Huanglian Wendan Decoction for Insomnia

Huanglian Wendan Decoction is a prescription medicine. For some patients with insomnia, it can have a good therapeutic effect. The prescription of Huanglian Wendan Decoction comes from Volume 1 of "Six Causes Treatise". Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the main effects of Huanglian Wendan Decoction are to clear away heat, eliminate dryness and dampness, regulate qi and resolve phlegm. Generally speaking, Huanglian Wendan Decoction needs to be decocted in water. It has a good effect on insomnia caused by four reasons.

Huanglian Wendan Decoction is a decoction made by boiling Chinese herbs such as Chuanlian, Zhuru, Zhishi, Pinellia, Chenpi, Licorice, Ginger and Poria. It comes from the first volume of "Six Causes and Treatments" and has the effect of regulating qi and resolving phlegm.

1. Phlegm-heat disturbs the heart and causes insomnia

Symptoms: Insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, chest tightness and irritability, dizziness, vomiting and sputum, poor appetite, yellow and greasy tongue coating, and slippery and rapid pulse.

Phlegm and old food are blocked in the body and accumulate and turn into heat. The phlegm-heat disturbs the heart and causes insomnia. The phlegm and turbidity go up and obscure the clear orifices, causing dizziness. The qi flow is not smooth and the stomach fails to harmonize and descend, causing vomiting of phlegm and poor appetite. The treatment is to clear away heat and resolve phlegm, harmonize the middle and calm the mind.

I often modify the Huanglian Wendan Decoction (Coptis chinensis, Pinellia ternata, Tangerine peel, Poria cocos, Licorice root, Ginger, Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, Citrus aurantium) from the "Six Causes Treatise".

2. Guilty and timid insomnia

Symptoms: Frequent dreams and easy awakening, palpitations and timidity, restlessness, fatigue and shortness of breath, pale and fat tongue, and thin and stringy pulse. The heart controls the spirit, and the gallbladder controls decision-making. If the heart and gallbladder are weak and timid, the spirit will not be nourished, the heart and spirit cannot be restrained, and the courage will find it difficult to make decisions. This will lead to frequent dreams, easy startling, palpitations, timidity, and restlessness. If the heart qi is weak, one will feel tired and short of breath. Treatment is to invigorate Qi and warm the gallbladder, and calm the mind and tranquilize the nerves.

I often modify the Ten-Ingredient Warming Gallbladder Decoction (processed Pinellia, stir-fried Citrus aurantium, dried tangerine peel, Poria, Ziziphus jujuba seed, Polygala tenuifolia, Rehmannia root, ginseng, Schisandra chinensis, roasted Licorice root, ginger, and jujube) from "The Standard of Diagnosis and Treatment".

3. Insomnia due to gallbladder qi stagnation

Symptoms: Insomnia, frequent dreams, chest tightness and sighing, distension and fullness in the ribs, irritability, poor appetite and belching, thin tongue coating and wiry pulse. If the gallbladder qi is blocked, the liver loses its order, and the soul is distracted, then there will be insomnia and frequent dreams; if the qi flow is not smooth, there will be chest tightness and sighing, fullness and distension in the ribs, and restlessness; if the gallbladder qi is rebellious and invades the spleen and stomach, there will be poor appetite and belching. Treatment is to promote bile secretion, soothe the liver, resolve phlegm and calm the mind.

I often use Wen Dan Tang combined with Sini San (Bupleurum, Peony, Citrus aurantium, Licorice) or Chaihu Shugan San (Bupleurum, Peony, Chuanxiong, Cyperus rotundus, Citrus aurantium, Tangerine peel, Licorice) to modify the formula.

4. Insomnia due to stomach disharmony

Symptoms: restless sleep, tossing and turning, chest and abdominal fullness, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, belching and acid regurgitation, undigested stool, thick and greasy tongue coating, and slippery pulse. Improper eating and drinking will cause stagnation of old food, disharmony of the stomach, upward flow of foul air, and disturbance of the mind, which will cause insomnia and tossing and turning. If the ascending and descending pivot is blocked, there will be fullness and stuffiness in the chest and abdomen, nausea and vomiting. If food cannot be digested and the spleen and stomach are damaged, there will be loss of appetite, belching, acid regurgitation, and undigested stool. The treatment is to strengthen the spleen and stomach, digest food and calm the mind.

I often use Wen Dan Tang combined with Ban Xia Shu Mi Tang (Pinellia ternata and sorghum rice) and add some flavors to it.

Common addition and subtraction

Blood deficiency: Angelica sinensis, Rehmannia glutinosa, and Lycium barbarum.

Liver heat: Cortex Moutan, Gardenia jasminoides, and Scutellaria baicalensis.

Heart fire: Coptis chinensis, lotus seed core, bamboo leaves.

Qi deficiency: Codonopsis pilosula, Astragalus membranaceus, and Atractylodes macrocepha

Yin deficiency: Cornus officinalis, Rehmannia glutinosa, and lily.

Deficiency-heat: Anemarrhena asphodeloides and Phellodendron chinense.

Guide the fire back to its origin: add cinnamon and Achyranthes bidentata.

Indigestion: Jiao Sanxian, Houpo, Jiao Areca, and Shujun.