[Naming]

Quoting “Selected Annotations of Ancient Formulas”: Storax can open the twelve meridians and the 365 acupoints, hence it is used as the monarch ingredient to name this formula.

 [Source]

“Taiping Huimin Heji Bureau Formulas”

 [Composition]

Storax (oil), Styrax benzoin, Borneol (Borneolum), Aucklandia lappa, Atractylodes macrocephala, White Sandalwood (Santalum album), Clove, 砂/’>Cinnabar (Cinnabaris), Agarwood, Cyperus rotundus (Cyperus rotundus), Rhinoceros horn (Rhinoceros unicornis), Long pepper, Benzoin, Musk, Terminalia chebula (Terminalia chebula)
(15)

 [Classification Group]

<Clearing Heat and Cooling Blood>: Rhinoceros horn

<Regulating Qi>: Aucklandia lappa, Sandalwood, Agarwood

<Tonifying Spleen and Middle Jiao>: Atractylodes macrocephala

<Warming the Interior>: Cyperus rotundus, Long pepper, Clove

<Activating Blood and Dispelling Stasis>: Styrax benzoin

<Astringing>: Terminalia chebula

<Calming the Spirit>: 砂/’>Cinnabar, Benzoin

<Opening the Orifices>: Borneol, Musk, Storax

[Formula Rationale]

Quoting “Selected Annotations of Ancient Formulas”: Storax can open the twelve meridians and the 365 acupoints, hence it is used as the monarch ingredient to name this formula. It works synergistically with Benzoin to penetrate the internal organs. Borneol is pungent, scattering, light, and floating, it travels through the meridians and works synergistically with Musk to enter the bone marrow. Rhinoceros horn enters the Heart, Agarwood enters the Kidney, Aucklandia lappa enters the Spleen, Cyperus rotundus enters the Liver, and Styrax benzoin enters the Lung. Clove is added to enter the Stomach, as the Stomach is also considered an organ. Atractylodes macrocephala is used to strengthen the Spleen, intending to allow the various aromatic herbs to linger in the Spleen and be transported to the other organs. Most organs are treated with pungent, aromatic, yang herbs to open them, but the Heart meridian is treated with the cold property of Cinnabar to open it. This is because the Heart is a fire organ and cannot tolerate pungent, hot herbs that scatter Qi. It is used as a “counter-agent” to treat cold obstruction of the orifices; thus, cold is treated with cold. Quoting “Formulas of Traditional Chinese Medicine”: Storax, Musk, Benzoin, and Borneolum are aromatic herbs that open the orifices and dispel evil Qi, serving as the principal herbs in this formula. Aucklandia lappa, Sandalwood, Clove, Agarwood, Frankincense, and Cyperus rotundus regulate Qi, relieve depression, disperse cold, stop pain, dispel evil Qi, and transform turbidness, and activate blood to dispel stasis, serving as secondary herbs. Long pepper warms the middle-jiao and disperses cold. When combined with aromatic herbs, it enhances the effects of dispersing cold, stopping pain, and relieving depression. Atractylodes macrocephala tonifies Qi, strengthens the Spleen, and removes dampness. Terminalia chebula warms and astringes Qi. Atractylodes macrocephala and Terminalia chebula, when combined with other aromatic herbs, achieve the effects of tonifying Qi and astringing, preventing the excessive dispersion of vital Qi by pungent aromatic herbs. Rhinoceros horn detoxifies and dispels evil Qi. Cinnabar strongly anchors the Heart and calms the spirit. These herbs serve as auxiliary agents in the formula.

 [Functions]

Warms and opens the orifices, resolves depression, transforms turbidity, regulates Qi, and stops pain.

 [Indications]

Cold-type obstruction syndrome of stroke, characterized by sudden collapse, clenched jaw, and unconsciousness; invasion of foul evil Qi, with phlegm blocking Qi, fullness and pain in the chest and abdomen with coldness; epidemic cholera, with abdominal fullness, chest oppression, nausea and diarrhea that cannot be expelled, and even coma. Also used to treat coronary atherosclerotic heart disease with angina pectoris due to Qi stagnation, blood stasis, and cold coagulation.

 [Attentions]

Stroke, heatstroke, coma, chest and abdominal pain, biliary ascariasis, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, angina pectoris due to Qi stagnation, blood stasis, and cold coagulation.

 [Mnemonics]

: Fu Ding Tan Shen Mu Wu Xiang Bi → Fu Ding is playing the Tan Mu, after all, five segments have sound. : Zhu An She Long Su → Zhu An shot down the Dragon who woke up. <…>: Zhu Xi He → Only allowed.

 [Modifications]

(1) Remove Rhinoceros horn, Musk, and Cinnabar from this formula, add a very small amount of Bufonis Venenum, and increase the dosage of Long pepper. Used for coronary heart disease and angina pectoris due to Qi stagnation, blood stasis, and cold coagulation. (2) Remove Musk, Benzoin, Cyperus rotundus, Clove, Agarwood, Long pepper, Atractylodes macrocephala, Terminalia chebula, Cinnabar, and Rhinoceros horn from this formula. This modified formula is also named 蘇合香丸/’>Su He Xiang Wan and primarily treats angina pectoris and chest tightness and oppression due to phlegm-turbidity and Qi stagnation.

 [Pharmacology]

It has anti-platelet aggregation, cardioprotective, and vasoconstrictive inhibitory effects.