Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang黄芪桂枝五物汤
Astragalus and Cinnamon Twig Five Substance Decoction
Ingredients5 herbs
Indications
Blood painful obstruction: defensive and constructive qi are both weak, cold enters the vessels and blood no longer nourishes the flesh, so the skin and muscle lose sensation while pain stays mild.
Clinical Manifestations
- Numbness or loss of feeling in the limbs without much pain
- A heavy, wooden feeling in the arms or legs
- Numbness in the extremities following overwork or sweating in a draught
- Peripheral numbness in a weak, easily fatigued patient
- Shoulder and arm numbness with cold intolerance
Health Categories
Modern Applications
Common adjustments
- Marked blood stasis — add Ji Xue Teng 鸡血藤 and Dan Shen 丹参
- Numbness in the lower limbs — add Huai Niu Xi 怀牛膝 and Du Zhong 杜仲
- Wind-damp obstruction with joint pain — add Qiang Huo 羌活 and Fang Feng 防风
- Marked qi deficiency — increase Huang Qi 黄芪 substantially
Contraindications
Not for numbness from damp-heat or from yin-deficient internal heat. New or progressive numbness, weakness or asymmetry needs a neurological assessment first — herbal treatment should not delay the investigation of a stroke, nerve compression or neuropathy.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.
Pregnancy
Generally compatible in pregnancy under practitioner supervision — the formula is mild and mostly tonifying. Gui Zhi warms and moves the blood, so a practitioner should confirm the pattern before use rather than treating it as a general tonic.
Related Formulas
References
Source Jin Gui Yao Lue 《金匮要略》 · Eastern Han
「血痹阴阳俱微……外证身体不仁，如风痹状，黄芪桂枝五物汤主之。」
- Classical source (public domain), cited in the source-quote section.
2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— pattern analysis cross-checked.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.