guizhi and harmonizing ying and wei

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THE THERAPEUTIC MECHANISM OF GUI ZHI TANG

Most accounts of the therapeutic mechanism of Gui Zhi Tang state that acrid Gui Zhi resolves the flesh thus expelling wind out the exterior of the body while sour Bai Shao astringes the sweat and ying qi: these actions harmonize ying and wei. Sheng Jiang, Da Zao and Zhi Gan Cao are said to tonify and harmonize the middle jiao helping this process. Here the focus is on "struggle": one eliminates the evil while boosting the zheng qi to harmonize ying and wei. This account conforms to Clavey’s treatment strategy for harmonizing ying and wei when it results from pathogenic interference.

Dr. Liu gives an account that focuses more on "imbalance" with Zhi Gan Cao playing a pivotal role. The acrid taste of Gui Zhi plus the sweet taste of Zhi Gan Cao "produces" yang, in this case wei qi. The sour taste of Bai Shao plus the sweet taste of Zhi Gan Cao "produces" yin, in this case ying qi. When the deficiencies of both are supplemented they can re-establish their functional relationship (are again in harmony) and can expel the evil. This conforms to Clavey’s treatment strategy for harmonizing ying and wei when it arises through deficiency. As I mentioned earlier, Gui Zhi Tang makes moot the question of whether one expels the evil to harmonize ying and wei or harmonizes ying and wei to expel the evil.

While Dr. Liu’s account gives a deeper perspective on the use of the herbs in Gui Zhi Tang, he has called this formula the "number one formula" (Dhramananda calls it the "quintessential ancient prescription") because of the many ways the herbs achieve the treatment strategy. The following is a fuller account of the therapeutic mechanisms involved.

Gui Zhi is warm and tonifies yang. Bai Shao is cool (the only cool blood tonic) and tonifies yin. Bai Shao reaches the spleen and in combination with Gui Zhi warms and tonifies the middle burner. Both Gui Zhi and Bai Shao reach the muscle layer. Bai Shao reaches the liver and spleen, it "softens and comforts" the liver, which controls the "sinews," and thus relaxes tight tendons and muscle spasms. Gui Zhi, although it is not as strong as Ma Huang in relieving the surface, releases the muscle layer. Dr. Liu has said that although Ma Huang forcefully opens the pores, it cannot provide sweat. It does not reach those organs or control those substances that provide the source of sweat. Sweat is the fluid of the heart, and jin ye, blood and ying qi are closely related. Gui Zhi reaches the heart, strengthening heart yang, moving blood in the vessels and warming them. Moving blood in the vessels and warming them also motivates and warms the stagnant ying qi that can, in turn, support the wei qi. As mentioned before, strengthening heart yang helps heart yang steam the jin-fluids to produce a therapeutic sweat.

Gui Zhi and Bai Shao balance (or harmonize) one other. Gui Zhi "rises and floats" while Bai Shao "sinks and falls." Gui Zhi boosts yang while Bai Shao nourishes yin. Gui Zhi is warm while Bai Shao is cool. Gui Zhi causes sweating while Bai Shao astringes sweat. Gui Zhi motivates blood while Bai Shao tonifies blood. Gui Zhi boosts heart yang while Bai Shao subdues liver yang.

The combination of Bai Shao and Zhi Gan Cao constitutes the Shang Han Lun formula Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang, used to relieve spasms and cramps especially when too much sweating has injured liver blood or yin. This combination in Gui Zhi Tang helps relieve neck stiffness and also harmonizes the liver and spleen, i.e.: softens the liver and tonifies the spleen.

Gui Zhi’s function of moving yang qi in the chest (or tonifying heart yang) is facilitated or enhanced (xiang shi) in combination with Zhi Gan Cao. Zhi Gan Cao itself tonifies heart qi. Zhi Gan Cao enters all twelve organ networks but principally the heart, lung, spleen and stomach which organs it tonifies. The spleen and stomach are instrumental is producing ying, wei, blood, and qi while the heart and lung control the movement of these.

