An Tai Zhu Gao
Star安胎主膏 (Fetus-Quieting Plaster)
Source: Rhymed Prose on [Medical] Principles and Applications (1870)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
An Tai Zhu Gao (Fetus-Quieting Plaster), from Rhymed Prose on [Medical] Principles and Applications (1870).
Actions: Augments the qi and blood; Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys; Quiets the fetus
Indications: Restless fetus from qi or blood deficiency or Liver/Kidney insufficiency
Pattern: Restless fetus from qi-blood deficiency or Liver-Kidney insufficiency
Cautions:
- Minium (qian dan) is toxic and gives off toxic smoke in hot oil; make only with good ventilation, or substitute beeswax
Modifications:
- Spotting: add sang ji sheng and e jiao 15g each (source text)
- Pain: add fang feng and du huo (source text)
- Water swelling: mix in powdered sheng jiang pi, fu ling pi, da fu pi and chen pi (source text)
- Blood-heat hematuria: add chai hu and zhi zi (source text)
Category: External Formulas for Internal Disorders.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 904.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dang Shen
as printed: Codonopsis Radix (dang shen) 64g
|
64g | 13.11% | — | |
|
Dang Gui
as printed: Angelicae sinensis Radix (dang gui) 64g
|
64g | 13.11% | — | |
|
Shu Di Huang
as printed: Rehmanniae Radix preparata (shu di huang) 96g
|
96g | 19.67% | — | |
|
Huang Qin
as printed: wine-fried Scutellariae Radix (jiu chao huang qin) 48g
|
48g | 9.84% | — | |
|
Shan Yao
as printed: Dioscoreae Rhizoma (shan yao) 48g
|
48g | 9.84% | — | |
|
Bai Zhu
as printed: Atractylodis macrocephalae Rhizoma (bai zhu) 48g
|
48g | 9.84% | — | |
|
Chuan Xiong
as printed: Chuanxiong Rhizoma (chuan xiong) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — | |
|
Bai Shao
as printed: wine-fried Paeoniae Radix alba (jiu chao bai shao) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — | |
|
Chen Pi
as printed: Citri reticulatae Pericarpium (chen pi) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — | |
|
Zi Su Geng
as printed: Perillae Caulis (zi su geng) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — | |
|
Xiang Fu
as printed: Cyperi Rhizoma (xiang fu) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — | |
|
Du Zhong
as printed: Eucommiae Cortex (du zhong) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — | |
|
Xu Duan
as printed: Dipsaci Radix (xu duan) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — | |
|
Zhe Bei Mu
as printed: Fritillariae thunbergii Bulbus (zhe bei mu) 15g
|
15g | 3.07% | — |
Energetics dose-weighted
The formula's overall nature, taste balance and channel reach, weighted by each herb's dose. Classical formulas often pair warm and cool herbs on purpose, so a net figure summarises the mix — it doesn't describe every herb in it.
Nature
Net slightly warm (+0.29)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 13%, cool 3%, neutral 26%, warm 58%.
Small but decisive: Huang Qin 48g (cold, 10% of the grams), Zhe Bei Mu 15g (cold, 3% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 15%
- sweet 61%
- sour 2%
- bitter 23%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Spleen 68%
- Liver 48%
- Lung 42%
- Kidney 36%
- Heart 26%
- Stomach 23%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
Dose-weighted from each herb's recorded nature, taste and channels (missing values are left out, never counted as neutral). It describes the composition — it is not a recommendation.
Preparation
Fry herbs in about 800g sesame oil until browned, remove, add about 400g Minium (qian dan) to the warm oil; today 250g beeswax is substituted to make an ointment. Apply bilaterally to KI-23 (shen shu), changed every 4-5 days.
Relationships
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Formula family
Full herb lists
- This formula = Dang Gui San + Si Wu Tang + Chen Pi, Dang Shen, Du Zhong, Shan Yao, Xiang Fu, Xu Duan, Zhe Bei Mu and Zi Su Geng
- This formula = Si Wu Tang + Dang Gui San + Chen Pi, Dang Shen, Du Zhong, Shan Yao, Xiang Fu, Xu Duan, Zhe Bei Mu and Zi Su Geng
Each entry reads as the larger formula written out: “+” adds its other catalogue cores, then the herbs none of them hold. A catalogue formula counts as a core only when at least 80% of its herbs are present, no more than 1 is absent, and the absent herb is not its chief.
Similar Formulas by composition
Match score combines dosage-weighted composition (cosine, 70%) with shared-herb overlap (Jaccard, 30%).
Traditional formula information is for educational purposes only. Herbal formulas should be prescribed by a qualified practitioner — dosages and combinations are individualized and can interact with medications.
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