Dang Gui Nian Tong Tang
Star当归拈痛汤 (Tangkuei Decoction to Lift the Pain)
Source: Lan Shi Mi Cang — Li Gao (Yuan, 1336)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Dang Gui Nian Tong Tang (Tangkuei Decoction to Lift the Pain), from the Lan Shi Mi Cang (Secrets from the Orchid Chamber) by Li Gao.
Actions: Dispels wind and dampness; Clears heat and relieves pain.
Presentation: Dampness and heat affecting the joints and extremities: joint or musculoskeletal pain with redness, swelling, and inflammation; heavy sensation in the shoulders and back; fullness in the chest and epigastrium; dermatological disorders in the lower extremities with itching and pain; skin ulceration and abscess; and a deep, tight pulse.
Cautions:
- Avoid spicy, pungent, oily, or greasy foods
Pharmacological effects reported:
- Anti-inflammatory: suppressed chronic arthritis induced by carrageenan or complete Freund's adjuvant (as did Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang); proposed as NSAID alternative
Source: Chen JK, Chen TT. Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications: Pharmacological Effects & Clinical Research. Art of Medicine Press, 2009, p. 1191.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Qiang Huo
as printed: Qiang Huo (Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii) 15g
|
15g | 11.24% | Jun (Chief) | dispels wind-damp, relieves pain |
|
Yin Chen
xi (washed) with liquor; as printed: Yin Chen (Herba Artemisiae Scopariae) 15g
|
15g | 11.24% | Jun (Chief) | eliminates damp-heat |
|
Ge Gen
as printed: Ge Gen (Radix Puerariae Lobatae) 6g
|
6g | 4.49% | Chen (Deputy) | dispels wind-damp, relieves pain |
|
Fang Feng
as printed: Fang Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae) 9g
|
9g | 6.74% | Chen (Deputy) | dispels wind-damp, relieves pain |
|
Sheng Ma
as printed: Sheng Ma (Rhizoma Cimicifugae) 6g
|
6g | 4.49% | Chen (Deputy) | dispels wind-damp, relieves pain |
|
Huang Qin
xi (washed) with liquor; as printed: Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) 9g
|
9g | 6.74% | Chen (Deputy) | eliminates damp-heat |
|
Ku Shen
chao (dry-fried) in liquor; as printed: Ku Shen (Radix Sophorae Flavescentis) 6g
|
6g | 4.49% | Chen (Deputy) | eliminates damp-heat |
|
Ze Xie
as printed: Ze Xie (Rhizoma Alismatis) 9g
|
9g | 6.74% | Chen (Deputy) | resolves dampness, promotes diuresis |
|
Zhu Ling
as printed: Zhu Ling (Polyporus) 9g
|
9g | 6.74% | Chen (Deputy) | resolves dampness, promotes diuresis |
|
Zhi Mu
xi (washed) with liquor; as printed: Zhi Mu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae) 9g
|
9g | 6.74% | Zuo (Assistant) | eliminates damp-heat |
|
Bai Zhu
as printed: Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) 4.5g
|
4.5g | 3.37% | Zuo (Assistant) | strengthens Spleen, dries dampness |
|
Cang Zhu
as printed: Cang Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis) 6g
|
6g | 4.49% | Zuo (Assistant) | strengthens Spleen, dries dampness |
|
Ren Shen
as printed: Ren Shen (Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng) 6g
|
6g | 4.49% | Zuo (Assistant) | tonifies qi to aid recovery |
|
Dang Gui
as printed: Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 9g
|
9g | 6.74% | Zuo (Assistant) | tonifies blood to aid recovery |
|
Gan Cao
as printed: Zhi Gan Cao (Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae Praeparata cum Melle) 15g
|
15g | 11.24% | Shi (Envoy) | 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 slightly cool (-0.33)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 25%, cool 20%, neutral 18%, warm 37%.
Pairs warm and cool. 37% of the weighed grams are warm or hot and 45% cool or cold — the net is their average, not the whole story.
Small but decisive: Huang Qin 9g (cold, 7% of the grams), Ku Shen 6g (cold, 5% of the grams), Zhi Mu 9g (cold, 7% of the grams), Ze Xie 9g (cold, 7% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 25%
- sweet 37%
- bitter 32%
- bland 7%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Spleen 64%
- Stomach 57%
- Kidney 36%
- Lung 34%
- Heart 34%
- Liver 34%
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
Coarse powder; cook 30g in 2.5 bowls water to 1 bowl; take strained, warm.
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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