Classic formula · Tonify qi and blood
Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
十全大补汤 All-Inclusive Great Tonifying Decoction
Ba Zhen Tang plus astragalus and cinnamon. For deep qi and blood deficiency with cold: exhausted, pale, cold hands and feet, sweating on effort, dizzy, with sores or wounds that will not heal and a long recovery after illness or treatment. The strongest general tonic in the family.
The eight treasures with the furnace turned on. Astragalus lifts, cinnamon warms, and the eight do the rebuilding. For the person who is not just empty but cold and empty.
Also sold as: Shi Quan Da Bu Wan · Ten Treasures · Ginseng and Dang Gui Ten Combination
Who Shi Quan Da Bu 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
- Exhaustion with pallor and cold limbs
- Spontaneous sweating on effort
- Dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath
- Poor appetite
- Sores, ulcers, or wounds that will not heal
- Slow recovery after surgery, illness, or chemotherapy, when prescribed
- Heavy, pale periods or spotting in a cold, weak person
- Tongue
- Pale with a thin white coat.
- Pulse
- Thin and weak.
What is in Shi Quan Da Bu 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huang Qi Root of Membranous Milkvetch Use caution | 12 g | Chief | Astragalus tonifies qi, lifts, and heals the surface. |
| Rou Gui Cassia Bark Use caution | 3 g | Chief | Cinnamon bark warms the yang and moves the blood. |
| Dang Shen Dang Shen Root | 9 g | Deputy | Codonopsis 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. |
| Zhi Gan Cao Honey-Fried Licorice Root Use caution | 5 g | Envoy | Honey-fried licorice harmonizes. |
| Shu Di Huang Prepared Rehmannia Root Use caution | 12 g | Deputy | Prepared rehmannia builds blood. |
| Dang Gui Root of Chinese Angelica Use caution | 9 g | Deputy | Angelica builds and moves blood. |
| Bai Shao White Peony Root | 9 g | Assistant | White peony nourishes blood. |
| Chuan Xiong Chuanxiong Rhizome, Szechuan Lovage Root Use caution | 6 g | Assistant | Ligusticum keeps the blood moving. |
How Shi Quan Da Bu Tang works
The eight treasures rebuild qi and blood. Astragalus adds lift and surface healing, which is why it closes stubborn wounds. Cinnamon warms the whole formula so a cold body can use it. It is the choice when Ba Zhen Tang is right but the person is also cold.
Actions in classic terms
- Warms and tonifies qi and blood
Common changes to Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Sweating that will not stop add Fu Xiao Mai, Mu Li Light wheat and oyster shell.
- Poor sleep add Suan Zao Ren, Long Yan Rou Or alternate with Gui Pi Tang.
Cautions with Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
- Warm and rich. Not for any heat sign: fever, thirst, a red tongue, a yellow coat.
- Not for a damp picture with bloating and a greasy coat.
- Pause during a cold or flu.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
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
- Course
- One to three months.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
The box reads Shi Quan Da Bu Wan or Tang with the characters 十全大补. Ten ingredients: the eight treasures plus Astragalus and Cinnamon bark.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
- Ba Zhen Tang 八珍汤 The same without astragalus and cinnamon, for weakness without cold.
- Gui Pi Tang 归脾汤 Qi and blood with Heart-calming herbs for the sleepless worrier.
- Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang 补中益气汤 Lifts sinking qi; no blood tonics or warming.
Conditions where Shi Quan Da Bu 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.