Chai Hu Shu Gan San 柴胡疏肝散
Bupleurum Powder to Spread the Liver


Tradition:


TCM

Source / Author:


Collected Treatises of Jing-Yue

Herb Name

Chen Pi (Tangerine peel)
Chai Hu
(Thoroughwax root)
Chuan Xiong
(Sichuan lovage)
Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange)
Bai Shao
(White Peony)
Zhi Gan Cao (Fried Licorice)
Xiang Fu
(Cyperus)

Latin


Citrus tangerina
Bupleurum chinense
Ligusticum chuanxiong
Citrus aurantium

Paeonia lactiflora
Glycyrrhiza uralensis 
Cyperus rotundus

Amount



6 grams ea.


4 1⁄2 grams ea.
1 1⁄2 grams
4
1⁄2 grams

Preparation:


Powder

Function:


Moves Liver Qi, harmonises Qi and Blood, eases Pain

Use:


Chills and Fever, hypochondriac fullness and pain, irritable, abdominal pain or cramping; tender breasts, painful menstruation
1. Gastritis, Chronic Gastritis
2. Peptic Ulcer
3. Cholecystitis
4. Cholelithiasis
5. Fatty Liver
6. Liver Fibrosis
7. Depression
8. Stress, Anxiety
9. Hyper-emotionalism
10. Dysmenorrhea
11. PMS
12. Male Sexual Dysfunction (associated with stress or depression)


Dose:


Powder: 2–3 grams per dose.
The above amounts can be used to prepare a decoction to be taken over the course of the day.

Cautions:


1. Not for Yin-deficient Heat

Modifications:


1. Burning Stomach pain and Bitter taste, add Coptis Huang Lian and Scutellaria Huang Qin.
2. Severe pain, add Corydalis Han Hu Suo.
3. Qi de
ficiency, add Atracylodes Bai Zhu
4. With Heat add Coptis Huang Lian
5. Dysmenorrhea add Dang Gui, Corydalis Yan Hu Suo
6. With Blood Stasis, add Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Safflower (Hong Hua)

Similar Formula:
1. Qi Zhi Wei Tong Granules
    Bupleurum Chai Hu 9 grams
    Corydalis Yan Hu Suo 10 grams
    Immature Bitter Orange (Zhi Qiao) 10 grams
    Cyperus Xiang Fu 10 grams
    Paeonia Bai Shao 12 grams
    Licorice (Gan Cao) 5 grams
Thius regulates Liver Qi and harmonizes the Stomach. Very effective for Indigestion (especially with stress), abdominal pain and bloating, gastritis etc. The priimary difference is replacing Ligusticum Chuan Xiong with Corydalis Yan Hu Suo. This makes it stronger to relieve pain.

2. A more compound version of Chai Hu Shu Gan San from the Pharmacopeia of China.
    Poria Fu Ling 100 grams
    Citrus Zhi Ke (stir-baked) 50 grams
    Amomum Sha Ren 40 grams
    Paeonia Bai Shao (stir-baked with wine) 50 grams
    Licorice (Gan Cao) 50 grams
    Cyperus Xiang Fu (processed with vinegar) 75 grams
    Citrus Chen Pi 50 grams
    Platycodon Jie Geng 50 grams
    Magnolia Hou Po (processed with ginger) 50 grams
    Hawthorn (Shan Zha) (stir-baked) 50 grams
    Saposhnikovia Fang Feng 50 grams
    Massa Medicata Fermentata Shen Qu (stir-baked) 50 grams
    Bupleurum Chai Hu 75 grams
    Scutellaria Huang Qin 50 grams
    Mint (Bo He) 50 grams
    Perilla Caulis Zi Su Geng 75 grams
    Saussurea Mu Xiang 25 grams
    Areca Bing Lang (Betel nut) (stir-fried) 75 grams
    Sparganium San Leng (processed with vinegar) 50 grams
    Rhubarb (Da Huang) (stir-baked with wine) 50 grams
    Citrus Qing Pi (stir-baked) 50 grams
    Angelica Dang Gui 50 grams
    Pinellia Ban Xia (processed with ginger) 75 grams
    Lindera Wu Yao 50 grams
    Curcuma Yu Jin (processed ) 50 grams
This has generally the same indications as the primary version above.


  • Comment
  • History
  • Research
DEPRESSION:
Treatment of depression with Chai Hu Shu Gan San: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 randomized controlled trials.
Computational Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy to Capture Key Functional Components and Decode the Mechanism of Chai-Hu-Shu-Gan-San in Treating Depression.
Meta-analysis of the clinical effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine formula Chaihu-Shugan-San in depression.
Comparison between herbal medicine and fluoxetine for depression: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Antidepressant-Like Effects and Cognitive Enhancement of Coadministration of Chaihu Shugan San and Fluoxetine: Dependent on the BDNF-ERK-CREB Signaling Pathway in the Hippocampus and Frontal Cortex.
Chaihu-shugan-san alleviates depression-like behavior in mice exposed to chronic unpredictable stress by altering the gut microbiota and levels of the bile acids hyocholic acid and 7-ketoDCA.
Network Pharmacology and Experimental Evidence: PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway is Involved in the Antidepressive Roles of Chaihu Shugan San.
Chaihu-shugan san inhibits inflammatory response to improve insulin signaling in liver and prefrontal cortex of CUMS rats with glucose intolerance.
Mechanism underlying effect of Chaihu Shugan San on major depressive disorder: a network pharmacology-based study.
Changes in regional cerebral blood flow with Chaihu-Shugan-San in the treatment of major depression.

MENOPAUSAL ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Chaihu-Shugan-San administration ameliorates perimenopausal anxiety and depression in rats.

PSYCHOGENIC ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
Effects of Chaihu-Shugan-San capsule for psychogenic erectile dysfunction: Study protocol of a randomized placebo-controlled trial

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
A combined molecular biology and network pharmacology approach to investigate the multi-target mechanisms of Chaihu Shugan San on Alzheimer’s disease.

FATTY LIVER:
A network pharmacology-based approach to explore the effects of Chaihu Shugan powder on a non-alcoholic fatty liver rat model through nuclear receptors.
Protective Effects of Chaihu Shugan San () on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats with Insulin Resistance.
Effects of Chaihu-Shugan-San and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San on p38 MAPK Pathway in Kupffer Cells of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

LIVER FIBROSIS:
Exploring mechanisms of Chaihu-Shugan-San against liver fibrosis by integrated multi-omics and network pharmacology approach.

REFLUX ESOPHAGITIS
Effects of Chaihu-Shugan-San for reflux esophagitis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA:
Modified chaihu shugan powder for functional dyspepsia: meta-analysis for randomized controlled trial.
Pharmacokinetic study of the prokinetic compounds meranzin hydrate and ferulic acid following oral administration of Chaihu-Shugan-San to patients with functional dyspepsia.

CHRONIC GASTRITIS:
Chaihu-Shugan-San, an oriental herbal preparation, for the treatment of chronic gastritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

CANCER:
BREAST–Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Chaihu-Shugan-San in Treatment of Breast Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology.
CERVICAL–The effect of Chaihu-shugan-san on cytotoxicity induction and PDGF gene expression in cervical cancer cell line HeLa in the presence of paclitaxel +cisplatin.
PROSTATE–Chaihu-Shugan-San ameliorates tumor growth in prostate cancer promoted by depression via modulating sphingolipid and glycerinphospholipid metabolism.
Back to POWDERS
Back to FORMULAS
How to Modify a Formula
Substitutes
Weights & Measures