Chinese: 大防风汤
Pinyin: Dà Fáng Fēng Tāng
Other names: Major Saposhnikovia Decoction
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that dispel Wind-Damp
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: LumbagoMyelitisTinnitus and eighteen other conditions
- Expel Wind Damp
- Relieve pain
- Tonify the Liver and the Kidneys
- Tonify the Blood and Qi
Contraindications: Not for external Heat Pernicious Influence invading Channels and Joints
Source date: 1107 AD
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.
Da Fang Feng Tang is a 14-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng) as a principal ingredient.
Invented in 1107 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that dispel Wind-Damp. Its main actions are: 1) expel Wind Damp and 2) relieve 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 Da Fang Feng Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles or Painful Obstruction. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as arthralgia, common cold or dysenteric wind for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the fourteen ingredients in Da Fang Feng Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that Da Fang Feng Tang helps treat.
The fourteen ingredients in Da Fang Feng Tang
Fang Feng is a king ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng)
Fang Feng warm and moistening. It expels the Wind, Dampness and Cold and stop joints pain due to external Pernicious Influence invading the Channels and Joints.
Qiang Huo is a deputy ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
2. Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo)
Qiang Huo works with the key herb in expelling the Wind Damp, unblocking the Channels and stopping obstruction pain in the joints.
Zhi Fu Zi is a deputy ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Prepared Aconite (Zhi Fu Zi)
Zhi Fu Zi warms the Channels and supports the Yang. It also helps relieve obstruction pain in the joints by expelling Damp Cold.
Shu Di huang is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
4. Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di huang)
Part used: Prepared dried root tuber
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: KidneyLiver
Category: Tonic herbs for Blood Deficiency
Shu Di huang warms and tonifies the Liver as well as the Kidneys. It strengthens the Channels, bones and tendons. It also invigorates and tonifies Blood at the same time. It is one of the four ingredients for the formula Si Wu Tang which is commonly use for Blood tonifying and invigorating purpose.
Du Zhong is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
5. Eucommia Bark (Du Zhong)
Part used: Dried stem bark
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: KidneyLiver
Category: Tonic herbs for Yang Deficiency
Du Zhong warms and tonifies the Liver as well as the Kidneys. It also strengthens the Channels, bones and tendons.
Niu Xi is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
6. Achyranthes Roots (Niu Xi)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Neutral
Meridian affinity: KidneyLiver
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Niu Xi warms and tonifies the Liver as well as the Kidneys. It also strengthens the Channels, bones and tendons.
Ren Shen is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
7. Ginseng (Ren Shen)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSpleen
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Ren Shen tonifies the Spleen so as to support the generating of the Blood and Qi. It is also one of the four ingredients of the formula Si Jun Zi Tang that is commonly used for Qi and Blood tonifying.
Huang Qi is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
8. Milkvetch Roots (Huang Qi)
Huang Qi tonifies the Spleen so as to support the generating of the Blood and Qi. It is also one of the four ingredients of the formula Si Jun Zi Tang that is commonly used for Qi and Blood tonifying.
Bai Zhu is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
9. Atractylodes Rhizomes (Bai Zhu)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Bai Zhu tonifies the Spleen so as to support the generating of the Blood and Qi. It is also one of the four ingredients of the formula Si Jun Zi Tang that is commonly used for Qi and Blood tonifying.
Gan Cao is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
10. Liquorice (Gan Cao)
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Gan Cao tonifies the Spleen so as to support the generating of the Blood and Qi. It is one of the four ingredients of the formula Si Jun Zi Tang that is commonly used for Qi and Blood tonifying. It also harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
Dang Gui is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
11. Dong Quai (Dang Gui)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: HeartLiverSpleen
Category: Tonic herbs for Blood Deficiency
Dang Gui invigorates and tonifies Blood at the same time. It is one of the four ingredients for the formula Si Wu Tang which is commonly use for Blood tonifying and invigorating purpose.
