The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is a 9-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Szechuan Lovage Roots (Chuan Xiong), Angelica Roots (Bai Zhi) and Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1107, it belongs to the category of formulas that dredge and disperse External Wind. Its main actions are: 1) Disperses Wind and 2) relieves headaches.
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Exterior Wind. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as upper respiratory tract infections, migraine headache or tension headache for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the nine ingredients in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, we review the patterns and conditions that Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San helps treat.
The nine ingredients in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San
Chuan Xiong is a king ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Szechuan Lovage Roots (Chuan Xiong)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: GallbladderLiverPericardium
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Chuan Xiong alleviates headaches along the Lesser Yang and Terminal Yin Channels around temporal and vertex. Notopterygium root also alleviates headaches but along the Greater Yang Channel around occipital. Angelica root is along the Yang Brightness Channel. All these three are King herbs of the formula, and they treat headache in
any part of the head. If the pain is localized, the dosage of the corresponding herb can be increased accordingly.
Learn more about Szechuan Lovage Roots (Chuan Xiong)
Bai Zhi is a king ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Angelica Roots (Bai Zhi)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomachLung
Category: Warm/Acrid herbs that release the Exterior
Bai Zhi alleviates headaches along the Yang Brightness Channel. Notopterygium root also alleviates headaches but along the Greater Yang Channel around occipital. Szechuan lovage root is along the Lesser Yang and Terminal Yin Channels around temporal and vertex. All these three are King herbs of the formula, and they treat headache in
any part of the head. If the pain is localized, the dosage of the corresponding herb can be increased accordingly.
Learn more about Angelica Roots (Bai Zhi)
Qiang Huo is a king ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
3. Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo)
Part used: Dried rhizome and root
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): BitterPungent
Meridian affinity: BladderKidney
Category: Warm/Acrid herbs that release the Exterior
Qiang Huo alleviates headaches along the Greater Yang Channel around occipital. Angelica root is along the Yang Brightness Channel. Szechuan lovage root is along the Lesser Yang and Terminal Yin Channels around temporal and vertex. All these three are King herbs of the formula, and they treat headache in
any part of the head. If the pain is localized, the dosage of the corresponding herb can be increased accordingly.
Learn more about Notopterygium Roots (Qiang Huo)
Bo He is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Wild Mint (Bo He)
Part used: Dried aerial parts
Nature: Cool
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: LiverLung
Category: Cool/Acrid herbs that release the Exterior
In general Bo He's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and disperses Wind-Heat. Clears Wind-Heat from the head, eyes and throat. Allows the release of toxins from the skin. Moves Stagnant Liver Qi"
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it disperses Wind from the Exterior, benefits the head and eyes, and clears Heat from Stagnation.
Learn more about Wild Mint (Bo He)
Xi Xin is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
5. Wild Ginger (Xi Xin)
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: HeartKidneyLung
Category: Warm/Acrid herbs that release the Exterior
Xi Xin scatters cold, alleviates pain, and is especially effective in treating headaches along the Lesser Yin Channel, such as orbital headaches.
Learn more about Wild Ginger (Xi Xin)
Jing Jie is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
6. Japanese Catnip (Jing Jie)
Part used: Aerial portion and flowers, or the spikes only (in which case it is called Jing Jie Sui)
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: LiverLung
Category: Warm/Acrid herbs that release the Exterior
In general Jing Jie's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold or Heat depending on the other herbs used. Releases the Exterior for measles. Stops bleeding. Abates swellings."
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it disperses Wind from both the Exterior and the Channels.
Learn more about Japanese Catnip (Jing Jie)
Fang Feng is a deputy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
7. Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): PungentSweet
Meridian affinity: BladderLiverSpleen
Category: Warm/Acrid herbs that release the Exterior
In general Fang Feng's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and disperses Cold. Relieves Wind-Damp-Cold painful obstruction. Disperses Wind."
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it disperses Wind from both the Exterior and the Channels.
Learn more about Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng)
Lv Cha is an assistant ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
8. Green Tea (Lv Cha )
Part used: Leaves
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: SpleenKidneyLiverLung
Category: Herbs that clear Heat and relieve Toxicity
Lv Cha is bitter and cool. It causes the clear Yang to ascend and directs the turbid Yin downward, helps to clear the head and eyes, and moderates the undesirable side effects caused by the warm, drying properties of some of the other ingredients.
Learn more about Green Tea (Lv Cha )
Gan Cao is an envoy ingredient in Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
9. Liquorice (Gan Cao)
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
In general Gan Cao's main actions are as follows: "Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs."
In the context of Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, it is used because it cools, detoxifies, and harmonizes the actions of the other herbs in the formula.
Learn more about Liquorice (Gan Cao)
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is used to treat Exterior Wind
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is mostly used to treat the pattern "Exterior Wind" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Exterior Wind here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Upper respiratory tract infections Migraine headache Tension headache Neurogenic headache Acute rhinitis Chronic rhinitis Acute sinusitis Chronic sinusitis Postconcussion headache
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San treats upper respiratory tract infections" for instance. Rather, Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is used to treat Exterior Wind, which is sometimes the root cause behind upper respiratory tract infections.
Now let's look at Exterior Wind, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San.
The Exterior in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Exterior in Chinese Medicine
Exterior Wind
Pulse type(s): Floating (Fu)
Symptoms: Fever Cough Sneezing Headaches Neck pain Runny nose Itchy skin Stiff neck Heavy body Joint pain Clear mucus Muscle pain Itchy throat Aversion to cold Aversion to wind Facial paralysis
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Exterior Wind. This pattern leads to symptoms such as aversion to cold, fever, headaches and aversion to wind. Patients with Exterior Wind typically exhibit floating (Fu) pulses.
Liver Fire BlazingExternal Wind invades the Lungs' Defensive Qi portion (the ‘Exterior’ of the body), causing symptoms such as aversion to cold, fever, headache or a Floating pulse. External Wind may be combined with Cold, Heat, Dampness and Dryness.
Exterior Wind can invade the Channels of the... read more about Exterior Wind