The combination of Sheng Jiang and Da Zao also harmonizes ying and wei: Sheng Jiang is a mild diaphoretic that releases the exterior expelling wind while Da Zao tonifies ying qi. Da Zao is the only qi tonic that is said to tonify ying qi specifically. The effectiveness of this combination is enhanced by the sweet taste of Zhi Gan Cao. These three herbs all tonify and harmonize the middle jiao. However, Dr. Ji generally avoids duplication of effects with his herbal choices. Since Gui Zhi and Bai Shao in combination with Zhi Gan Cao achieve the treatment strategy’s objectives and even warm and tonify the middle jiao, why are Sheng Jiang and Da Zao included in Gui Zhi Tang? The use of Sheng Jiang is easily explained: it alleviates the dry heaves that may accompany zhong feng, a symptom not addressed by the other herbs. The inclusion of a large dosage of Da Zao must be because it specifically tonifies ying qi. Bai Shao astringes sweat and ying and tonifies blood and yin, but this only indirectly tonifies ying; Da Zao does this directly. (The large dosage of Da Zao is another reason I believe it is the ying qi that is deficient in zhong feng.) Da Zao also nourishes blood and calms the shen. It affects the heart by tonifying spleen qi and nourishing blood. Gui Zhi tonifies heart yang and propels blood in the vessels, but Da Zao can provide the material source for blood, ying and sweat. Because of the sweating in zhong feng there is a need for material nourishment to replenish the qi and fluids; this is one reason Gui Zhi Tang is taken along with rice gruel.

The inclusion of Sheng Jiang and Da Zao in many formulas (some herbalists contend that these can be added to practically any formula) is usually explained by their function of harmonizing the middle burner as well as their ability to detoxify and harmonize the other herbs in the prescription. While this function is important in many formulas, Sheng Jiang and Da Zao’s ability to harmonize ying and wei is almost universally important for, as Fundamentals states, an "imbalance [or disharmony] between yin and yang can be said to be at the root of all diseases from incipience to resolution…" And as Clavey continues, when "this occurs at the surface of the body, it is often referred to as a disharmony between the protective (yang) qi and the nutritive (yin) qi." Ultimately, any yin and yang imbalance can cause ying and wei disharmony and vise versa; thus adding Sheng Jiang and Da Zao to a formula can provide adjunct therapy in practically any disease.

Sorry, many footnotes that elucidate the above have been lost in trying to email it, including the idea that one needs a two to one ratio of baishao to guizhi to supplement the middle burner.

David

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

nice job

alon

 

-

David Frierman

Monday, February 04, 2002 11:29 PM

guizhi and harmonizing ying and wei

 

 

 

THE THERAPEUTIC MECHANISM OF GUI ZHI TANG

Most accounts of the therapeutic mechanism of Gui Zhi Tang state that acrid Gui Zhi resolves the flesh thus expelling wind out the exterior of the body while sour Bai Shao astringes the sweat and ying qi: these actions harmonize ying and wei. Sheng Jiang, Da Zao and Zhi Gan Cao are said to tonify and harmonize the middle jiao helping this process. Here the focus is on "struggle": one eliminates the evil while boosting the zheng qi to harmonize ying and wei. This account conforms to Clavey’s treatment strategy for harmonizing ying and wei when it results from pathogenic interference.

Dr. Liu gives an account that focuses more on "imbalance" with Zhi Gan Cao playing a pivotal role. The acrid taste of Gui Zhi plus the sweet taste of Zhi Gan Cao "produces" yang, in this case wei qi. The sour taste of Bai Shao plus the sweet taste of Zhi Gan Cao "produces" yin, in this case ying qi. When the deficiencies of both are supplemented they can re-establish their functional relationship (are again in harmony) and can expel the evil. This conforms to Clavey’s treatment strategy for harmonizing ying and wei when it arises through deficiency. As I mentioned earlier, Gui Zhi Tang makes moot the question of whether one expels the evil to harmonize ying and wei or harmonizes ying and wei to expel the evil.

While Dr. Liu’s account gives a deeper perspective on the use of the herbs in Gui Zhi Tang, he has called this formula the "number one formula" (Dhramananda calls it the "quintessential ancient prescription") because of the many ways the herbs achieve the treatment strategy. The following is a fuller account of the therapeutic mechanisms involved.

