Article 20: Sedatives (Sour Jujube Seed, Arborvitae Seed, Ganoderma Lucidum, Polygala Root, Albizia Bark, Polygonum Multiflorum Stem, Acorus Root, Dragon Bone, Dragon Teeth, Amber)

Drugs that have a calming effect on the mind are called sedatives. Sedatives often use mineral drugs and seed-based plant drugs. Mineral drugs are heavy and have a calming effect, and often have a strong sedative effect; seed-based drugs are moistening and nourishing, and often have a calming effect on the heart.

Tranquilizers are mainly suitable for restlessness, palpitations, insomnia, excessive dreaming, infantile convulsions, epilepsy, and mania caused by deficiency of heart qi, deficiency of heart blood, excessive heart fire, or other reasons. These correspond to modern medical conditions such as nervous insomnia, neurasthenia, neurosis, epilepsy, and mental illness.

According to modern research, sedatives mainly have the following pharmacological effects: ① Most sedatives have significant sedative-hypnotic effects, reducing spontaneous activity in animals and significantly prolonging the sleep time induced by sodium pentobarbital in mice. ② Most sedatives can counteract convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazol or strychnine, exhibiting significant anticonvulsant effects. In addition, sedatives also have antipyretic, antihypertensive, and analgesic effects.

Mineral-based sedatives, if taken in pill or powder form, can easily damage the stomach and deplete qi. They must be combined with spleen-strengthening and stomach-nourishing herbs as appropriate, and should only be taken temporarily. Some of these drugs are toxic and must be used with even greater caution.

Sour jujube seed

This product is the seed of the jujube plant (Ziziphus jujuba), a member of the Rhamnaceae family.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, sour, neutral.

[Functions] ① Nourishes the heart and calms the mind, used to treat insomnia and palpitations; ② Nourishes Yin and astringes sweat, used to treat spontaneous sweating and night sweats due to physical weakness.

[Pharmacological effects] Sedative, hypnotic, analgesic, anticonvulsant, antipyretic, antiarrhythmic, antimyocardial ischemia, antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, antiplatelet aggregation, immune enhancement, antiradiation, anti-burn shock, anti-aging, uterine stimulant.

[Modern Applications] Neurasthenia, menopausal syndrome, mental illness, Meniere's disease, trigeminal neuralgia, nocturnal emission, ejaculatory dysfunction.

[Usage] Decocted and taken orally, 6-10 grams.

[Caution]Use with caution if you have excess heat or stagnant fire.

Bai Ziren

This product is the kernel of the seed of Platycladus orientalis, a plant belonging to the Cupressaceae family.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, neutral.

[Functions] ① Nourishes the heart and calms the mind, used to treat palpitations and insomnia; ② Moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movements, used to treat constipation.

[Pharmacological effects] Improves memory, sedates, and has a mild laxative effect.

[Modern Applications] Oral ulcers, alopecia areata, constipation, neurasthenia.

[Usage]Decoct and take orally, 10-15 grams.

[Caution]Use with caution if you have loose stools or excessive phlegm.

Ganoderma lucidum

This product is the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum or Ganoderma sinense, both belonging to the Polyporaceae family.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, neutral.

[Functions] ① Tonifies Qi, nourishes the heart, and calms the mind; used to treat insomnia, palpitations, and forgetfulness caused by insufficient Qi and blood; ② Tonifies Qi, stops cough, and relieves asthma; used to treat chronic cough and asthma due to deficiency.

[Pharmacological Actions] Sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, antitussive, expectorant, antiasthmatic, cardiotonic, anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-atherosclerotic, immune-enhancing, anti-allergic, anti-tumor, hepatoprotective, detoxifying, anti-radiation, anticoagulant, inhibits smooth muscle, promotes protein and nucleic acid synthesis, lowers blood sugar, antibacterial.

[Modern Applications] Neurasthenia, leukopenia, coronary heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hepatitis, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, Keshan disease.

[Usage] Decocted and taken orally, 5-15 grams.

[Note] Use empirical evidence with caution.

Polygala tenuifolia

This product is the root of Polygala tenuifolia or Polygala ovoidea, plants belonging to the Polygalaceae family.

[Properties and Flavors] Bitter, pungent, warm.

[Functions] ① Calms the mind and soothes the nerves, used to treat palpitations, insomnia, and forgetfulness; ② Eliminates phlegm and opens the orifices, used to treat mental confusion, epilepsy, mania, and cough with excessive phlegm caused by phlegm obstructing the heart orifices; ③ Reduces swelling and boils, used to treat carbuncles and boils.

[Pharmacological Actions] Sedative, anticonvulsant, expectorant, hypotensive, uterine contraction, antibacterial, antifungal, hemolytic.

[Modern Applications] Neurasthenia, epilepsy, bronchitis, acute bacillary dysentery, trichomonal vaginitis.

[Usage] Decocted for oral administration, 3-10 grams. For external use, apply as needed.

[Caution]Use with caution if you have excess heat or phlegm-fire.

Albizia bark

This product is the bark of the Albizia julibrissin tree, a legume.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, neutral.

