Classical Chinese formulas
Chinese formulas
The classical formulas of Chinese herbal medicine, with their ingredients, actions, indications and the tongue and pulse that show the pattern.
Chinese formulas belong with a qualified practitioner who first makes a diagnosis. They are not for self-care and do not replace medical care. For toxic ingredients no amount is given on purpose.
解表剂Formulas that release the exterior
- 苍耳子散Cang er zi sanXanthium Powder
- 川芎茶调散Chuan xiong cha tiao sanChuanxiong Powder to Be Taken with Green TeaBasic formula
- 葛根汤Ge gen tangKudzu DecoctionBasic formula
- 桂枝汤Gui zhi tangCinnamon Twig DecoctionBasic formula
- 荆防败毒散Jing fang bai du sanSchizonepeta and Saposhnikovia Powder to Overcome Pathogenic Influences
- 九味羌活汤Jiu wei qiang huo tangNine-Herb Decoction with Notopterygium
- 麻黄附子细辛汤Ma huang fu zi xi xin tangEphedra, Aconite and Asarum Decoction
- 麻黄汤Ma huang tangEphedra DecoctionBasic formula
- 麻杏石甘汤Ma xing shi gan tangEphedra, Apricot Kernel, Gypsum and Licorice Decoction
- 桑菊饮Sang ju yinMulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum DrinkBasic formula
- 小青龙汤Xiao qing long tangMinor Blue-Green Dragon Decoction
- 杏苏散Xing su sanApricot Kernel and Perilla PowderBasic formula
- 银翘散Yin qiao sanHoneysuckle and Forsythia PowderBasic formula
清热剂Formulas that clear heat
- 白虎汤Bai hu tangWhite Tiger DecoctionBasic formula
- 白头翁汤Bai tou weng tangPulsatilla DecoctionBasic formula
- 当归龙荟丸Dang gui long hui wanDang Gui, Gentian and Aloe Pill
- 导赤散Dao chi sanGuide Out the Red PowderBasic formula
- 防风通圣散Fang feng tong sheng sanSaposhnikovia Powder that Sagely Unblocks
- 葛根黄芩黄连汤Ge gen huang qin huang lian tangKudzu, Scutellaria and Coptis Decoction
- 黄连解毒汤Huang lian jie du tangCoptis Decoction to Relieve ToxicityBasic formula
- 荆芥连翘汤Jing jie lian qiao tangSchizonepeta and Forsythia Decoction
- 凉膈散Liang ge sanCool the Diaphragm Powder
- 六一散Liu yi sanSix-to-One PowderBasic formula
- 龙胆泻肝汤Long dan xie gan tangGentian Decoction to Drain the LiverBasic formula
- 青蒿鳖甲汤Qing hao bie jia tangSweet Wormwood and Turtle Shell DecoctionBasic formula
- 清暑益气汤Qing shu yi qi tangClear Summer-Heat and Augment the Qi Decoction
- 清胃散Qing wei sanClear the Stomach Powder
- 清营汤Qing ying tangClear the Nutritive Level Decoction
- 三黄泻心汤San huang xie xin tangThree-Yellow Decoction to Drain the Heart
- 石膏汤Shi gao tangGypsum Decoction
- 十味败毒汤Shi wei bai du tangTen-Herb Decoction to Overcome Toxin
- 犀角地黄汤Xi jiao di huang tangRhinoceros Horn and Rehmannia DecoctionBasic formula
- 响声破笛丸Xiang sheng po di wanPill for the Voice (the book calls it 'Gasping Formula')
- 泻白散Xie bai sanDrain the White Powder
- 玉女煎Yu nu jianJade Woman Decoction
