桂枝, gui zhi, Cinnamomi Ramulus

桂枝 gui zhi

Cinnamomi Ramulus

Properties : acrid, sweet, warm

Channels Entered : Heart, Lung, Bladder

Key Characteristics : promotes sweating, releases the exterior, warms the channels, unblocks vessels, assists the yang, transforms qi

Functions :

  Releases the exterior and assiste the yang

Warms and unblocks the channels and collaterals

             Warms the yang and transforms thin mucus

  Assists the heart yang and unblocks the yang qi of the chest

 Warms the channels, vessels, and collaterals

  Warms the middle and directs turbid yin downward

Combinations :

 

1) Gui Zhi – Ma Huang (桂枝 麻黃)

Promotes sweating and releases the exterior. : exterior excess with absence of sweating, as in Ma Huang Tang (Ephedra Decoction)

2) Gui Zhi – Bai Shao Yao (桂枝 白芍藥)

Harmonizes defense and contruction, : spontanuouse sweating, aversion to wind, as in Gui Zhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction)

3) Gui Zhi – Chuan Xiong (桂枝-川芎)

Elilminates wind-cold, warms the channels and collaterals, disinhibits the joints, relieves painful obstruction. : painful obstuctions due to wind-cold, as in Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang (Angelica Pubescens and Taxillus Decoction), Juan Bi Tang (Remove Painful Obstruction Decoction), San Bi Tang Three-Painful Obstruction Decoction.

4) Gui Zhi – Chai Hu (桂枝-柴胡)

Releases the exterior and retreats heat when the pathogen is in both greater yang and lesser yang ; vexed pain in the limbs and joints, mild retching, heart vexation. As in Chai Hu Gui Zhi Tang.

5) Gui Zhi – Da Huang (桂枝-大黃)

The combination of cold and heat.

a) aversion to cold, headache, heat effusion, sweating, and fullness and pain in the abdomen due to interior cold and interior excess. (this is called “sweating and precipitation used together)

b) fullness and replete pain in the abdomen and constipation due to precipitation that is used erronueously to greater yang disease.

c) attacks and precepitates stasis with heat. As in Tao Ren Cheng Qi Tang (Peach Pit Decoction to Order the Qi)

6) Gui Zhi – Jiang Huang (桂枝-薑黃)

Warms the channels, dissipates cold, disinhibits blood, unblocks vessels : congealed painful obstruction in either the upper and lower limbs, shoulder disorders.

7) Gui Zhi – Zhi Ke (桂枝-地殼)

The combination of descending with bitter and dispersing with acrid. Warms the yang and relieves pain ; stabbing pain in the chest and flanks.

Contraindications : warm heat pathogen disease, yin deficiency with yang exuberance, blood pattern, a pregnant woman