Alternative Names

• yi yi ren tang
• Coix Decoction
• Coix Seed Decoction
• i yi jen tang
• i yi ren tang
• yokuinin to
• Yokuinin-tō
• よく苡仁湯よくいにんとう
• TJ52; TJ-52; TJ 52

Benefits

• supports joint health
• supports low back and sciatica nerve

This recipe encorporates three actions:

1. Disperses wind to address aches and pains that migrate about the body.
2. Dries damp to address aches and pains that make the limbs or body feel heavy or numb or swollen. Also, aches and pains that are aggravated by humid (or “damp”) weather.
3. Regulate the blood, which has a dual function of stimulating blood flow to address pain that is fixed in location and sharp in quality and moistening the blood to prevent damage to the blood when using the very drying herbs in this formula.

Ingredients

Ma Huang 麻黃 ephedra stem Herba Ephedrae (not included in online version)

Gui Zhi 桂枝 (Saigon) cinnamon twig, cassia twig Ramulus Cinnamomi Cassiae

• These are the two herbs used to “disperse wind”. Wind is an airy moving kind of problem. When it enters the body, it is usually found somewhat superficially, just under the skin, however when it is unaddressed over time, that wind can venture more deeply and enter the joints. The nature of wind is to move, and thus the symptom associated with wind in the channels is “migrating arthralgia” or aches and pains that move from day to day or week to week. These two herbs generate a little sweat that pushes the wind out of the skin. Ma Huang (Hb. Ephedra) was abused by dietary supplement marketers and ended up causing some serious adverse events. As such, we’re not allowed to sell this online anymore. So only the Gui Zhi (Cinnamon twig) is included in this formula.

Yi Yi Ren 薏苡仁 coix seeds, Job’s tears Semen Coicis Lachrymae Jobi [don’t use if pregnant]

Cang Zhu 蒼术 atractylodes rhizome, cang shu Atractylodis Rhizoma

• These two herbs slightly disperse wind (as mentioned above) but mostly drain or dry dampness. Dampness is another environmental pathogen (like wind) that can get into the body and cause problems. When dampness enters the acupuncture channels or the joints, it can cause a dull ache that also includes a sense of heaviness. Think of this like carrying a bucket of water in your body. Of course you’ll feel like your limbs or body is really heavy or weighed-down.

Dang Gui 當歸 tangkuei, Chinese angelica root Radix Angelicae Sinensis [supports pregnancy]

Bai Shao 白芍 white peony root, peony Paeoniae Radix alba [supports pregnancy]

• These two herbs have two functions in this formula. The first is to address a particular kind of pain. Other herbs in this formula address wandering pain (wind) and dull heavy pain (damp). Given time, the wind-damp can cause a stagnation of blood flow through the joints. These two blood-regulating herbs address this blood stagnation pain which is more fixed in location and sharp in nature. The other function that these herbs to herbs perform is to prevent the dispersing and drying herbs in this formula from causing the blood to get dry and sluggish. These herbs prevent that side-effect.

Zhi Gan Cao 炙甘草 licorice root Radix Glycyrrhizae prep. [caution]

• As usual, this herb is added to soften the harsh actions of the other herbs in this formula. The “Zhi” in the name of this herb means that it was fried in honey. This adds a protective action to the stomach. Not entirely sure why that is needed, probably the same reason as the blood regulating herbs that prevent the blood from drying up. This herb would prevent the stomach from getting dry too which is something of a common vulnerability in the stomach.