Xi Xin

Applications

Clinical Applications

1. For treating external invasion by wind-cold with severe pain in the head and body, it is often combined with wind-dispelling and pain-relieving herbs such as Qianghuo, Fangfeng, and Bai Zhi, as in the Nine-Ingredient Qianghuo Decoction (*This Matter Is Hard to Know*); it is also suitable for wind-cold colds presenting with nasal congestion and runny nose, and is commonly combined with herbs such as Bai Zhi and Cang’erzi.When combined with Ma Huang and Fu Zi, it can treat external invasion due to yang deficiency, characterized by aversion to cold, fever, absence of sweat, and a deep pulse, as in the Ma Huang Fu Zi Xi Xin Decoction (*Treatise on Cold Damage*).

2. To treat Shaoyin-type headaches with cold feet, counterflow of qi, and a deep, fine pulse, it is often combined with Du Huo and Chuan Xiong, as in the Du Huo Xi Xin Decoction (*Causes, Symptoms, Pulse, and Treatment*);For treating external invasion by wind-pathogen causing unilateral or bilateral headaches, it is often used in combination with Chuanxiong, Bai Zhi, and Qianghuo, as in the Chuanxiong Cha Tiao San (from *Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang*); for wind-cold headaches characterized by pain so severe it feels as if the head is about to split, with a pulse that is faint, string-like, and tight, it should be combined with Chuanxiong, Ma Huang, and Fu Zi, as in the Xixin San (from *Puji Fang*).

3. To treat wind-cold toothache, Xixin may be used alone or decocted with Bai Zhi and Bi Bo for gargling; for toothache caused by stomach fire, it should be combined with herbs that clear stomach fire and drain heat, such as raw gypsum, Huang Lian, and Sheng Ma; for toothache caused by dental caries, it may be combined with decocted bee hive—which kills parasites and relieves pain—for gargling.

4. For treating bi syndrome caused by wind, cold, and dampness, as well as cold pain in the lower back and knees, Xi Xin both dispels the internal cold pathogen in the Shao Yin Kidney Meridian to restore yang and resolve stagnation, and expels wind-dampness from the tendons and bones to relieve bi syndrome and alleviate pain. Therefore, it is often combined with Du Huo, Sang Jisheng, and Fang Feng, as in the Du Huo Jisheng Decoction (*Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergency Use*, abbreviated as *Qian Jin Fang*).

5. For nasal congestion, runny nose, and headache associated with nasal disorders such as nasal sinusitis, it is an excellent remedy. It should be combined with Bai Zhi, Cang Er Zi, and Xin Yi—herbs that dispel wind-cold and open the nasal passages.

6. For external invasion by wind-cold with internal retention of fluid, presenting as chills, fever, absence of sweat, shortness of breath, and cough,and copious, thin, clear phlegm, it is often used in combination with Ephedra, Cinnamon Twig, and Dried Ginger, as in the Minor Blue Dragon Decoction (*Treatise on Cold Damage*); if the condition is purely due to cold phlegm and fluid retention affecting the lungs, presenting with cough, chest fullness, and reverse qi with severe wheezing, it may be combined with Poria, Dried Ginger, and Schisandra, as in the Poria-Glycyrrhiza-Schisandra-Ginger-Asarum Decoction (*Essentials of the Golden Cabinet*).

Related Compatibility

1. Asarum combined with Chuanxiong: Asarum excels at dispelling wind, dispersing cold, and relieving pain; Chuanxiong excels at promoting blood circulation, regulating qi, dispelling wind, and relieving pain. When used together, they not only promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis but also dispel wind and relieve pain. When wind is dispelled, the ying and wei qi harmonize; when blood flows smoothly, wind naturally subsides.This combination is effective for treating head and body pain caused by exogenous wind-cold, and is also commonly used to treat wind-cold-damp bi syndrome and joint pain.

2. Asarum combined with Aconite: Asarum dispels wind-cold externally, eliminates yin-cold internally, warms and unblocks kidney qi, and opens the orifices; Aconite supplements fire, assists yang, dispels cold, and relieves pain.When used together, these two herbs provide warming, unblocking, and dispersing effects. They act both on the exterior via the Bladder Meridian and on the interior via the Kidney Meridian, complementing each other to achieve the effects of tonifying fire, assisting yang, dispelling cold, relieving pain, and resolving phlegm and fluid retention. This combination is suitable for chest pain caused by yang deficiency and yin excess, as well as coughing and wheezing due to yang deficiency with phlegm and fluid retention.