Gui Zhi is warm and tonifies yang. Bai Shao is cool (the only cool blood tonic) and tonifies yin. Bai Shao reaches the spleen and in combination with Gui Zhi warms and tonifies the middle burner. Both Gui Zhi and Bai Shao reach the muscle layer. Bai Shao reaches the liver and spleen, it "softens and comforts" the liver, which controls the "sinews," and thus relaxes tight tendons and muscle spasms. Gui Zhi, although it is not as strong as Ma Huang in relieving the surface, releases the muscle layer. Dr. Liu has said that although Ma Huang forcefully opens the pores, it cannot provide sweat. It does not reach those organs or control those substances that provide the source of sweat. Sweat is the fluid of the heart, and jin ye, blood and ying qi are closely related. Gui Zhi reaches the heart, strengthening heart yang, moving blood in the vessels and warming them. Moving blood in the vessels and warming them also motivates and warms the stagnant ying qi that can, in turn, support the wei qi. As mentioned before, strengthening heart yang helps heart yang steam the jin-fluids to produce a therapeutic sweat.

Gui Zhi and Bai Shao balance (or harmonize) one other. Gui Zhi "rises and floats" while Bai Shao "sinks and falls." Gui Zhi boosts yang while Bai Shao nourishes yin. Gui Zhi is warm while Bai Shao is cool. Gui Zhi causes sweating while Bai Shao astringes sweat. Gui Zhi motivates blood while Bai Shao tonifies blood. Gui Zhi boosts heart yang while Bai Shao subdues liver yang.

The combination of Bai Shao and Zhi Gan Cao constitutes the Shang Han Lun formula Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang, used to relieve spasms and cramps especially when too much sweating has injured liver blood or yin. This combination in Gui Zhi Tang helps relieve neck stiffness and also harmonizes the liver and spleen, i.e.: softens the liver and tonifies the spleen.

Gui Zhi’s function of moving yang qi in the chest (or tonifying heart yang) is facilitated or enhanced (xiang shi) in combination with Zhi Gan Cao. Zhi Gan Cao itself tonifies heart qi. Zhi Gan Cao enters all twelve organ networks but principally the heart, lung, spleen and stomach which organs it tonifies. The spleen and stomach are instrumental is producing ying, wei, blood, and qi while the heart and lung control the movement of these.

The combination of Sheng Jiang and Da Zao also harmonizes ying and wei: Sheng Jiang is a mild diaphoretic that releases the exterior expelling wind while Da Zao tonifies ying qi. Da Zao is the only qi tonic that is said to tonify ying qi specifically. The effectiveness of this combination is enhanced by the sweet taste of Zhi Gan Cao. These three herbs all tonify and harmonize the middle jiao. However, Dr. Ji generally avoids duplication of effects with his herbal choices. Since Gui Zhi and Bai Shao in combination with Zhi Gan Cao achieve the treatment strategy’s objectives and even warm and tonify the middle jiao, why are Sheng Jiang and Da Zao included in Gui Zhi Tang? The use of Sheng Jiang is easily explained: it alleviates the dry heaves that may accompany zhong feng, a symptom not addressed by the other herbs. The inclusion of a large dosage of Da Zao must be because it specifically tonifies ying qi. Bai Shao astringes sweat and ying and tonifies blood and yin, but this only indirectly tonifies ying; Da Zao does this directly. (The large dosage of Da Zao is another reason I believe it is the ying qi that is deficient in zhong feng.) Da Zao also nourishes blood and calms the shen. It affects the heart by tonifying spleen qi and nourishing blood. Gui Zhi tonifies heart yang and propels blood in the vessels, but Da Zao can provide the material source for blood, ying and sweat. Because of the sweating in zhong feng there is a need for material nourishment to replenish the qi and fluids; this is one reason Gui Zhi Tang is taken along with rice gruel.

The inclusion of Sheng Jiang and Da Zao in many formulas (some herbalists contend that these can be added to practically any formula) is usually explained by their function of harmonizing the middle burner as well as their ability to detoxify and harmonize the other herbs in the prescription. While this function is important in many formulas, Sheng Jiang and Da Zao’s ability to harmonize ying and wei is almost universally important for, as Fundamentals states, an "imbalance [or disharmony] between yin and yang can be said to be at the root of all diseases from incipience to resolution…" And as Clavey continues, when "this occurs at the surface of the body, it is often referred to as a disharmony between the protective (yang) qi and the nutritive (yin) qi." Ultimately, any yin and yang imbalance can cause ying and wei disharmony and vise versa; thus adding Sheng Jiang and Da Zao to a formula can provide adjunct therapy in practically any disease.

Sorry, many footnotes that elucidate the above have been lost in trying to email it, including the idea that one needs a two to one ratio of baishao to guizhi to supplement the middle burner.

David

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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