Chinese: 桃花汤
Pinyin: Táo Huā Tāng
Other names: Peach Blossom Decoction
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that bind up Intestines and secure abandoned conditions
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: HemorrhoidsPeptic ulcersCrohn's disease and three other conditions
- Warms the Middle
- Dispels Cold
- Binds up the bowels and stops dysenteric disorders
Contraindications: This formula is astringent and warming in nature and therefore contraindicated... This formula is astringent and warming in nature and therefore contraindicated for dysenteric disorders due to Damp-Heat. see more
Source date: 220 AD
Source book: Discussion of Cold Damage
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.
Tao Hua Tang is a 3-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Red Halloysite (Chi Shi Zhi) as a principal ingredient.
Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that bind up Intestines and secure abandoned conditions. Its main actions are: 1) warms the Middle and 2) dispels Cold.
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 Tao Hua Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Large Intestine Cold, Cold invading the Large Intestine or Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency with Empty Cold. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease or peptic ulcers for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the three ingredients in Tao Hua Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that Tao Hua Tang helps treat.
The three ingredients in Tao Hua Tang
Chi Shi Zhi is a king ingredient in Tao Hua Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Red Halloysite (Chi Shi Zhi)
Part used: The mineral
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: StomachLarge intestine
Category: Herbs that stabilize and bind
Chi Shi Zhi warming and astringent. It binds up the Intestines and stabilizes the disorder. Due to its warming nature, it is
especially useful for treating blood and pus in the stool due to Cold from Yang Deficiency. Half of the formula is taken as a powder so that the substance itself reaches the Intestines and this will increase its absorptive action.
Gan Jiang is a deputy ingredient in Tao Hua Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
2. Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang)
Gan Jiang calms the Middle Burner and expels Cold. It also assists the original Yang and strengthens the
Spleen's transportive and transformative functions so that it is able to contain Essence. Experts also emphasizes that its warmth nature can dispels Cold from the Blood and its acridity nature can clear Stagnation. Therefore this herb is effective in solving the root and branch causes of pus, such as these blood and pus in the stools.
Jing Mi is an assistant ingredient in Tao Hua Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
3. Rice Sprouts (Jing Mi)
Part used: Seed kernels
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Jing Mi nourishes the Stomach and harmonizes the Middle Burner. It helps the other ingredients improve the function of the Stomach and Intestines.
Conditions and patterns for which Tao Hua 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 Tao Hua Tang is used by TCM practitioners to treat three 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:
Ulcerative colitis Crohn's disease Peptic ulcers Chronic dysentery Hemorrhoids Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Tao Hua Tang treats ulcerative colitis" for instance. Rather, Tao Hua Tang is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind ulcerative colitis.
Now let's look at the three patterns commonly treated with Tao Hua Tang.
The Large Intestine is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Large Intestine in Chinese Medicine
Large Intestine Cold
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Weak (Ruo)
Symptoms: Borborygmi Cold limbs Loose stools Abdominal pain Clear urination
Tao Hua Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Large Intestine Cold. This pattern leads to symptoms such as loose stools, abdominal pain, borborygmi and clear urination. Patients with Large Intestine Cold typically exhibit deep (Chen) or weak (Ruo) pulses.
This is an Empty Cold pattern which is caused by prolong Deficiency of Spleen Yang. The Yang fails to warm the Large Intestine, hence the symptoms of dull abdominal pain and cold limbs. The function of absorbing Body Fluids is also impaired and thus the patients develop loose stools like duck... read more about Large Intestine Cold
The Large Intestine is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Large Intestine in Chinese Medicine
Cold invading the Large Intestine
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Tight (Jin)
Symptoms: Diarrhea Abdominal pain Feeling of cold Cold sensation in abdomen
Tao Hua Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Cold invading the Large Intestine. This pattern leads to symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, feeling of cold and cold sensation in abdomen. Patients with Cold invading the Large Intestine typically exhibit deep (Chen) or tight (Jin) pulses.
Like the Stomach and the Uterus, the large Intestine is one of the three Organs that the external Cold can invade directly. It is a Full Cold pattern and the Cold Evil penetrates the Defensive Qi and resides in the Large Intestine. The Cold then impairs the Qi circulation of the Lower Burner, hence... read more about Cold invading the Large Intestine
The Spleen is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency with Empty Cold
Pulse type(s): Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)
Tongue color: Pale
Symptoms: Pus in stool Dark blood in stool Chronic dysenteric disorder abdominal pain relieved by presure and warmth
Tao Hua Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency with Empty Cold. This pattern leads to symptoms such as chronic dysenteric disorder, dark blood in stool, pus in stool and abdominal pain relieved by presure and warmth. Patients with Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency with Empty Cold typically exhibit slow (Chi) or weak (Ruo) pulses as well as a pale tongue.
This pattern typically evolves from an initial Damp-Heat dysenteric disorder, leading to a gradual weakening of the Spleen and Stomach. Over time, this progresses into a Cold Deficiency state, marked by the inability of the Middle Burner (Spleen and Stomach) to digest, transform, or transport food,... read more about Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency with Empty Cold
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