Ginseng and Astragalus Decoction

Category: Herbal Tea

Herbal Tea Name: Ginseng and Astragalus Decoction

Chinese Name: 人参黄芪饮

Formula

3 grams of white ginseng, 10 grams of astragalus, 10 grams of white atractylodes, 2 grams of licorice, and an appropriate amount of white sugar.

Main Ingredients

How To Make

Wash and slice the white ginseng, then decoct it together with astragalus, white atractylodes, and licorice to extract the liquid. Strain out the solids, then stir in white sugar to complete.

Efficacy

Tonifies qi and raises blood pressure. Suitable for hypotension caused by deficiency of middle qi.

Usage

Take one dose in the morning and one in the evening.

Commentary

White ginseng (Bai-shen) acts as the chief herb. Sweet, slightly bitter-warm in property, it enters the Spleen, Lung, Heart, Kidney meridians, and works to greatly tonifies yuan qi, restore collapse and generate fluids. Astragalus (Huang-qi) take the deputy (minister) role; slightly warm and sweet in character, it travels through the Spleen, Lung meridians to tonify qi, raise yang, secure the exterior and promote the discharge of pus. White atractylodes (Bai-zhu) add further support, working to tonify the spleen and dry dampness. Additionally, an appropriate amount of white sugar takes an assisting (adjuvant) role, working to moisten and harmonize the formula. Licorice (Gan-cao) rounds out the formula as the harmonizing herb, working to tonify qi, harmonize all herbs, moderate the formula and moderate the overall properties. Taken together these herbs tonify qi and raise blood pressure, in keeping with the qi pattern.

Ginseng and Astragalus Decoction，From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Tonifies qi and raises blood pressure. Suitable for hypotension caused by deficiency of middle qi.

📖 Related Reading