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Cura x Cura

Gui Zhi桂枝

Cinnamomi Ramulus · Cinnamon Twig

Herbs that Release the Exterior 解表药《名医别录》

Overview

The young twig of the cinnamon tree — acrid, sweet and warm. It releases a wind-cold exterior while harmonizing the protective and nutritive levels, warms and frees the channels wherever cold has stalled movement, and supports yang so that fluids can be transformed rather than pooling. It is the chief of Gui Zhi Tang and one of the most widely used herbs in the classical repertoire; honey-prepared Gui Zhi is a little gentler and less drying, chosen where the middle burner is weak.

Nature & Flavor

Acrid, sweet · Warm

Channels

Heart · Lung · Bladder

Typical Dosage

3–9 g in decoction
桂枝Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

4 core actions

  • Releases the exterior, harmonizes ying and weiWind-cold exterior patterns, especially the presentation with sweating and aversion to wind that Gui Zhi Tang addresses.
  • Warms and frees the channelsCold-obstruction pain in the limbs and joints, cold-type dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea, cold blood stasis.
  • Assists yang, transforms qiYang-deficient water retention and phlegm-fluid, chest yang obstruction, palpitations from unsupported heart yang.
  • Honey-preparing softens itThe honey-fried twig disperses less and is easier on a weak middle burner, though the raw twig remains the stronger exterior-releaser.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Gui Zhi

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Wind-cold exterior with sweating and aversion to wind
    - Cold painful obstruction of the limbs, joints and abdomen
    - Cold-stasis dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea
    - Yang-deficient edema, phlegm-fluid, palpitations

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

Common coldJoint painDysmenorrheaCold extremitiesPalpitations

Contraindications

Cautions

Warm, acrid and outward-moving: avoid in warm-heat febrile disease, yin deficiency with heat, and any pattern with heat in the blood or active bleeding. Use carefully where menstrual bleeding is already heavy.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Use with caution in pregnancy and avoid larger doses — it warms and moves the blood; practitioner supervision required

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Ming Yi Bie Lu《名医别录》(classical source, public domain).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.

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.