Classic formula · Calm the spirit
Gan Mai Da Zao Tang
甘麦大枣汤 Licorice, Wheat and Jujube Decoction
Three kitchen ingredients for a dry, upset Heart. For the person who cries easily, feels sad and restless for no reason, cannot settle, sleeps badly, and yawns and sighs through the day. The old texts called it restless organ disorder. It is as gentle as a formula can be.
Licorice, wheat, and dates. You could cook it as a sweet porridge. Zhang Zhong-jing wrote it eighteen centuries ago for a grief that had dried the Heart out, and it still works for the same thing.
Also sold as: Gan Mai Da Zao Wan · Licorice and Jujube Combination
Who Gan Mai Da Zao Tang is for
This formula is chosen for 2 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Crying easily, sadness without a clear cause
- Restlessness, inability to settle
- Frequent yawning and sighing
- Light sleep, dream-filled nights
- Anxiety and low mood after grief or long strain
- Premenstrual or menopausal tearfulness
- A restless, weepy child
- Tongue
- Pale red with little coat.
- Pulse
- Thin and slightly rapid.
What is in Gan Mai Da Zao 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gan Cao Raw Licorice Root Use caution | 9 g | Chief | Licorice relaxes urgency and nourishes the Heart. |
| Xiao Mai Wheat Seed Use caution | 30 g | Deputy | Whole wheat nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit. Light wheat, fu xiao mai, is used when sweating is present. |
| Da Zao Chinese Date | 10 g | Assistant | Jujube dates nourish the Spleen and blood and sweeten. |
How Gan Mai Da Zao Tang works
Sweet, moist, and mild. Wheat feeds the Heart, dates feed the blood, and licorice loosens the tightness. There is nothing to drain and nothing strong, which is why it suits children, the elderly, and anyone whose nerves are raw rather than inflamed.
Actions in classic terms
- Nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit
- Harmonizes the middle and relaxes urgency
Common changes to Gan Mai Da Zao Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Poor sleep add Suan Zao Ren, Bai Zi Ren Or combine with Suan Zao Ren Tang.
- Heat with a red tongue tip add Bai He, Sheng Di Huang Lily bulb and raw rehmannia cool and moisten.
Cautions with Gan Mai Da Zao Tang
- Mild. If mood does not shift in a few weeks the pattern is deeper.
- Licorice in larger doses over long periods can raise blood pressure and lower potassium. Keep to the course.
- Contains wheat.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, decoction, porridge.
- Decoction
- One bag a day, or cooked as a porridge
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day, the usual label dose
- Course
- Two to six weeks.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Gan Mai Da Zao Tang
The box reads Gan Mai Da Zao Tang or Wan with the characters 甘麦大枣. Three ingredients: Licorice, Wheat, and Jujube.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Gan Mai Da Zao Tang
- Suan Zao Ren Tang 酸枣仁汤 For insomnia from blood deficiency with a dry mouth. A step stronger.
- Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan 天王补心丹 For the hot, dry sleeper with night sweats and mouth ulcers.
Conditions where Gan Mai Da Zao Tang 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.