- 栀子豉汤Zhi zi dou chi tangGardenia and Prepared Soybean Decoction
泻下剂Downward-draining formulas
- 大承气汤Da cheng qi tangMajor Order the Qi DecoctionBasic formula
- 大黄牡丹皮汤Da huang mu dan pi tangRhubarb and Tree Peony Bark Decoction
- 济川煎Ji chuan jianBenefit the River Decoction
- 麻子仁丸Ma zi ren wanHemp Seed PillBasic formula
- 调胃承气汤Tiao wei cheng qi tangRegulate the Stomach and Order the Qi Decoction
- 温脾汤Wen pi tangWarm the Spleen Decoction
- 小承气汤Xiao cheng qi tangMinor Order the Qi Decoction
和解剂Harmonizing formulas
- 半夏泻心汤Ban xia xie xin tangPinellia Decoction to Drain the EpigastriumBasic formula
- 柴胡桂枝干姜汤Chai hu gui zhi gan jiang tangBupleurum, Cinnamon Twig and Dried Ginger Decoction
- 柴胡桂枝汤Chai hu gui zhi tangBupleurum and Cinnamon Twig Decoction
- 大柴胡汤Da chai hu tangMajor Bupleurum Decoction
- 加味逍遥散Jia wei xiao yao sanAugmented Free and Easy Wanderer Powder
- 四逆散Si ni sanFrigid Extremities PowderBasic formula
- 小柴胡汤Xiao chai hu tangMinor Bupleurum DecoctionBasic formula
- 逍遥散Xiao yao sanFree and Easy Wanderer PowderBasic formula
温里剂Formulas that warm the interior
补气剂Qi tonics
- 补中益气汤Bu zhong yi qi tangTonify the Middle and Augment the Qi DecoctionBasic formula
- 归脾汤Gui pi tangRestore the Spleen DecoctionBasic formula
- 六君子汤Liu jun zi tangSix Gentlemen Decoction
- 参苓白术散Shen ling bai zhu sanGinseng, Poria and White Atractylodes Powder
- 生脉散Sheng mai sanGenerate the Pulse PowderBasic formula
- 四君子汤Si jun zi tangFour Gentlemen DecoctionBasic formula
- 玉屏风散Yu ping feng sanJade Windscreen Powder
- 炙甘草汤Zhi gan cao tangHoney-Fried Licorice Decoction
补血剂Blood tonics
补阴剂Yin tonics
- 百合固金汤Bai he gu jin tangLily Bulb Decoction to Preserve the MetalBasic formula
- 六味地黄丸Liu wei di huang wanSix-Herb Rehmannia PillBasic formula
- 麦门冬汤Mai men dong tangOphiopogon Decoction
- 麦门冬饮子Mai men dong yin ziOphiopogon Drink
- 杞菊地黄丸Qi ju di huang wanLycium, Chrysanthemum and Rehmannia Pill
- 清燥救肺汤Qing zao jiu fei tangEliminate Dryness and Rescue the Lungs Decoction
- 一贯煎Yi guan jianLinking Decoction
- 增液汤Zeng ye tangIncrease the Fluids Decoction
- 知柏地黄丸Zhi bai di huang wanAnemarrhena, Phellodendron and Rehmannia Pill
- 左归丸Zuo gui wanRestore the Left Pill
补阳剂Yang tonics
理气剂Formulas that regulate qi
- 半夏厚朴汤Ban xia hou po tangPinellia and Magnolia Bark DecoctionBasic formula
- 柴胡疏肝散Chai hu shu gan sanBupleurum Powder to Spread the Liver
- 丁香柿蒂汤Ding xiang shi di tangClove and Persimmon Calyx Decoction
- 加味乌药汤Jia wei wu yao tangAugmented Lindera Decoction
- 柿蒂汤Shi di tangPersimmon Calyx Decoction
- 旋覆代赭汤Xuan fu dai zhe tangInula and Hematite Decoction
- 越鞠丸Yue ju wanEscape Restraint Pill
活血剂Formulas that move the blood
止血剂Formulas that stop bleeding
安神剂Formulas that calm the spirit
