Licorice, Wheat, and Jujube Decoction
Ingredients
- Licorice 9g
- Wheat 30g (Huai wheat; use floating wheat if marked by flushing and sweating)
- Jujube 10 pieces (pitted)
Principle
Classic visceral-agitation formula from the Jin Gui Yao Lue—wheat nourishes the heart and clears heat; licorice tonifies the spleen and moderates urgency; jujube nourishes blood and calms the spirit. Nourishes heart yin and harmonizes acute emotional tension (syndrome differentiation required).
Effects & uses
For insufficient heart yin with disharmony of liver qi—visceral agitation, restlessness, mental fog, insomnia, irritability, and tendency to weep (syndrome differentiation required). Also cited for anxiety, depression, menopause, and neurasthenia when this pattern fits. Not a substitute for psychological counseling or drug therapy.
Method
- Rinse wheat and pit jujube; add licorice and about 500 ml water, bring to a boil, then simmer 20–30 minutes and strain.
How to use
- Drink warm on an empty stomach, as a calming tea substitute.
Caution
Avoid when dampness is heavy with epigastric fullness and a thick greasy tongue coating; not for phlegm-heat cough. Use jujube sparingly or omit in diabetes. Do not use large doses long term; seek care if no improvement. Do not confuse Huai wheat with floating wheat. A daily food-care recipe; not a substitute for medication.
Source
China Medical Information Platform (reviewed by Wang Lixia, from Jin Gui Yao Lue); compilations from the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Panyu District Hospital of TCM, and others. Pending manual verification.