The effects of cha herbal formulas are well-known and varied. In this three-part article, we will discuss 24 of the most well-known effects of cha herbal formulas including ingredients, dosage, how the formulas should be prepared, and functions.
Effects of Cha Herbal Formulas
1. Fight Fatigue (Xiao Shui) Effect
A. Cha Chuan Xiong Cong Bai
| Herb | Pinyin |
| Camellia sinensis | Cha |
| Radix ligusticii W. | Chuan Xiong |
| White stalk of green onion | Cong Bai |
Function: treats coma (according to TCM dictionaries).
2. Calm Spirit (An Shen) Effect
A. Gan Jiang San
| Herb | Pinyin | Dosage |
| Dry ginger | Gan Jian | 2.7 qian (8.1g) |
| Camellia sinensis | Cha (high grade) | 1.7 qian (5.1g) |
Function: Post-cholera symptoms of agitation, restlessness and fidgetiness according to the ancient Song dynasty text Sheng Ji Zong Lu.
B. Family Treasure Formula (Zhou Yisheng Jia Bao Fang)
| Herb | Pinyin | Dosage |
| Camellia sinensis | Cha (winter pick, old growth, picked after first frost) | 30g, powdered |
| Rice | Sheng Ming Fan | 15g, powdered |
Preparation: Make into pills; roll in zhu sha powder.
Dosage: 15g, decocted
Function: Treats depressive psychosis and epilepsy caused by anxiety, melancholy, impairing heart and spleen with stasis of phlegm/qi. Manifestations of depression, lack of expression, quietness, self-muttering, fantasizing, hallucinations, paraphasia.
C. Zai Xuan Fang
| Herb | Pinyin | Dosage |
| Camellia sinensis | Cha (spring pick) | 30g |
| Fructus gardenaiae | Zhi Zi | 30g |
Preparation: Cook with water, concentrated in one cup. Try to vomit or cough after ingesting formula.
Function: Treats wind phlegm-caused diseases as above formula.
D. Ru Zi Fang formula from Tea Classic text (Cha Jing)
- bitter cha
- roots of green onion
Preparation: Decocted to treat infantile convulsion caused by unknown reasons (not fright, depression, etc.).
3. Clear Vision (Ming Mu) Effect
A subject well-written about in Chinese departments of ophthalmology. Four books alone discuss over 95 different formulas for this purpose. A few are listed.
A. Bu Gan San (drink with wax tea)
- wax tea (data is limited)
Function: Liver deficiency, sensitivity to light, excessive tearing.
B. Huan Jing Wan (return eyeball pill)
Preparation: Drink with green cha.
Function: Treats lu feng nei zhang condition, equating with acute angle-closure glaucoma.
C. Hu Jing Wan
Function: Treats congenital cataracts caused by kidney/spleen deficiency or excessive rest by pregnant women with wind toxin.
D. Jiu Jing Wan
Preparation: Take with green tea.
Function: Treats optic atrophy caused by kidney hives/yin deficiency.
E. Shi Jue Ming San (abalone shell powder)
Preparation: Take with green tea.
Function: Treats cataracts.
F. Zi Yin Di Huang Wan
Preparation: Take with green tea.
Function: Treats blood deficiency, visual fatigue.
G. La Cha Yin (wax tea drink)
| Herb | Pinyin | Dosage |
| Small bud green tea | Ya Cha | 3g |
| Radix angelicae D. | Bai Zhi | 3g |
| Radix aconite | Fu Zi | 3g |
| Herba asari | Xi Xin | 1.5g |
| Radix ledebouriellae | Fang Feng | 1.5g |
| Herba agestaches | Qiang Huo | 1.5g |
| Herba schizonepetae | Jing Jie | 1.5g |
| Radix ligusticii W. | Chuan Xiong | 1.5g |
Preparation: Add a little salt to decoction.
Function: Treats broken blood vessels in eyes.
H. Gan Shi
| Herb | Pinyin |
| Smithsonitum | Gan Shi |
| Rhizoma coptidis | Huang Lien |
| Camellia sinensis (early spring pick) | Yue Chen Cha |
Preparation: Grind into super-fine powder. Use externally. (Do not use internally.)
Function: Treats infection of eyeball.
4. Clear Head (Qing Tuo Mu) Effect
A. Yi Fang Di Lun
| Herb | Pinyin | Dosage |
| Rhizoma cimicifungae | Sheng Ma | 18g |
| Radix rehmanniae G. | Sheng Di | 15g |
| Camellia sinensis | Cha (green, early spring pick) | 12g |
| Radix scutellariae | Huang Qin | 3g |
| Rhizoma coptidis | Huang Hien | 3g |
Preparation: Decoct with water.
Function: Wind headaches on side and front of head.
B. Qian Jin Yao Fang
Preparation: Decoct one-half gallon cha.
Dose: two-thirds of half-gallon. Causes patient to vomit. Drink more, vomit, repeat until gallbladder bile (green) vomits up.
Function: Migraine headache caused by phlegm rising with San Jiao qi counter flow.
5. Stop Thirst (Zhi Ke Sheng Jin) Effect
A. Long Jing Jue Hua Cha
| Herb | Pinyin | Dosage |
| Westlake Dragonwell green tea | Cha (green) | 3g |
| Chrysanthemum | Jue Hua | 3g |
| Rock candy sugar | No amount listed |
Preparation: Steep as a tea, add sugar.
Function: Green tea promotes saliva, clears exopathic wind, heat and nourishes dryness. Endopathic heat.
6. Clear Heat (Qing Re) Effect
A. Shang Han Yuang Re Cong Shi Cha Fan
B. Fan Re Shi Gao Cha Fang
C. Fan Zao Bo He Cha Fang
Above formulas contain the following herbs:
| Herb | Pinyin |
| Green onion | Cong Bai |
| Soya (prepared) | Dou Chi |
| Platycodon | Jing Ji |
| Camellia sinensis | Cha |
| Ginger root | Sheng Jiang |
| Herba ephedra | Ma Huang |
| Fructus gardenia | Zhi Zi |
7. Clear Summer Heat (Xiao Shu) Effect
All green teas are cooling, especially the Westlake Dragonwell variety of green tea, used as a single herb. Add flos chrysanthemum (jua hua) for enhancement.
8. Detox Poison (Jie Du) Effect
A. Jian Bian Fan (Simple and convenient form)
- Green tea (young pick), 6g
- White rice (bai fan), 6g
Preparation: Grind to powder. Drink in room-temperature water.
Function: Treats toxic heat carbuncles.
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