Help for Anxiety Using Chinese Herbal Medicine

Gan Mai Da Zao Tang (Licorice, Unripe Wheat and Jujube Decoction) is first mentioned in the Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essentials from the Golden Cabinet) by Zhang Zhong Jing (220 AD). The following quote is taken from Chapter 22, “Pulses and Patterns of Complicated Women’s Diseases”.

Zhang Zhong Jing says “Women suffering from anxiety are affected by sadness and crying, they are like lost souls and yawn frequently: use Gan Mai Da Zao Tang.”

I use this formula for depression and anxiety when the patient has a constitutional weakness or deficiency. It is one of the most effective formulas in Chinese Medicine, often transforming anxiety almost immediately. It is a powerful herb, yet its simplicity is profound.

Ingredients:  Licorice, Unripe Wheat and Jujube Decoction

This formula only has three ingredients – Gan Cao, Fu Xiao Mai, and Da Zao – and herein lies its beauty. In their own right they are powerful herbs, but all are very mild and are even considered as food supplements. Gan Cao is the herb licorice, which is mild and harmonious, tonifying the spleen and stomach, regulating digestive disorders, and alleviating pain. Gan Cao is most used for its harmonizing properties, and many herbalists use it to harmonize and bring together the qualities of all of the herbs in a formula.The next ingredient, Fu Xiao Mai, helps to stop any excessive sweating in patterns of deficiency, nourishing the heart, calming anxiety, resolving insomnia and relieving irritability. It is literally unripe wheat grain, a food, with great nourishing and healing properties.  In my experience, gluten digestive concerns are minimal with this type of wheat and none of my patients have reported digestive symptoms using this formula.The last ingredient, Da Zao, is a Chinese date. Sweet in flavor, it is nourishing and tonifies the spleen, nourishes the blood and helps to relax restlessness and resolve emotional disturbances.Individually, they constitute what many herbalists would call “mild” herbs with few (if any) side effects and little strong reaction. When put together, they become an incredibly powerful formula to resolve uncontrolled anxiety and depression.

Can it help you?

The best patient for this formula is one who has regular bouts of anxiety, depression with other symptoms such as frequent crying or feelings of always needing to cry, restless sleep, possibly night sweats, frequent yawning and possible stomach pains.Traditionally this formula is discussed under the heading of women’s disorders, for “restless organ syndrome”. This organ was considered to be the womb by You Zai Jing; however, another Chinese Master, Wu Qian, believed this organ to be the Heart. This explains why this formula is good at treating emotional problems when presented with symptoms of menopause, PMS or postpartum issues.  This formula is very helpful to men having anxiety problems due to Chinese Medical diagnosis of energetic deficiencies.

With the appropriate diagnosis and set of symptoms, this simple and powerful formula is able to treat such problems as:

▪                Anxiety                                    Palpitations
▪                Depression                Emotional Symptoms during Menopause
▪                Premenstrual syndromes       Neurosis
▪                Postpartum depression          Bedwetting

Used with weekly acupuncture for 6-8 weeks, Gan Mai Da Zao Tang is a powerful treatment to rebalance the body to correct the root causes of anxiety.