Yang Xin Tang
Star养心汤 (Nourish the Heart Decoction)
Source: Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng (1602)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Yang Xin Tang (Nourish the Heart Decoction), from the Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng, is used to tonify Spleen-Qi, Heart-Qi and blood; calm the mind.
Presentation: palpitations and restlessness; mental confusion; insomnia; dream-disturbed sleep; tiredness; depression; tongue: pale with a thin white coating; pulse: restless and weak.
Syndrome: Syndrome of Heart-Qi deficiency.
Composition strategy:
- tonifies Qi and blood first as the foundation of Heart-shen
- tonifies Qi from its sources (Kidney, Spleen) and blood from its sources (Kidney, Liver)
- respects blood's preference for warmth and movement (Rou Gui, Chuan Xiong, Dang Gui)
- mind-calming herbs added on that base; Zhi Gan Cao and Wu Wei Zi stabilize and slow the tonic/warm herbs
Source: Yang Y. Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010, p. 148.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ren Shen
as printed: Ren Shen (Ginseng radix)
|
12g | 9.76% | Jun (Chief) | tonify Spleen-Qi to generate Qi and blood for the Heart |
|
Huang Qi
as printed: Huang Qi (Astragali radix)
|
15g | 12.2% | Jun (Chief) | tonify Spleen-Qi |
|
Gan Cao
as printed: Zhi Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae radix preparata)
|
15g | 12.2% | Jun (Chief) | tonify Spleen-Qi; stabilize Qi and blood, slow tonic and warm herbs |
|
Dang Gui
as printed: Dang Gui (Angelicae sinensis radix)
|
12g | 9.76% | Chen (Deputy) | tonify Heart-blood |
|
Suan Zao Ren
also listed among assistants that calm the mind; as printed: Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphi spinosae semen)
|
12g | 9.76% | Chen (Deputy) | tonify Heart-blood, calm the mind |
|
Chuan Xiong
as printed: Chuan Xiong (Chuanxiong rhizoma)
|
12g | 9.76% | Zuo (Assistant) | promote blood circulation |
|
Fu Ling
as printed: Fu Ling (Poria)
|
15g | 12.2% | Zuo (Assistant) | calm the mind, improve sleep |
|
Yuan Zhi
as printed: Yuan Zhi (Polygalae radix)
|
6g | 4.88% | Zuo (Assistant) | calm the mind |
|
Bai Zi Ren
as printed: Bai Zi Ren (Platycladi semen)
|
12g | 9.76% | Zuo (Assistant) | calm the mind, improve sleep |
|
Wu Wei Zi
as printed: Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae fructus)
|
6g | 4.88% | Zuo (Assistant) | stabilize Heart-Qi and Yin, calm Heart-shen |
|
Rou Gui
as printed: Rou Gui (Cinnamomi cassiae cortex)
|
6g | 4.88% | Zuo (Assistant) | promote blood circulation |
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 (+0.61)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: neutral 44%, warm 51%, hot 5%.
Small but decisive: Rou Gui 6g (hot, 5% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 20%
- sweet 60%
- sour 7%
- bitter 7%
- bland 6%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Heart 78%
- Spleen 61%
- Lung 56%
- Kidney 46%
- Liver 34%
- Gallbladder 20%
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
Decoct with 5 slices Zingiberis Rhizoma recens (sheng jiang) and 2 pieces Jujubae Fructus (da zao), starting with about half a liter of water reduced by half; preferably taken before meals.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 462.
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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
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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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