi. If the pulse is gentle, the rhythm is consistent, and there is spirit and root, it is a manifestation of abundant Zong Qi. On the contrary, if the pulse is agitated, scattered, weak, or irregular, it means that the Zong Qi is insufficient or even weak.

Zhongqi refers to the Qi of the middle burner. Because the spleen and stomach are located in the middle burner, the Qi of the spleen and stomach is generally called "Zhongqi".

It is generally believed that the formation of Zhong Qi is formed by the combination of the Yuan Qi distributed in the Zhongjiao and the water and grain essence produced by the spleen and stomach.

The middle qi is mainly distributed in the middle burner, spreading between the spleen, stomach, and intestines, and it rises and falls, constantly mediating.

The main functions of Zhongqi include three aspects:

1. It controls the rise and fall of Qi. The middle burner is the hub of the rise and fall of Qi. When the middle Qi is abundant and harmonious, the Qi of the liver and spleen will rise healthily, and the Qi of the lungs and stomach will descend smoothly. When the rise and fall are smooth, all organs will be at peace.

Second, it stimulates the spleen and stomach to absorb and transport. When the middle qi is abundant, the spleen rises and the stomach descends normally, the water and grain are received and transported normally, and the essence of water and grain is continuously produced to generate qi and blood, nourishing the whole body.

Third, it maintains the position of the internal organs. The reason why the internal organs maintain their relatively constant position depends on the rise and fall of the qi of the middle jiao spleen and stomach.

Ying Qi, also known as "Rong Qi", is the Qi that flows in the veins.

The distribution and movement of Ying Qi are clearly discussed in Suwen Bi Lun, which points out that Ying Qi "harmonizes the five internal organs, flows through the six bowels, and then enters the meridians."

It explains that the nutrient energy enters the meridians, circulates throughout the body, flows into the internal organs, and reaches the limbs, repeating the cycle over and over again.

The main functions of Ying Qi:

1. It is the transformation of blood.

Second, it nourishes the whole body. The nourishing qi enters the blood vessels and causes the body fluids to penetrate into the blood vessels. The two combine to form blood.

The so-called Qi can produce blood, mainly refers to: Ying Qi transforms into blood. Ying Qi is produced by the refined part of the essence of grains, and is a nutrient necessary for physiological activities such as viscera and meridians, and plays an important role in maintaining human life activities.

The Inner Canon of Medicine states that the Nutritive Qi "harmonises the five internal organs, and spreads throughout the six bowels", "nourishes the four extremities", etc., which emphasizes that the Nutritive Qi has a nourishing effect.

Wei Qi is the Qi that circulates outside the veins. It is so called because it protects the skin and resists external pathogens.

The distribution of Wei Qi is fast, smooth and agile, and is not restricted by blood vessels, so it can "flow through the skin, between the flesh, fumigate the peritoneum, and spread to the chest and abdomen" (Suwen Bi Lun). This shows that Wei Qi spreads throughout the body, externally between the skin and muscles, and internally to the peritoneum of the chest and abdomen - the area inside the diaphragm of the chest cavity.

The main physiological functions of Wei Qi are three-fold:

First, it protects the skin and prevents the invasion of external pathogens. In clinical practice, if a patient is prone to colds and fever, the treatment is usually based on the theory that the Wei surface is not solid. The theoretical basis is here. Second, it warms the internal organs, muscles, fur, etc. Wei Qi has a strong warming effect. If Wei Yang is deficient, the warming power is weakened, and cold symptoms such as cold body, cold limbs and low body temperature may appear. If Wei Qi is stagnant and turns into heat, hot symptoms such as fever and malignant fever may appear.

Third, it regulates the opening and closing of pores and controls sweat excretion, which is what Lingshu Benzang says about the Wei Qi having the function of “controlling opening and closing”.

Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang: A TCM Formula for Heart Yang Deficiency

Formula Composition and Roles

Pathophysiology

Indications and Benefits

Modern Applications of Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang

Precautions for Use

Conclusion

Related Posts

中醫知識

The concept of Qi

Vitality

Zong Qi

Middle Qi

Ying Qi

Health

Be the first to receive promotional offers and rewards in your inbox. Subscribe to our emails today.Whatsapp us to learn more