Classic formula · Tonify yin
Er Zhi Wan
二至丸 Two-Ultimate Pill
Two gentle herbs for Liver and Kidney yin deficiency: early grey hair, dizziness, blurry or dry eyes, dream-filled sleep, a dry mouth, and a sore back, in a mild form. Light enough to take for a long time and to add alongside a rehmannia formula.
One herb is picked at the winter solstice and one at the summer solstice, which is where the name comes from. Two small harvests that together keep the hair dark and the eyes clear.
Also sold as: Two Solstices Pill · Ligustrum and Eclipta Pill
Who Er Zhi Wan is for
This formula is chosen for 3 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Early grey hair, hair that thins
- Dizziness, blurry vision, dry eyes
- Insomnia with many dreams
- Dry mouth and throat
- Sore low back and weak knees
- Bleeding from heat on a yin-deficient base, such as heavy periods or nosebleeds in a dry person
- Tongue
- Red with little coat.
- Pulse
- Thin and rapid.
What is in Er Zhi Wan
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nu Zhen Zi Glossy Privet Fruit | 12 g | Chief | Privet fruit nourishes Liver and Kidney yin and brightens the eyes. Steamed with wine in the classic preparation. |
| Han Lian Cao Eclipta | 12 g | Deputy | Eclipta nourishes yin, cools the blood, stops bleeding, and darkens hair. |
How Er Zhi Wan works
Both herbs are mild and neither is heavy or cloying, which is rare for a yin tonic. That is the whole point: a formula gentle enough to ride in the background for months, on its own or inside a bigger prescription.
Actions in classic terms
- Tonifies Liver and Kidney yin
- Cools the blood and darkens the hair
Common changes to Er Zhi Wan
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Stronger Kidney signs add Shu Di Huang, Gou Qi Zi Or simply take it alongside Liu Wei Di Huang Wan.
- Heavy periods from heat add Sheng Di Huang, Di Yu Cooling herbs that stop bleeding.
Cautions with Er Zhi Wan
- Mild, but still cooling. Loose stools or a cold picture call for something else.
- Grey hair from age alone does not reverse. The formula is for hair that greyed early in a dry, deficient person.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day, the usual label dose
- Course
- Three months or more. It is built for the long run.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Er Zhi Wan
The box reads Er Zhi Wan with the characters 二至丸. Two ingredients: Ligustrum (privet fruit) and Eclipta.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Er Zhi Wan
- Liu Wei Di Huang Wan 六味地黄丸 The full six-herb Kidney base. Er Zhi Wan is the light version or the add-on.
- Qi Ju Di Huang Wan 杞菊地黄丸 The eye version of Liu Wei, stronger than Er Zhi Wan for dry and blurry eyes.
Conditions where Er Zhi Wan comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, and indications.
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.