[Functions] ① Calms the mind and relieves depression, used to treat insomnia; ② Promotes blood circulation and eliminates carbuncles, used to treat lung abscesses, boils and carbuncles, and various injuries from falls and blows.

[Pharmacological effects] Antifertility (termination of pregnancy), uterine contraction, anti-allergy, antibacterial, anthelmintic, snail-killing.

[Modern Applications] Neurasthenia, bacterial liver abscess, lung abscess, soft tissue contusion.

[Usage] Decocted for oral administration, 10-15 grams. For external use, apply as needed.

Nocturnal vine

This product is the vine stem or leafy vine stem of Polygonum multiflorum, a plant belonging to the Polygonaceae family.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, slightly bitter, neutral.

[Functions] ① Nourishes the heart and calms the mind, used to treat insomnia due to deficiency and restlessness; ② Unblocks the meridians and dispels wind, used to treat rheumatic arthralgia and soreness and numbness of limbs due to blood deficiency. Externally used to treat itchy skin sores and rashes.

[Pharmacological effects] Sedative, hypnotic, lipid-lowering, antibacterial, antitussive, antitumor, intestinal stimulant, hypotensive, diuretic, and leptospira-killing.

[Modern Applications] Schizophrenia, insomnia, skin diseases, and hemorrhoid swelling and pain.

[Usage] Decocted for oral administration, 10-30 grams. For external use, apply as needed.

Acorus

This product is the rhizome of Acorus gramineus, a plant belonging to the Araceae family.

[Properties and Flavors] Pungent, bitter, warm.

[Functions] ① Resolves phlegm and opens the orifices, used to treat mental confusion caused by phlegm and dampness obstructing the orifices; ② Resolves dampness and harmonizes the middle jiao, used to treat dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach, chest and abdominal distension, and loss of appetite; ③ Calms the mind and improves intelligence, used to treat forgetfulness, tinnitus, and deafness.

[Pharmacological Actions] Sedative, anticonvulsant, expectorant, antitussive, antiasthmatic, promotes digestive juice secretion, inhibits abnormal gastrointestinal fermentation, relieves intestinal smooth muscle spasm, antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic, increases coronary blood flow, antithrombotic, immune-enhancing, antitumor, promotes learning and memory abilities.

[Modern Applications] Epilepsy, neurasthenia, brain dysfunction syndrome, pulmonary encephalopathy, encephalitis, supraventricular tachycardia, tracheitis, bronchial asthma, neonatal scleroderma, childhood enuresis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, cancer.

[Usage] Decocted for oral administration, 5-10 grams. For external use, apply as needed.

[Caution]This product is contraindicated for those with yin deficiency and blood deficiency.

keel

This item is a fossil of an ancient mammal skeleton.

[Properties and Flavors] Astringent, sweet, neutral.

[Functions] ① Calms the mind and soothes the nerves, used to treat mental disorders, irritability, fright, mania, palpitations, forgetfulness, insomnia and dreaminess; ② Calms the liver and subdues yang, used to treat liver yang hyperactivity, dizziness and blurred vision; ③ Astringes and consolidates, used to treat various prolapse symptoms, such as spontaneous sweating, night sweats, seminal emission, leukorrhea, and metrorrhagia; ④ Promotes tissue regeneration and heals sores, used externally to treat sores that have ulcerated and are slow to heal, and itchy sores.

[Pharmacological effects] Sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and coagulation-promoting.

[Modern Applications] Peptic ulcers, night sweats in children, gastrocnemius muscle spasms, hydrocele, hemorrhoids.

[Usage] For oral administration, take 10-15 grams, crush and decoct first. For external use, apply appropriate amount. For calming the mind and suppressing yang, use raw; for astringing and consolidating, use calcined.

[Caution] This product is contraindicated for those with damp-heat accumulation or excess pathogenic factors.

Dragon teeth

This item is a fossilized tooth of an ancient mammal.

[Properties and Flavors] Astringent, sweet, and cool.

[Functions] Calms the mind and soothes the nerves; used to treat palpitations, insomnia, excessive dreaming, and fright.

[Pharmacological effects] Sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and coagulation-promoting.

[Modern Application] Neurasthenia.

[Usage]Decoction, 10-15 grams, crush and decoct first.

amber

This product is a fossil-like substance formed from the resin of ancient pine trees that has been buried underground for many years.

[Properties and Flavors] Sweet, neutral.

[Functions] ① Calms the mind and soothes the nerves, used to treat palpitations and insomnia; ② Promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis, used to treat amenorrhea, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, or internal blood stasis caused by falls and injuries; ③ Promotes urination and relieves strangury, used to treat dribbling and painful urination or hematuria.

[Pharmacological effects] Sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, antitussive, expectorant, lipid-lowering, anti-atherosclerotic, diuretic.

[Modern Applications] Hematuria, allergic purpuric nephritis, chronic prostatitis, coronary heart disease.

[Usage] For oral administration in pills or powders, take 1-3 grams. For external use, apply as needed.

[Caution] Use with caution if there is no blood stasis.

The following are articles 21 through 30. Each article contains custom content.