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Yuan Zhi远志

Polygalae Radix · Polygala Root · Chinese Senega Root

Herbs that Calm the Spirit 安神药《神农本草经》

Overview

The dried root of a small perennial polygala, and one of the two or three herbs the tradition reaches for when the Heart and the Kidney have lost touch with one another. Acrid, bitter and slightly warm, it opens the passage between them — settling a restless spirit, easing a startled heart and sharpening a forgetful mind — while at the same time thinning phlegm so that it can be coughed up or cleared from the orifices of the Heart. The honey-prepared form Yuan Zhi is easier on the stomach and is usually chosen for a long course or for cough; the plain dried root moves phlegm more directly but is also the more irritating of the two.

Nature & Flavor

Bitter, acrid · Warm

Channels

Heart · Kidney · Lung

Typical Dosage

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

Actions

3 core actions

  • Calms the spirit, sharpens the mindRestless sleep, palpitations, anxious dreaming and poor memory where Heart and Kidney no longer communicate; classically paired with Suan Zao Ren 酸枣仁 and Fu Shen 茯神.
  • Dissolves phlegm, opens the orificesCough with sticky phlegm that is hard to bring up, and the muddled, disoriented mind of phlegm veiling the Heart — including seizure disorder in the classical literature.
  • Disperses swelling and toxinEarly-stage sores and breast abscess, taken internally or applied as a powder. A secondary use rather than the reason it is usually prescribed.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Yuan Zhi

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Insomnia, palpitations and anxious dreaming with poor memory
    - Cough with thick phlegm that will not come up
    - Disorientation or seizure attributed to phlegm clouding the Heart
    - Early sores and breast abscess (a lesser use)

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

InsomniaPalpitationsProductive coughMemory impairmentAnxiety

Contraindications

Cautions

Irritating to the stomach lining: it can cause nausea and a burning ache below the breastbone, and it is avoided — or given only in the honey-prepared form — where there is gastritis or a peptic ulcer. It is not the right herb on its own for insomnia driven by clear excess fire, nor for a dry, phlegmless cough of yin deficiency. Keep to the practitioner's amount and do not exceed 15 g a day; larger amounts provoke vomiting. Our dispensary record does not flag it as toxic, but it is not a herb to self-prescribe.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific restriction — practitioner judgment applies; it is not a herb to take unsupervised.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(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.