Classic formula · Tonify qi and blood
Ba Zhen Tang
八珍汤 Eight-Treasure Decoction
The four qi herbs and the four blood herbs in one formula. For the person who is both weak and pale: tired, short of breath, dizzy, a sallow face, palpitations, poor appetite, and in women a light or late cycle. The standard rebuilding formula after illness, blood loss, surgery, or childbirth.
Si Jun Zi Tang is the four gentlemen who make energy. Si Wu Tang is the four substances that make blood. Put them at one table and you have the eight treasures: a complete meal for a body that has run out of both.
Also sold as: Ba Zhen Wan · Eight Treasures Teapills · Women's Precious Pills
Who Ba Zhen Tang is for
This formula is chosen for 3 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Tiredness with pallor, a sallow or pale face
- Dizziness and blurry vision
- Palpitations and shortness of breath on effort
- Weak voice, no wish to talk
- Poor appetite
- Light, late, or absent periods
- Slow recovery after illness, surgery, childbirth, or blood loss
- Wounds or ulcers that heal slowly
- Tongue
- Pale with a thin white coat.
- Pulse
- Thin and weak.
What is in Ba Zhen Tang
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dang Shen Dang Shen Root | 9 g | Chief | Codonopsis, or ginseng in the classic, restores the qi. |
| Bai Zhu Rhizome of Largehead Atractylodes | 9 g | Deputy | Atractylodes strengthens the Spleen. |
| Fu Ling Poria | 9 g | Deputy | Poria drains damp and calms. |
| Zhi Gan Cao Honey-Fried Licorice Root Use caution | 5 g | Envoy | Honey-fried licorice harmonizes and supports the middle. |
| Shu Di Huang Prepared Rehmannia Root Use caution | 15 g | Chief | Prepared rehmannia, the heaviest blood tonic. |
| Dang Gui Root of Chinese Angelica Use caution | 9 g | Deputy | Angelica builds and moves blood. |
| Bai Shao White Peony Root | 9 g | Deputy | White peony nourishes blood and yin. |
| Chuan Xiong Chuanxiong Rhizome, Szechuan Lovage Root Use caution | 6 g | Assistant | Ligusticum moves the blood so the tonics do not stagnate. |
| Sheng Jiang Fresh Ginger Use caution | 3 g | Envoy | Fresh ginger warms the Stomach. |
| Da Zao Chinese Date | 5 g | Envoy | Jujube dates nourish the Spleen and blood. |
How Ba Zhen Tang works
Qi makes blood and blood carries qi, so when both are low, building one without the other stalls. The four gentlemen rebuild the Spleen's power to make blood; the four substances give it the raw material. Ginger and dates keep the whole rich mix digestible.
Actions in classic terms
- Tonifies qi and blood together
Common changes to Ba Zhen Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Heavier tiredness and cold add Huang Qi, Rou Gui This becomes Shi Quan Da Bu Tang, the ten-herb version.
- Poor sleep and worry add Suan Zao Ren, Long Yan Rou Or switch to Gui Pi Tang.
- Scanty periods with cramps add Xiang Fu, Yi Mu Cao Cyperus and motherwort regulate the cycle.
Cautions with Ba Zhen Tang
- Rich. Not for a damp or hot picture: a thick greasy coat, bloating, a bitter taste, or a fever.
- If it bloats you, the Spleen is too weak for the blood herbs yet. Start with Si Jun Zi Tang alone.
- Pause during a cold or flu.
- Pregnancy: a practitioner's call. It is used in pregnancy, but only when prescribed.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, concentrated tablets, granules, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day with warm water, the usual label dose
- Decoction
- One bag a day in two doses, with the amounts above
- Course
- One to three months.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Ba Zhen Tang
The box reads Ba Zhen Wan or Ba Zhen Tang with the characters 八珍. Eight herbs plus ginger and dates. Codonopsis often replaces ginseng.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Ba Zhen Tang
- Si Jun Zi Tang 四君子汤 The qi half alone, for tiredness and weak digestion without pallor.
- Si Wu Tang 四物汤 The blood half alone, for pallor and a light cycle in someone whose energy is fine.
- Gui Pi Tang 归脾汤 Qi and blood with Heart-calming herbs, for the tired worrier who sleeps badly.
- Shi Quan Da Bu Tang 十全大补汤 Ba Zhen Tang plus astragalus and cinnamon, for deeper weakness with cold.
Conditions where Ba Zhen Tang comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and modifications.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.