Bai Shao is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
12. White Peony Roots (Bai Shao)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Neutral
Meridian affinity: LiverSpleen
Category: Tonic herbs for Blood Deficiency
Bai Shao invigorates and tonifies Blood at the same time. It is one of the four ingredients for the formula Si Wu Tang which is commonly use for Blood tonifying and invigorating purpose.
Chuan Xiong is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
13. 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 invigorates and tonifies Blood at the same time. It is one of the four ingredients for the formula Si Wu Tang which is commonly use for Blood tonifying and invigorating purpose.
Long Yan Rou is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
14. Longans (Long Yan Rou)
Part used: Dried flesh of the fruit
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartSpleen
Category: Tonic herbs for Blood Deficiency
In general Long Yan Rou's main actions are as follows: "Nourishes the Blood. Calms the spirit. Relieves fatigue, especially mental fatigue."
In the context of Da Fang Feng Tang, it is used because it tonifies Qi and Blood.
Conditions and patterns for which Da Fang Feng Tang may be prescribed
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 Da Fang Feng Tang is used by TCM practitioners to treat two different patterns which we describe below.
But before we delve into these patterns here is an overview of the Western conditions they're commonly associated with:
Arthralgia Common cold Dysenteric Wind Crane’s Knee Wind Paralysis Gouty arthritis Idiopathic edema Malnutritional edema Muscle atrophy Paresthesia Lumbago Facial paralysis Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Myelophthisis Myelitis Monoplegia Neuralgia Fibromyalgia Hemiplegia Tinnitus
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Da Fang Feng Tang treats arthralgia" for instance. Rather, Da Fang Feng Tang is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind arthralgia.
Now let's look at the two patterns commonly treated with Da Fang Feng Tang.
Wind is one of the pathogenic factors in Chinese Medicine. Learn more about Wind in Chinese Medicine
Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Floating (Fu)
Symptoms: Fever Joints pain Aversion to wind
Da Fang Feng Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles. This pattern leads to symptoms such as joints pain, aversion to wind and fever. Patients with Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles typically exhibit floating (Fu) pulses.
It is a type of the Painful Obstruction Syndrome (Bi Syndrome 痹证). The Chinese name is called Xing Bi or Feng Bi (行痹 / 风痹).
This patter is similar to Cold invading the channels and joints. Both patterns evolve joints pain and stiffness, but the pain with Cold mostly occurs in one single joint,... read more about Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
Painful Obstruction
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Wiry (Xian)
Symptoms: Knee pain Elbow pain Ankle pain Joint pain Wrist pain Stiff neck Lumbar pain Joint stiff Stiff ankle Stiff wrist Muscle pain Shoulder pain Tenosynovitis Knee stiffness Swollen joints Elbow stiffness Tendonitis wrist Shoulder stiffness Lumbar spine stiffness Numbness in the muscles De quervain's tenosynovitis
Da Fang Feng Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Painful Obstruction. This pattern leads to symptoms such as lumbar pain, shoulder pain, knee pain and elbow pain. Patients with Painful Obstruction typically exhibit tight (Jin) or wiry (Xian) pulses.
Painful Obstruction Syndrome is also called Bi Symdrome (Bi Zheng). 'Bi' means Stagnation or blockage in Chinese. It occurs mainly due to Exterior Pernicious Factors invasion such as Wind, Cold, Dampness or Heat.
There are four types of Painful Obstruction Syndrome patterns according to the... read more about Painful Obstruction
Formulas similar to Da Fang Feng Tang
Shi Quan Da Bu Tang is 57% similar to Da Fang Feng Tang
Zai Zao San is 57% similar to Da Fang Feng Tang
Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang is 53% similar to Da Fang Feng Tang
Ba Zhen Yi Mu Tang is 50% similar to Da Fang Feng Tang
Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang is 50% similar to Da Fang Feng Tang
Ba Zhen Tang is 50% similar to Da Fang Feng Tang