Guipi Tang

About

Guipi Tang first appeared in the 13th century compendium, Formulas to Aid the Living (Jisheng Fang), but it took another 3-4 centuries before eminent Ming and Qing dynasty physicians comprehensively defined its symptom complex and realized its broad clinical potential. The formula’s design is based on the close relationship between the Spleen and the Heart, both organ systems that are involved in the metabolism of Blood and mental activity. More specifically, the primary pathology addressed by Guipi Tang is mental exhaustion due to over-thinking or excessive worry, which in turn will negatively affect the Spleen network and its multifaceted functions. The Spleen is supposed to be the main sustainer of the Heart, both as the central granary that distributes post-natal qi to all other organs and as the channel network that directly feeds into the Heart according to the order of meridian circulation in Chinese medicine. A weak Spleen, therefore, cannot properly nourish the Heart, and both Heart shen and Blood will be compromised as a result. Primary symptoms of this situation are anxiety, insomnia, and potentially bruising or bleeding. The traditional picture of the representative patient was the poor, exhausted student with an overwhelming workload and constant worries on his mind. Today, the formula has become a favorite TCM formula for a wide range of chronic diseases that involve a combination of low energy and neurotic symptoms.