Open the Heart

Classical antecedent: Ban Xia Hou Po Tang (Pinellia-Magnolia Decoction)

Indications:

A feeling of tightness and oppression of the chest and epigastrium, slight breathlessness, sighing, anxiety, sadness, depression, irritability, pale complexion, slight chest pain, a feeling of a lump in the throat.

Indications in Chinese Medicine:

Pattern: Stagnation of Lung- and Heart-Qi in the chest from emotional problems, such as sadness, worry or grief.
Action: Moves Qi in the chest, stimulates the descending of Lung- and Heart-Qi, calms the Mind, settles the Corporeal Soul.

Tongue: Perhaps slightly red in the chest area (sides of its central section).
Pulse: Slightly wiry in general, especially on the Front position, but also weak and empty.

The main emphasis of the formula is to move stagnant Heart- and Lung-Qi. Stagnation of Heart- and Lung-Qi derives from sadness and grief over a long period of time. These emotions first deplete Heart-Qi and Lung-Qi and depress the Mind and the Corporeal Soul. The depletion of Lung-Qi from sadness and grief leads to shallow breathing and poor circulation of Qi in the chest and, eventually, to stagnation of Lung-Qi in the chest. The simultaneous weakness and stagnation of Lung-Qi may also lead to Phlegm. The Lung channel influences the throat and its stagnation can cause a feeling of obstruction there.

Ingredients:

Dosage: 2 tablets x 2 times a day

Bottle: 60 tablets x 500mg concentration ratio of 7:1