cools Blood.- Zhen Zhu Mu, Long Gu and Mu Li sink and calm the Mind and settle the Ethereal
Soul. - Fu Shen and Yuan Zhi calm the Mind.
- Suan Zao Ren and Bai Zi Ren nourish the Liver, calm the Mind and settle the Ethereal
Soul. - Gan Cao harmonizes.
This formula (a variation of Long Dan Xie Gan Tang Gentiana Draining the Liver Decoction)
specifically drains Liver-Fire and calms the Mind. It addresses the mental restlessness and
irritability deriving from Liver-Fire. The main manifestations are dizziness, tinnitus, red face and
eyes, thirst, scanty-dark urine, dry stools, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, propensity to
outbursts of anger, headache, a Red tongue with redder sides and yellow coating and a Wiry and
Rapid pulse.
Mental-Emotional Pattern
Anger, frustration, resentment and hatred can all cause rising of Liver-Yang and, over a long
period of time, Liver-Fire. This especially happens if the person eats very greasy food and drinks
alcohol. These people would be very angry, prone to outbursts of anger, impatient, mentally
restless and irritable and their sleep would be very disturbed by violent dreams of fights. In this
condition, Fire harasses the Ethereal Soul and makes the person destructive and restless.
At times, this situation may lead to depression especially if the anger (usually towards a member
of the family) is harboured inside for many years. In these cases, the appearance of the person,
depressed, subdued and speaking in a low voice, may disguise the true origin of the problem and
look as if sadness and grief were the cause of the disease. However, the Red tongue with redder
sides and the Wiry and Rapid pulse clearly point to the true origin of the problem, i.e. anger.
Case History 9.9
Mental-Emotional Problems: Liver-Fire Blazing-Female, Age 40
A 40-year-old woman complained of asthma which had started in her early 20s from "emotional
trauma" as she herself described it. She used Ventolin and Becotide inhalers every day as well as
tablets of Prednisolone. Her attacks were clearly elicited by emotional strain and the asthma did
not have an allergic basis.