Chinese: 川芎茶调散
Pinyin: Chuān Xiōng Chá Diào Sǎn
Other names: Chuanxiong Powder to Be Taken with Green Tea
Number of ingredients: 9 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that dredge and disperse External Wind
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: Acute rhinitisAcute sinusitisTension headache and six other conditions
- Disperses Wind
- Removes pain
Contraindications: Due to the considerable presence of warm and acrid ingredients in this formula,... Due to the considerable presence of warm and acrid ingredients in this formula, it is unsuitable for the treatment of headaches resulting from the ascendance of Liver Yang due to Liver and Kidney Deficiency, or headaches caused by Qi and Blood Deficiency. When consumed as a powder, it should be prepared in limited quantities and cooked for a short duration of 1-3 minutes. see more
Source date: 1107
Source book: Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People in the Taiping Era
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is a 9-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Szechuan Lovage Roots (Chuan Xiong), Angelica Roots (Bai Zhi) and Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1107, it belongs to the category of formulas that dredge and disperse External Wind. Its main actions are: 1) Disperses Wind and 2) removes pain .
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Exterior Wind. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as upper respiratory tract infections, migraine headache or tension headache for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the nine ingredients in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, we review the patterns and conditions that Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San helps treat.
The nine ingredients in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San
Chuan Xiong is a king ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Szechuan Lovage Roots (Chuan Xiong)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: GallbladderLiverPericardium
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Chuan Xiong alleviates headaches along the Lesser Yang and Terminal Yin Channels around temporal and vertex. Notopterygium root also alleviates headaches but along the Greater Yang Channel around occipital. Angelica root is along the Yang Brightness Channel. All these three are King herbs of the formula, and they treat headache in
any part of the head. If the pain is localized, the dosage of the corresponding herb can be increased accordingly.
Bai Zhi is a king ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Angelica Roots (Bai Zhi)
Bai Zhi alleviates headaches along the Yang Brightness Channel. Notopterygium root also alleviates headaches but along the Greater Yang Channel around occipital. Szechuan lovage root is along the Lesser Yang and Terminal Yin Channels around temporal and vertex. All these three are King herbs of the formula, and they treat headache in
any part of the head. If the pain is localized, the dosage of the corresponding herb can be increased accordingly.
Qiang Huo is a king ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
3. Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo)
Qiang Huo alleviates headaches along the Greater Yang Channel around occipital. Angelica root is along the Yang Brightness Channel. Szechuan lovage root is along the Lesser Yang and Terminal Yin Channels around temporal and vertex. All these three are King herbs of the formula, and they treat headache in
any part of the head. If the pain is localized, the dosage of the corresponding herb can be increased accordingly.
Bo He is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Wild Mint (Bo He)
In general Bo He's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and disperses Wind-Heat. Clears Wind-Heat from the head, eyes and throat. Allows the release of toxins from the skin. Moves Stagnant Liver Qi"
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it disperses Wind from the Exterior, benefits the head and eyes, and clears Heat from Stagnation.
Xi Xin is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
5. Wild Ginger (Xi Xin)
Xi Xin scatters cold, alleviates pain, and is especially effective in treating headaches along the Lesser Yin Channel, such as orbital headaches.
Jing Jie is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
6. Japanese Catnip (Jing Jie)
Part used: Aerial portion and flowers, or the spikes only (in which case it is called Jing Jie Sui)
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Pungent
In general Jing Jie's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold or Heat depending on the other herbs used. Releases the Exterior for measles. Stops bleeding. Abates swellings."
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it disperses Wind from both the Exterior and the Channels.
Fang Feng is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
7. Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng)
In general Fang Feng's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold. Relieves Wind-Damp-Cold painful obstruction. Disperses Wind."
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it disperses Wind from both the Exterior and the Channels.
Lv Cha is an assistant ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
8. Green Tea (Lv Cha )
Lv Cha is bitter and cool. It causes the clear Yang to ascend and directs the turbid Yin downward, helps to clear the head and eyes, and moderates the undesirable side effects caused by the warm, drying properties of some of the other ingredients.
Gan Cao is an envoy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
9. Liquorice (Gan Cao)
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
In general Gan Cao's main actions are as follows: "Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs."
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it cools, detoxifies, and harmonizes the actions of the other herbs in the formula.
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is used to treat Exterior Wind
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is mostly used to treat the pattern "Exterior Wind" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Exterior Wind here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Upper respiratory tract infections Migraine headache Tension headache Neurogenic headache Acute rhinitis Chronic rhinitis Acute sinusitis Chronic sinusitis Postconcussion headache
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San treats upper respiratory tract infections" for instance. Rather, Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is used to treat Exterior Wind, which is sometimes the root cause behind upper respiratory tract infections.
Now let's look at Exterior Wind, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San.
The Exterior in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Exterior in Chinese Medicine
Exterior Wind
Pulse type(s): Floating (Fu)
Symptoms: Fever Cough Sneezing Headaches Neck pain Runny nose Itchy skin Stiff neck Heavy body Joint pain Clear mucus Muscle pain Itchy throat Aversion to cold Aversion to wind Facial paralysis
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Exterior Wind. This pattern leads to symptoms such as aversion to cold, fever, headaches and aversion to wind. Patients with Exterior Wind typically exhibit floating (Fu) pulses.
Liver Fire BlazingExternal Wind invades the Lungs' Defensive Qi portion (the ‘Exterior’ of the body), causing symptoms such as aversion to cold, fever, headache or a Floating pulse. External Wind may be combined with Cold, Heat, Dampness and Dryness.
Exterior Wind can invade the Channels of the... read more about Exterior Wind
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