Constraint (yue ju wan) (YTS)

Original Case by: Ye Tian-Shi (叶天士)

[Patient] Dai [habitually] held in his/her feelings with no desire to speak up. This was a Heart disease and herb medicine is difficult to treat such an illness disease. This is damage caused by constraint of the seven emotions. [Zhu] Dan Xi’s yue ju wan (Escape Restraint Pill) method was used.

xiang fu (Cyperi Rhizoma)
chuan xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma)
huang lian (Coptidis Rhizoma)
fu ling (Poria)
zhi ban xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma preparatum)
ju hong (Citri reticulatae Exocarpium rubrum)
chao shan zha (dry-fried Crataegi Fructus)
shen qu (medicated leaven)

Made into pasty pills.

Translated by: Jason Blalack

Original Chinese: 戴（氏） 隐情曲意不伸。是为心疾。此草木攻病。难以见长。乃七情之郁损。以丹溪越鞠方法. 香附 川芎 小川连 茯苓 半夏 橘红 炒楂肉 神曲浆丸¸

Source: From the Constraint Chapter of Case Records as a Guide to Clinical Practice (Lín zhèng zhî nán yï àn) 《临证指南医案》.

Commentary: This is a modified yue ju wan (Escape Restraint Pill). Ye chooses not to prescribe cang zhu , but instead uses ban xia, fu ling, and ju hong, er chen tang (Two-Aged [Herb] Decoction) . He also uses huang lian instead of zhi zi. One might assume that there are symptoms such as focal distention and a stifling sensation in the chest and abdomen.

This is a great example of how a master herbalist modifies a stock formula to fit the individual’s presentation.