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.
Forgetfulness can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like forgetfulness here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here forgetfulness is often associated with fatigue, palpitations and poor appetite in the pattern “Heart and Spleen Deficiency”. As you will see below, we have in record four patterns that can cause forgetfulness.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of forgetfulness we’ve identified four herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat forgetfulness.
The four "patterns of disharmony" that can cause forgetfulness
In Chinese Medicine forgetfulness is a symptom for 4 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
The Heart is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Heart in Chinese Medicine
Heart and Spleen Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Fine (Xi)
Tongue coating: Thin white coating
Tongue color: Pale
The Heart can receive sufficient Blood from the Spleen, if the latter's transformation and transportation function work properly, providing sufficient nutrients for growth and development. In turn, Heart Blood circulates and supplies the Spleen with nutrients to better perform its functions.
In addition to forgetfulness, other symptoms associated with Heart and Spleen Deficiency include fatigue, palpitations and poor appetite.
Heart and Spleen Deficiency is often treated with Gui Pi Tang, a herbal formula made of 12 herbs (including Ginseng - Ren Shen - as a key herb). Gui Pi Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that tonify qi and blood", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Tonifies and nourish Qi and Blood".
The Bladder is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Bladder in Chinese Medicine
Bladder Deficiency with Cold
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Weak (Ruo)
Tongue coating: Thin white coating
Tongue color: Pale
In addition to forgetfulness, other symptoms associated with Bladder Deficiency with Cold include disorientation, lower back pain and dizziness.
Bladder Deficiency with Cold is often treated with Sang Piao Xiao San, a herbal formula made of 8 herbs (including Praying Mantis Egg-Cases - Sang Piao Shao - as a key herb). Sang Piao Xiao San belongs to the category of "formulas that secure essence and stop enuresis", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Regulates and tonifies the Heart and Kidneys".
The Spleen is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Spleen in Chinese Medicine
Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency
In addition to forgetfulness, other symptoms associated with Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency include fatigue, palpitations and poor appetite.
Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency is often treated with Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang, a herbal formula made of 14 herbs (including Ginseng - Ren Shen - as a key herb). Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that tonify", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Tonifies Qi and Blood".
Read more about Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency here
Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang) is the king ingredient for Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, a formula used for Yin and Blood Deficiency
Yin and Blood Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Fine (Xi)
Tongue coating: Partial absence of coating
Tongue color: Red
In addition to forgetfulness, other symptoms associated with Yin and Blood Deficiency include fatigue, irritability and palpitations with anxiety.
Yin and Blood Deficiency is often treated with Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, a herbal formula made of 14 herbs (including Unprepared Rehmannia - Di Huang - as a key herb). Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan belongs to the category of "formulas that nourish the heart and calm the mind", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Nutritive tonic: Nourishes Yin, Blood and Vital Essence of the Heart and Kidney".
Four herbal formulas that might help with forgetfulness
Sang Piao Xiao San
Source date: 1116 AD
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Key actions: Regulates and tonifies the Heart and Kidneys. Stabilizes the Essence. Stops leakage.
Why might Sang Piao Xiao San help with forgetfulness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Bladder Deficiency with Cold' of which forgetfulness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Bladder Deficiency With Cold include disorientation, lower back pain and dizziness.
Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang
Source date: 1174 AD
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies Qi and Blood. Nourishes the Heart. Calms the spirit.
Why might Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang help with forgetfulness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency' of which forgetfulness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Heart And Spleen Qi And Blood Deficiency include fatigue, palpitations and poor appetite.
Gui Pi Tang
Source date: 1529 AD
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Key actions: Tonifies and nourish Qi and Blood. Tonifies Heart and Spleen.
Why might Gui Pi Tang help with forgetfulness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Heart and Spleen Deficiency' of which forgetfulness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Heart And Spleen Deficiency include fatigue, palpitations and poor appetite.
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Source date: 16th century
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Key actions: Nutritive tonic: Nourishes Yin, Blood and Vital Essence of the Heart and Kidney. Clears away pathogenic Heat, clears Deficient Heat. Sedative.
Why might Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan help with forgetfulness?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Yin and Blood Deficiency' of which forgetfulness is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Yin And Blood Deficiency include fatigue, irritability and palpitations with anxiety.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat forgetfulness
Why might Sweetflag Rhizome (Shi Chang Pu) help with forgetfulness?
Because it is both specifically indicated to treat forgetfulness and also because it is an ingredient in herbal formulas known to treat forgetfulness as a symptom (such as Sang Piao Xiao San for instance).
Sweetflag Rhizomes is a Warm herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Stomach, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Opens the Orifices, awakens the Mind (Shen) and expels Wind-Damp Phlegm. Harmonizes the Earth element and dispels Damp. Applied internally or externally for Wind-Cold-Damp painful obstruction.
Why might Dong Quai (Dang Gui) help with forgetfulness?
Because Dong Quai is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat forgetfulness as a symptom, like Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang or Gui Pi Tang for instance.
Dong Quai is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Lubricates the Intestines. Relieve constipation. Promotes circulation and dispels Bi Pain. Reduce Dysmenorrhea and help with irregular menstruation.
Why might Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu) help with forgetfulness?
Because Atractylodes Rhizome is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat forgetfulness as a symptom, like Gui Pi Tang or Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang for instance.
Atractylodes Rhizomes is a Warm herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Spleen and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Spleen Qi. Fortifies the Spleen Yang and dispels Damp through urination. Tonifies Qi and stops sweating. Calms restless fetus when due to Deficiency of Spleen Qi.
Why might Poria-Cocos Mushroom (Fu Ling) help with forgetfulness?
Because Poria-Cocos Mushroom is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat forgetfulness as a symptom, like Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang or Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan for instance.
Poria-Cocos Mushrooms is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart, the Kidney and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Encourages urination and drains Dampness. Tonic to the Spleen/Stomach. Assists the Heart and calms the Spirit.
Why might Jujube Seed (Suan Zao Ren) help with forgetfulness?
Because Jujube Seed is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat forgetfulness as a symptom, like Gui Pi Tang or Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan for instance.
Jujube Seeds is a Neutral herb that tastes Sour and Sweet. It targets the Gallbladder, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Nourishes the Heart Yin and calms the spirit. Contains Fluid leakage.
Other symptoms often associated with forgetfulness
Fatigue Palpitations Poor appetite Insomnia Pale complexion Abnormal uterine bleeding Menorrhagia Anxiety Restlnessness at night Feverishness