Description
Wu Fu Ma Xin Gui Jiang Tang (Monkshood Mother Root, Aconite, Ephedra, Asarum, Cinnamon Twig, and Dried Ginger Decoction), from Treatment Strategies and Formulas in Chinese Medicine (Zhong Yi Zhi Fa Yu Fang Ji).
Actions and indications: Warm the channels and dissipate cold, eliminate dampness and diffuse impediment. Indicated for the treatment of agonizing arthralgia (cold arthralgia), with intense pain of limb joints, aggravated when flexing, fixed pain, cold and cool sensation in the joints, relief with warm, pale tongue with white coating, deep and tight pulse or wiry and tight pulse
Modifications: For severe cold pattern, add Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii Praeparata ( zhi cao wu ); for headache, aversion to cold and low back pain, add Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii ( qiang huo ), Radix Saposhnikoviae ( fang feng ) and Radix Angelicae Pubescentis ( du huo ) to dispel wind and overcome dampness to release exterior cold; for frozen joints, and heavy sensation in the waist and knees due to cold-damp obstructing the movement of qi and blood, add Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae ( qin jiao ), Rhizoma Curcumae Longae ( jiang huang ), Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae ( fang ji ) and Cortex Erythrinae ( hai tong pi ) to invigorate blood and promote fluid movement
Cautions: Dosage of this formula is large; it can be discounted according to patient’s condition. Because Radix Aconiti ( chuan wu ) and Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata ( fu zi ) are poisonous, the herbs should be decocted until not numb mouth for oral use
Category: Formulas That Warm the Channels and Dissipate Cold.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas: New Century Traditional Chinese Medicine. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 540–542.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ma Huang
as printed: Herba Ephedrae (ma huang) 10 g
|
10g | 20% | — | |
|
Zhi Fu Zi
dose printed as 10–60 g; as printed: Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata (zhi fu zi) 10–60 g
|
g | — | — | |
|
Xi Xin
as printed: Radix et Rhizoma Asari (xi xin) 10 g
|
10g | 20% | — | |
|
Zhi Chuan Wu
dose printed as 10–60 g; as printed: Radix Aconiti Praeparata (zhi chuan wu) 10–60 g
|
g | — | — | |
|
Gui Zhi
as printed: Ramulus Cinnamomi (gui zhi) 30 g
|
30g | 60% | — | |
|
Gan Jiang
dose printed as 10–30 g; as printed: Rhizoma Zingiberis (gan jiang) 10–30 g
|
g | — | — | |
|
Gan Cao
dose printed as 10–30 g; as printed: Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae (gan cao) 10–30 g
|
g | — | — | |
|
Feng Mi
dose printed as 30–120 g; as printed: Mel (feng mi) 30–120 g
|
g | — | — |
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 (+1.00)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: warm 100%.
Taste
- pungent 60%
- sweet 30%
- bitter 10%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Lung 100%
- Heart 80%
- Kidney 20%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
5 herbs without a dose in grams, so left out of every figure above: Zhi Fu Zi, Zhi Chuan Wu, Gan Jiang, Gan Cao, Feng Mi.
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
Decoct the ingredients with water for oral use. Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata ( zhi fu zi ) and Radix Aconiti Praeparata ( zhi chuan wu ) need to be decocted for a long time
Relationships
Full-screen graph →Click a node for details · double-click to expand it · Ctrl/⌘ + scroll or two fingers to zoom and pan.
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.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Wu Fu Ma Xin Gui Jiang Tang.
No notes yet.