This formula is originally found in Gong Ding-xian’s Wan Bing Hui Chun (Restoring Spring to the Tens of Thousands of Diseases). Our version is an 8:1 extract.

Rx:

Huang Qi (Radix Astragali)
Dang Shen (Radix Codonopsitis)
Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis)
Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Albae)
Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong)
Mu Xiang (Radix Auklandiae)
Wu Yao (Radix Linderae)
Zhi Ke (Fructus Aurantii)
Bing Lang (Semen Arecae)
Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae)
Zi Su Ye (Folium Perillae)
Fang Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae)
Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi)
Bai Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae)
Jie Geng (Radix Platycodi)
Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae)

Indications: This formula treats qi and blood vacuity with some yang vacuity and qi stagnation and blood stasis with upward counterflow affecting the chong mai, du mai, and tai yang. In terms of diseases, it is primarily indicated for premenstrual breast distention and pain, fibrocystic breast disease, and benign breast lumps.
Qi vacuity means spleen qi vacuity.
 

Its signs and symptoms include:

• fatigue, especially after eating

• easy bruising

• abdominal bloating after eating

• a swollen tongue with teeth marks on its edges

• a tendency to loose stools but possibly constipation

• cold hands and feet

• a fine pulse which is often soggy or soft in the right bar position

• lack of strength in the four extremities

• dizziness when standing up

The signs and symptoms of blood vacuity include:

• pale or dry, brittle nails

• pale undersides of the eyelids

• dry skin

• pale lips, pale tongue

• decreased visual acuity at night

• a fine pulse

The signs and symptoms of yang vacuity include:

• low back pain

• cold feet

• frequent urination

• decreased sexual desire

• nocturia

The signs and symptoms of qi stagnation include:
 

• premenstrual or menstrual lower abdominal distention

• irritability

• lower abdominal cramping

• a bowstring pulse

• premenstrual breast distention and pain

The signs and symptoms of blood stasis include:

• fixed, sharp, and/or severe lower abdominal pain

• a sooty facial complexion

• blood clots in the menstruate

• a purplish tongue or static spots or macules on the tongue

• fixed lumps in the breast that are painful to pressure

• worsening of symptoms at night

• a possibly choppy and/or deep pulse

• visible engorged varicosities, including small hemangiomas, spider nevi, and hemorrhoids

Disease Mechanisms
This pattern is common in women 35-50 years of age with breast disease. It is said in Chinese:
In young women or new breast diseases, blame the liver. In older women or enduring breast disease, blame the chong [mai].
When young women have premenstrual breast distention, they primarily exhibit liver depression with possible depressive heat affecting the liver and stomach channels. However, after 35 years of age, liver depression is more and more complicated by spleen qi vacuity and even some kidney yang vacuity. In that case, simply coursing the liver and rectifying the qi does not work.
According to Li Dong-yuan and Zhu Dan-xi, extremes of emotions transforming into fire or heat and unfulfilled desires may cause yin fire in the heart and chong mai. In that case, heat, which is a yang evil, may pass into the du mai which is the sea of all yang. It then counterflows upward along the governing vessel and flows over into the tai yang at the level of the thorax. From there, it may also spill over into the shao yang, but this is really only secondary. The shao yang now is only the branch, and only treating the liver and shao yang does not get fully satisfactory results.
In such cases, besides breast distention, pain, and lumps, there are usually other painful symptoms located along the routes of the hand and foot tai yang. This may include chronic back of the neck and shoulder pain, headaches, including sinusitis, TMJ, bruxism, lumbosacral pain, and tai yang sciatica. Various heart spirit complaints may include vexation and agitation, disquietude or restlessness, heart palpitations, and insomnia. This formula can also be combined with other currently available pills for, for instance, phlegm nodulation.

Formula explanation
Astragalus and Codonopsis fortify the spleen and boos the qi. Dang Gui and Peony nourish and supplement the blood, while harmonizing and emolliating the liver. Platycodon upbears clear yang while simultaneously loosening the chest and transforming phlegm. Ligusticum Wallichium also upbears yang while simultaneously quickening the blood and transforming stasis. Lindera, Auklandia, Aurantium, Areca, and Magnolia all rectify the qi and downbear counterflow. Perilla, Ledebouriella, and Angelica Dahurica are all exterior-resolvers which upbear yang and rectify and move the qi. Cinnamon Twigs are also an exterior-resolver. They upbear yang but also quicken the blood and guide ministerial fire back to its lower source, i.e., the lower burner. Ledebouriella and Cinnamon Twigs both enter the tai yang. Licorice harmonizes all the other medicinals in the formula. In addition, Areca, Perilla, Angelica Dahurica, and Auklandia all have a strong regulating effect on the intestinal fauna and flora. Although neither Angelica Dahurica or Auklandia are bitter and cold, they both can be used for damp heat conditions where there is concomitant spleen vacuity.

Dosage
Three capsules two times per day equal not less than 24g of raw medicinals. However, because our extraction process is so much more efficient than stove-top decoction, we believe that this amount of our extract is actually more like the equivalent of 24-48g of bulk-dispensed herbs.