3. Asarum combined with Poria: Asarum is pungent and warm, excelling at warming the lungs and transforming fluid retention; Poria is sweet, bland, and neutral, excelling at strengthening the spleen, promoting diuresis, and draining dampness. When used together, their efficacy in warming and transforming phlegm and fluid retention is even more pronounced. This combination is suitable for cough and wheezing caused by phlegm and fluid retention stagnating in the lungs, characterized by copious, thin, clear, and white phlegm.

4. Asarum combined with raw gypsum: Asarum is pungent and warm, excelling at dispelling cold and relieving pain;raw gypsum is pungent, sweet, and extremely cold, and excels at clearing stomach heat. When used together, these two herbs combine cold and heat properties; the raw gypsum moderates the warm and hot nature of Asarum to harness its analgesic effect. This approach clears heat without causing stagnation and disperses without promoting heat, effectively clearing and purging stomach fire and relieving pain. It is commonly used to treat toothaches caused by ascending stomach fire.

5. Xi Xin Combined with Raw Rehmannia: Xi Xin is pungent, dispersing, warm, and unblocking; it dispels cold and relieves pain but can easily injure yin and promote heat. Raw Rehmannia is sweet and cold in nature; it nourishes yin and clears heat. The interplay of cold and heat, and the balance of strength and gentleness, results in the ability to clear heat and relieve pain. This combination is suitable for treating conditions such as headaches and toothaches caused by wind-fire rising upward.

Medicinal Identification

Asarum and Ephedra: Both can induce sweating and resolve exterior syndromes, and are similarly used to treat wind-cold colds. The difference lies in the fact that Asarum is pungent and warm, moving rapidly through the channels to reach both the exterior and interior; it can disperse wind-cold from the Lung and Foot-Shaoyin Kidney meridians. Although its ability to induce sweating is not as strong as that of Ephedra, its ability to dispel cold is superior. It treats general wind-cold colds but is particularly effective for cases where cold has invaded the Shaoyin channel—manifesting as an external pathogen with yang deficiency, characterized by absence of sweat, aversion to cold, fever, and a deep pulse.With its pungent, dispersing, and warming properties, it excels at unblocking orifices, relieving pain, warming the lungs, and transforming phlegm-fluid, making it particularly effective for treating disorders of the head and facial orifices, rheumatic arthralgia, and symptoms such as phlegm-fluid retention, wheezing, and cough.Ephedra (Ma Huang), with its pungent-opening and bitter-draining properties, focuses on promoting the defensive qi, opening the skin pores, unblocking the orifices, inducing sweating, and resolving exterior syndromes. It primarily dispels wind-cold from the Lung and Bladder meridians and is a potent diaphoretic and exterior-resolving herb. Therefore, it is primarily used to treat severe cases of wind-cold common cold characterized by external wind-cold constriction, stagnation of lung qi, obstruction of the orifices, and a solid exterior syndrome without sweating;It also has the functions of promoting lung function to relieve asthma and promoting diuresis to reduce swelling. It can be used for asthma, cough, and shortness of breath caused by stagnation of lung qi, as well as wind-damp edema characterized by generalized swelling resulting from wind pathogens invading the exterior.

Related Medicines

Xinqin Granules, Ditong Rhinitis Drops, Yitongshu Injection, and Kuanxiong Aerosol.

Related Prescriptions

Ephedra-Aconite-Asarum Decoction (*Treatise on Cold Damage*), Nine-Ingredient Qianghuo Decoction (*This Matter Is Hard to Know*), Minor Blue Dragon Decoction (*Treatise on Cold Damage*), Poria-Licorice-Five-Flavor-Ginger-Asarum Decoction (*Essentials of the Golden Cabinet*), and Duhuo-Parasite Decoction (*Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold*).

Medicinal Diet Therapy

Xixin-Fuzi-Dog Meat Decoction:

(1) Indications: Tonifies the kidneys and assists yang; transforms turbidity and opens the orifices. Suitable for elderly patients with deafness due to kidney yang deficiency and phlegm-turbidity obscuring the orifices, presenting with symptoms such as hearing loss, progressively declining ability to understand speech, mental dullness, soreness in the lower back and coldness in the knees, clear and copious nocturnal urination, a flabby physique, a pale and swollen tongue with a white and turbid coating, and a slow and weak pulse.

(2) Ingredients: 150 g dog meat, 6 g Asarum, 9 g processed Aconite, 18 g prepared Rehmannia, 6 g each of star anise and fennel.

(3) Preparation: Wash the dog meat and cut it into chunks. Rinse Asarum, processed Aconite, prepared Rehmannia, star anise, and fennel separately with clean water. Heat oil in a wok, stir-fry the dog meat until fragrant, then transfer it along with the other ingredients to a clay pot. Add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 2–3 hours. Season to taste before serving.

(4) Usage: Serve as a side dish with meals.