Da Fang Feng Tang
Star大防风汤 (Major Saposhnikovia Decoction)
Source: Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang — Imperial Medical Department (Song, 1078)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Da Fang Feng Tang (Major Saposhnikovia Decoction), from the Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang (Imperial Grace Formulary of the Tai Ping Era) by Imperial Medical Department.
Actions: Tonifies qi and blood; Strengthens the muscles and tendons; Dispels wind, cold, and dampness.
Presentation: Weakness and paralysis of the lower extremities caused by deficiency of qi and blood: generalized pain and numbness in the legs, weak knees, atrophy of the leg muscles, difficult movement, hemiplegia, and neuralgia.
Cautions:
- For musculoskeletal disorders from severe qi and blood deficiency; do not use for excess without deficiency, since the warm/hot herbs may aggravate it
Pharmacological effects reported:
- Antirheumatic: in collagen-induced arthritis models (mice, rats) inhibited iNOS expression and lowered anti-collagen IgG; suggested potential for rheumatoid arthritis
Source: Chen JK, Chen TT. Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications: Pharmacological Effects & Clinical Research. Art of Medicine Press, 2009, p. 1181.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dang Gui
xi (washed), jin (soaked) in liquor, and chao (dry-fried); as printed: Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 60g
|
60g | 9.52% | tonifies and activates blood | |
|
Shu Di Huang
xi (washed); as printed: Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata) 60g
|
60g | 9.52% | tonifies and activates blood | |
|
Bai Shao
as printed: Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 60g
|
60g | 9.52% | tonifies and activates blood | |
|
Chuan Xiong
as printed: Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) 45g
|
45g | 7.14% | tonifies and activates blood | |
|
Ren Shen
as printed: Ren Shen (Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng) 30g
|
30g | 4.76% | tonifies qi, strengthens Spleen | |
|
Bai Zhu
as printed: Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) 60g
|
60g | 9.52% | tonifies qi, strengthens Spleen | |
|
Huang Qi
chao (dry-fried); as printed: Huang Qi (Radix Astragali) 60g
|
60g | 9.52% | tonifies qi, strengthens Spleen | |
|
Niu Xi
jin (soaked) in liquor and chao (dry-fried); as printed: Niu Xi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae) 30g
|
30g | 4.76% | tonifies Kidney, nourishes tendons and muscles, relieves pain | |
|
Du Zhong
chao (dry-fried); as printed: Du Zhong (Cortex Eucommiae) 60g
|
60g | 9.52% | tonifies Kidney, nourishes tendons and muscles, relieves pain | |
|
Fang Feng
as printed: Fang Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae) 60g
|
60g | 9.52% | dispels wind, relieves numbness and joint pain | |
|
Qiang Huo
as printed: Qiang Huo (Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii) 30g
|
30g | 4.76% | dispels wind, relieves numbness and joint pain | |
|
Zhi Fu Zi
pao (blast-fried); as printed: Fu Zi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata) 45g
|
45g | 7.14% | dispels cold and dampness | |
|
Gan Cao
as printed: Zhi Gan Cao (Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae Praeparata cum Melle) 30g
|
30g | 4.76% | with Sheng Jiang harmonizes the herbs |
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 warm (+0.79)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cool 10%, neutral 10%, warm 74%, hot 7%.
Small but decisive: Zhi Fu Zi 45g (hot, 7% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 23%
- sweet 55%
- sour 6%
- bitter 16%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Spleen 64%
- Liver 60%
- Kidney 41%
- Heart 26%
- Lung 19%
- Stomach 14%
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
Grind to powder; cook 15g with 7 slices Sheng Jiang and 1 Da Zao in 1.5 bowls water to 80% volume; take warm on empty stomach before meals.
Relationships
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Formula family
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.
Formula Network
Formulas that share herbs with this one — the closer to the centre, the stronger the match. Click a node to explore.
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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