Gan Mai Da Zao Tang

Licorice, Wheat & Jujube Decoction

Calm the Shen • Nourish the Heart • Restore Emotional Balance

Gan Mai Da Zao Tang is one of the gentlest yet most profound formulas in the Chinese herbal tradition. Originally described in the Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet), it was created to treat Zang Zao Syndrome—a pattern characterized by emotional fragility, frequent crying, anxiety, insomnia, and a persistent feeling of being emotionally overwhelmed.

Unlike formulas that heavily sedate or strongly tonify, Gan Mai Da Zao Tang works by nourishing the Heart, harmonizing the Middle Jiao, and gently calming the Shen. Its remarkable simplicity makes it an ideal choice for patients recovering from prolonged stress, grief, postpartum depletion, hormonal transitions, or emotional trauma.

For practitioners, it remains one of the most valuable formulas for patients whose nervous systems simply need restoration rather than suppression.

Traditional Indications

• Anxiety
• Frequent crying
• Emotional lability
• Sadness
• Restlessness
• Insomnia
• Excessive yawning
• Poor concentration
• Disorientation
• Zang Zao Syndrome (Restless Organ Disorder)

TCM Pattern

Heart Yin Deficiency with Shen Disturbance and Middle Jiao Disharmony

Gan Mai Da Zao Tang nourishes the Heart, calms the Shen, harmonizes the Middle Burner, and gently restores emotional stability by replenishing depleted Yin and supporting healthy digestive function.

Modern Clinical Applications

Many practitioners reach for Gan Mai Da Zao Tang when supporting patients experiencing:

• Emotional overwhelm
• Anxiety
• Postpartum emotional recovery
• Perimenopausal mood instability
• Chronic stress
• Grief and bereavement
• Mild insomnia
• Nervous exhaustion
• Burnout
• Emotional sensitivity following prolonged illness
• Pediatric emotional sensitivity (constitutionally appropriate)

Its gentle nature makes it especially valuable for patients who appear emotionally depleted rather than emotionally excessive.

Rather than suppressing emotions, Gan Mai Da Zao Tang helps restore the body's capacity for emotional resilience.

Ingredients

• Gan Cao — 40%
• Xiao Mai (Triticum) — 40%
• Da Zao — 20%

Crafted using our signature Two-Cured Decoction™ process—combining a traditional hot water decoction with a secondary high-proof alcohol extraction—to capture both water-soluble and alcohol-soluble herbal constituents for a full-spectrum tincture.

Practitioner Favorites

Heart-Spleen Deficiency + Emotional Fatigue

60% Gan Mai Da Zao Tang + 40% Gui Pi Tang

A favorite combination when anxiety is accompanied by fatigue, poor memory, palpitations, digestive weakness, or chronic overthinking.

Insomnia + Anxiety + Heart Yin Deficiency

50% Gan Mai Da Zao Tang + 50% Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan

Excellent for patients experiencing restless sleep, palpitations, emotional agitation, and chronic Yin depletion.

Single Herb Pairings

For further customization, consider adding:

• Yuan Zhi — to strengthen Heart-Kidney communication, improve mental clarity, and calm the Shen.
• Suan Zao Ren — to nourish Heart Yin, improve sleep quality, and reduce nighttime restlessness.

Urban Herbs Practitioner Advantage

Every 16 oz amber bottle is designed for fast, customized dispensing in clinical practice. Blend Gan Mai Da Zao Tang with complementary formulas to create individualized prescriptions in minutes—giving your patients the convenience of a liquid tincture while providing your practice with a flexible, space-saving herbal pharmacy.

Double-extracted. Ready to dispense. Built for practitioners.

Why Practitioners Keep Gan Mai Da Zao Tang on the Shelf

Not every patient with anxiety needs a strong sedative.

Some simply need to feel safe again.

Gan Mai Da Zao Tang addresses a type of emotional exhaustion that often develops after prolonged caregiving, chronic stress, grief, childbirth, hormonal transition, or trauma. These patients may appear fragile, easily overwhelmed, prone to crying, and unable to fully recover despite adequate rest.

Rather than forcing the nervous system into calmness, this classical formula gently nourishes the Heart and harmonizes the digestive system—the foundation from which emotional resilience naturally returns.

Practitioners frequently reach for Gan Mai Da Zao Tang when treating:

• Emotional exhaustion
• Frequent crying
• Postpartum emotional recovery
• Perimenopausal mood changes
• Anxiety with digestive weakness
• Burnout
• Mild insomnia
• Grief and bereavement
• Sensitive patients who do not tolerate stronger Shen-calming formulas
• Children and highly sensitive adults with constitutional emotional fragility

Because Urban Herbs tinctures are designed for blending, Gan Mai Da Zao Tang serves as an exceptional foundation for customized protocols supporting emotional wellness, sleep, women's health, and recovery from chronic stress.

Its remarkable simplicity, outstanding safety profile, and centuries of clinical use make it one of the most comforting formulas in the classical dispensary.

One bottle. Gentle support for the overwhelmed heart and mind.

Practitioner Snapshot

Category

Shen-Calming & Heart-Nourishing Formulas

Primary Actions

• Calms the Shen
• Nourishes the Heart
• Harmonizes the Middle Jiao
• Supports Emotional Balance
• Relieves Restlessness
• Promotes Restful Sleep

Best For

• Anxiety
• Emotional fragility
• Frequent crying
• Burnout
• Grief
• Perimenopause
• Postpartum recovery
• Mild insomnia
• Nervous exhaustion
• Chronic stress

Pairs Well With

• Gui Pi Tang
• Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
• Suan Zao Ren Tang
• Bai Zi Yang Xin Tang
• Xiao Yao San

Clinical Personality

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shen Calming
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Emotional Support
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Heart Nourishing
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Gentle Tonifying
⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Sleep Supporting

Clinical Pearl

Gan Mai Da Zao Tang is one of the most psychologically insightful formulas in classical Chinese medicine. Written nearly 2,000 years ago, it was created for patients experiencing what the classics describe as Zang Zao Syndrome—a state of profound emotional vulnerability marked by crying spells, anxiety, insomnia, and an inability to feel emotionally settled. Today, practitioners often recognize this pattern in postpartum recovery, perimenopause, grief, caregiver burnout, and chronic stress. Rather than suppressing emotion, the formula gently nourishes the Heart, harmonizes the Spleen, and helps the nervous system regain its natural resilience. Its simplicity is part of its genius, making it one of the most elegant and comforting formulas every practitioner should have within reach.