- 柴胡加龙骨牡蛎汤Chai hu jia long gu mu li tangBupleurum plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell Decoction
- 磁朱丸Ci zhu wanMagnetite and Cinnabar Pill
- 甘麦大枣汤Gan mai da zao tangLicorice, Wheat and Jujube Decoction
- 桂枝龙骨牡蛎汤Gui zhi long gu mu li tangCinnamon Twig Decoction plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell
- 交泰丸Jiao tai wanGrand Communication Pill
- 龙骨牡蛎汤Long gu mu li tangDragon Bone and Oyster Shell DecoctionBasic formula
- 酸枣仁汤Suan zao ren tangSour Jujube DecoctionBasic formula
- 天王补心丹Tian wang bu xin danEmperor of Heaven's Special Pill to Tonify the HeartBasic formula
- 朱砂安神丸Zhu sha an shen wanCinnabar Pill to Calm the SpiritBasic formula
开窍剂Formulas that open the sensory orifices
治风剂Formulas that expel or calm wind
- 大定风珠Da ding feng zhuMajor Arrest Wind Pearl
- 独活寄生汤Du huo ji sheng tangAngelica Pubescens and Sangjisheng DecoctionBasic formula
- 桂枝芍药知母汤Gui zhi shao yao zhi mu tangCinnamon Twig, Peony and Anemarrhena Decoction
- 蠲痹汤Juan bi tangRemove Painful Obstruction Decoction
- 羚羊钩藤汤Ling yang gou teng tangAntelope Horn and Uncaria Decoction
- 舒筋散Shu jin sanRelax the Sinews Powder
- 疏经活血汤Shu jing huo xue tangRelax the Channels and Invigorate the Blood Decoction
- 天麻钩藤饮Tian ma gou teng yinGastrodia and Uncaria DrinkBasic formula
- 乌药顺气散Wu yao shun qi sanLindera Powder to Smooth the Flow of Qi
- 消风散Xiao feng sanEliminate Wind Powder
- 抑肝散Yi gan sanRestrain the Liver Powder
- 薏苡仁汤Yi yi ren tangCoix Decoction
祛湿剂Formulas that drain dampness
- 八正散Ba zheng sanEight-Herb Powder for RectificationBasic formula
- 二妙散Er miao sanTwo-Marvel PowderBasic formula
- 防己黄芪汤Fang ji huang qi tangStephania and Astragalus Decoction
- 藿香正气散Huo xiang zheng qi sanAgastache Powder to Rectify the Qi
- 苓桂术甘汤Ling gui zhu gan tangPoria, Cinnamon Twig, White Atractylodes and Licorice DecoctionBasic formula
- 平胃散Ping wei sanCalm the Stomach PowderBasic formula
- 胃苓汤Wei ling tangCalm the Stomach and Poria Decoction
- 五淋散Wu lin sanFive-Ingredient Powder for Painful Urinary Dysfunction
- 五苓散Wu ling sanFive-Ingredient Powder with PoriaBasic formula
- 五皮饮Wu pi yinFive-Peel Drink
- 茵陈蒿汤Yin chen hao tangCapillaris DecoctionBasic formula
- 猪苓汤Zhu ling tangPolyporus Decoction
祛痰剂Formulas that transform phlegm
- 定喘汤Ding chuan tangArrest Wheezing Decoction
- 二陈汤Er chen tangTwo Aged Herbs DecoctionBasic formula
- 海藻玉壶汤Hai zao yu hu tangSargassum Decoction for the Jade Flask
- 温胆汤Wen dan tangWarm the Gallbladder Decoction
- 小半夏加茯苓汤Xiao ban xia jia fu ling tangMinor Pinellia plus Poria Decoction
- 消瘰丸Xiao luo wanReduce Scrofula Pill
消食剂Formulas for food stagnation
固涩剂Stabilizing and astringent formulas
驱虫剂Formulas against parasites
外用剂Formulas for external use
Sources
In our own words, based on: