Gui Zhi: Warming Meridians, Relieving Pain, and Supporting Vitality

Hongji Medical
Jun 6
3 min read

Gui Zhi, also known as cinnamon twig, is the dried young branch of the cinnamon tree from the Lauraceae family. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is valued for its ability to warm the body, promote vitality, and relieve pain. This article explores the properties, uses, and modern research on Gui Zhi in a simple and clear way.

Gui Zhi has been used in TCM for centuries. Its earliest record appears in the Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong’s Classic of Herbal Medicine), where it is listed as a top-grade herb. The text describes it as a remedy for respiratory issues, throat discomfort, and boosting overall energy.

Over time, Chinese physicians like Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty detailed its uses in the Compendium of Materia Medica, noting its ability to promote sweating, warm meridians, and strengthen the spleen. Later texts like Bencao Beiyao and Bencao Zhengyi expanded its applications, making it a staple in clinical practice.

Properties of Gui Zhi

Nature and Flavor

Taste: Pungent and sweet
Nature: Warm
Meridians: Heart, lung, and bladder

Main Components

Gui Zhi contains volatile oils (like cinnamaldehyde and eugenol) and coumarins, which contribute to its unique health benefits.

Key Benefits

Warms meridians and dispels cold
Supports vitality and promotes qi transformation
Relieves pain by improving blood flow
Improves cold hands and feet
Eases joint pain caused by cold and dampness

Pharmacological Effects

Modern studies suggest Gui Zhi has vasodilatory, fever-reducing, pain-relieving, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Clinical Uses of Gui Zhi

Gui Zhi is widely used in TCM to treat various conditions:

Warming Meridians and Dispelling Cold: It warms the body and relieves symptoms like colds, abdominal pain, and joint pain caused by cold.
Supporting Vitality: It boosts yang qi and improves blood flow, helping with swelling or poor urination due to yang deficiency.
Relieving Pain: It promotes blood flow and eases pain from conditions like menstrual cramps or rheumatic joint pain.
Improving Cold Hands and Feet: Its warming properties help alleviate cold extremities.
Easing Joint Pain: It relieves joint pain caused by cold and dampness.

Gui Zhi in Classic TCM Formulas

Gui Zhi is often combined with other herbs in TCM formulas to enhance its effects. Here are some examples:

Gui Zhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction):
- Ingredients: Gui Zhi, white peony, licorice, ginger, jujube
- Benefits: Promotes sweating and balances the body; used for colds with fever, headache, and aversion to wind
Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill):
- Ingredients: Gui Zhi, poria, moutan bark, red peony, peach kernel
- Benefits: Promotes blood flow and reduces masses; used for abdominal masses or excessive menstrual bleeding
Dang Gui Si Ni Tang (Angelica Four Limbs Decoction):
- Ingredients: Angelica, Gui Zhi, peony, asarum, roasted licorice, tetrapanax, jujube
- Benefits: Warms meridians and nourishes blood; used for cold hands and feet with weak pulse due to blood deficiency

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Comparison with Similar Herbs

Gui Zhi shares benefits with other TCM herbs but has unique qualities:

Cinnamon Bark (Rou Gui): From the same plant, but stronger in warming the interior and boosting yang; used for severe yang deficiency.
Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang): Warms the stomach and spleen, better for digestive issues caused by cold.
Aconite (Fu Zi): Strongly restores yang and treats critical conditions like collapse, but is more potent and used cautiously.

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Modern Applications and Research

Recent studies have highlighted Gui Zhi’s potential in modern medicine:

Vasodilation: Cinnamaldehyde improves blood circulation and microcirculation.
Fever and Pain Relief: It reduces prostaglandin production, easing fever and pain.
Antibacterial Effects: It inhibits certain bacteria and fungi.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects: It reduces inflammation by suppressing inflammatory mediators.

Gui Zhi is used today to support treatments for rheumatic diseases, heart conditions, and respiratory issues like chronic bronchitis. It also shows promise in managing cardiovascular health.

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How to Use Gui Zhi Safely

Dosage

Typical dose: 3–10 grams, as prescribed by a TCM practitioner.

Precautions

Use cautiously in cases of excessive internal heat or yin deficiency.
Pregnant women should use with caution.

Preparation

Boil in a decoction or grind into powder for external use.

Selection Tips

Choose twigs that are aromatic, reddish-brown, and free of impurities.

Conclusion

Gui Zhi is a versatile herb in TCM, valued for its ability to warm meridians, relieve pain, support vitality, and improve cold extremities and joint pain. Its long history and modern research highlight its potential in both traditional and contemporary medicine. However, it should be used under professional guidance to ensure safety and effectiveness. As research continues, Gui Zhi’s role in health and wellness is likely to expand.

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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: Warming Meridians, Relieving Pain, and Supporting Vitality

Properties of Gui Zhi

Nature and Flavor

Main Components

Key Benefits

Pharmacological Effects

Clinical Uses of Gui Zhi

Gui Zhi in Classic TCM Formulas

Comparison with Similar Herbs

Modern Applications and Research

How to Use Gui Zhi Safely

Dosage

Precautions

Preparation

Selection Tips

Conclusion

Related Posts

中醫知識

The concept of Qi

Vitality

Zong Qi

Middle Qi

Ying Qi

Health

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