Yi Gan YiGan Restrain The Liver Powder 抑肝散 Liver Repressing Formula, Bupleurum Formula yi gan restrain the liver powder formula

Yi Gan Wan - Restrain The Liver Powder

抑肝散

Also known as: Liver Repressing Formula, Bupleurum Formula

Clinical Usage

  • Anxiety, palpitations, easily frightened, alternating fevers/chills; heat from deficiency in the liver.
  • Originally designed for Children who had issues such as anger, fright, fevers, insomnia, digestive issues, etc. from liver blood - used in modern times due to modern lifestyles.
  • May show epigastric issues such as bloating, possibly with vomiting of mucus.

Clinician Notes

  • May be most useful when taken before bedtime.
  • As it is a relatively mild formula may also be combined (for example) with other shen calming formulas such as tian wan bu xin wan or strengthening formulas such as bu zhong yi qi wan, among many other possibilities, as appropriate.
Relationships
TCM Patterns (1 connection)
Formulas Related by Clinical Functions

Yi Gan Wan is in the "Regulate and Harmonize the Liver and Spleen" group within the "Harmonize" category.

Other Formulas in "Regulate and Harmonize the Liver and Spleen" (13)

Other Formulas in "Harmonize" (14)

Common Formula Ingredients

Yi Gan Wan is generally comprised of the following 7 ingredients:

Bai Zhu
Bai Zhu
Atractylodes (White) Rhizome
  • Tonifies the spleen, augments qi, dries dampness - diarrhea, fatigue, lack of appetite, vomiting, edema.
  • Stabilizes the exterior and stops sweating - spontaneous sweating due to qi deficiency.
  • Calms the fetus - arising from spleen deficiency.
Bai Zhu is also included in 28 formulas
Chai Hu
Chai Hu
Thorowax Root, Bupleurum
  • Clears shao yang disorders and reduces fever - alternating chills and fever, bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, vomiting, stifling sensation in the chest.
  • Relieves liver qi stagnation (often used with Bai Shao) - vertigo, menstrual disorders, chest and flank pain, the most common herb to treat stress, irritability, depression, etc.; also for liver and spleen disharmony - bloating, nausea, indigestion, flank pain.
  • Raises yang qi in spleen and stomach deficiency patterns (often used with Sheng Ma) - prolapsed organ, diarrhea, hemorrhoids.
Chai Hu is also included in 23 formulas
Chuan Xiong
Chuan Xiong
Szechuan Lovage Root
  • Invigorate blood, promote movement of Qi - any blood stasis pattern, important for gynecological issues (amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, difficult labor, lochioschesis).
  • Expels wind and alleviates pain - headache (temporal, vertex), dizziness, painful obstructions, skin issues.
  • Headache - moves qi upward and alleviates pain; headaches due to wind, heat, cold, blood deficiency.
Chuan Xiong is also included in 43 formulas
Dang Gui
Dang Gui
Chinese Angelica Root
  • Tonifies the blood, regulates menses - pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, palpitations, irregular menses, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.
  • Invigorates/harmonizes the blood, disperses cold - important herb to stop pain due to blood stasis - abdominal pain, trauma, carbuncles due to blood stasis, chronic bi.
  • Moistens dry intestines due to blood deficiency.
  • Reduces swellings, expels pus, generates flesh - sores.
Dang Gui is also included in 66 formulas
Fu Ling
Fu Ling
Poria, China Root
  • Promotes urination, drains dampness, transforms phlegm - urinary difficulty, diarrhea, edema, headache, dizziness, greasy tongue coat.
  • Strengthens the spleen, harmonizes the middle jiao - diarrhea, loss of appetite.
  • Quiets the heart and calms the spirit - palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness.
Fu Ling is also included in 52 formulas
Gan Cao
Gan Cao
Licorice Root
  • Tonifies the spleen and augments qi - spleen deficiency w/shortness of breath, fatigue, loose stools (si jun zi tong).
  • Qi and/or blood deficiency w/irregular pluse or palpitations (Zhi Gan Cao Tang).
  • Moistens the lungs and stops cough - heat/cold in the lungs (Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang).
  • Clears heat and toxic fire (raw) - carbuncles, sores, sore throat due to fire toxin (internally or topically).
  • Alleviates pain and stops spasms - abdomen or legs (Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang).
  • Often used to harmonize and/or moderate characteristics of other herbs.
  • Antidote for toxic substances (internally and topically).
Gan Cao is also included in 62 formulas
Gou Teng
Gou Teng
Gambir Vine Stems and Thorns
  • Extinguishes wind and alleviates spasms - spasms, muscle tremors, seizures.
  • Drains liver heat and pacifies liver yang - headaches, irritability, red eyes, dizziness.
  • Releases the exterior - fever, headaches, red eyes.
Gou Teng is also included in 5 formulas