Herb
Cassia Twig (Gui zhi)
桂枝gui zhi
1 sourceRamulus Cinnamomi
Warms the channels and frees the vessels, releases the exterior and promotes sweating, and unblocks the joints and yang qi.
Used in 65 formulas
Source
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂·主治（《本经》）
References
- functions_en self-translated from 本草纲目 traditional_functions (public domain; the Chinese tf carries verbatim excerpt_hash citations). No modern work consulted.
- WHO IST-TCM terminology-aligned for the English rendering.
- public pharmacopoeia & botanical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Traditional functions
Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.
传统中医记载：《本经》载牡桂主上气咳逆结气、喉痹吐吸、利关节、补中益气，久服通神、轻身不老；《别录》载心痛胁痛胁风、温筋通脉、止烦出汗；张元素谓去伤风头痛、开腠理、解表发汗、去皮肤风湿；成无己谓泄奔豚、散下焦蓄血、利肺气。
Nature, flavor & meridians
Nature & flavor: 辛，温，无毒（牡桂，《本经》）；张元素谓桂枝味辛、甘，气微热，气味俱薄，体轻而上行，浮而升，阳也。·Meridians: 膀胱（足太阳）
Used in formulas
- Two-Parts Cinnamon Twig One-Part Yuebi Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig Decoction plus Magnolia Bark and Apricot Kernel
- Cinnamon Twig Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig and Licorice Decoction
- Minor Construct the Middle Decoction
- Two-Parts Cinnamon Twig One-Part Ephedra Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig and Aconite Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig, Licorice, Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig plus Rhubarb Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig plus Aconite Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig plus Cinnamon Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig plus Peony Decoction
- Half Cinnamon Twig and Half Ephedra Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig minus Peony plus Aconite Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig minus Peony Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig and Ginseng Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig Decoction plus Peony, Fresh Ginger and Ginseng (New Supplement)
- Bupleurum and Cinnamon Twig Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig minus Peony plus Dichroa Leaf, Oyster Shell and Dragon Bone Decoction to Restore from Counterflow
- Cinnamon Twig, Peony and Anemarrhena Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill
- Cinnamon Twig, Ginger and Immature Bitter Orange Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig Decoction Plus Astragalus
- Cinnamon Twig Decoction minus Peony plus Ephedra, Asarum and Aconite
- Spider Powder
- Pinellia Powder and Decoction
- Ephedra Decoction Plus Atractylodes
- Trichosanthes Root and Cinnamon Twig Decoction
- Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Atractylodes and Licorice Decoction
- Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Licorice and Jujube Decoction
- Ephedra Decoction
- Poria and Licorice Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig, Poria, Schisandra and Licorice Decoction
- Cocculus Decoction minus Gypsum plus Poria and Mirabilite
- Bupleurum, Cinnamon Twig and Dried Ginger Decoction
- Major Blue Dragon Decoction
- Tangkuei Decoction for Frigid Extremities
- Stephania and Poria Decoction
- Astragalus, Peony and Cinnamon Twig Decoction with Vinegar
- Peach Pit Decoction to Order the Qi
- Astragalus and Cinnamon Twig Five-Substance Decoction
- Bamboo Shavings Great Pill
- Aconitum Tuber Powder
- Dioscorea Pill
- Cocculus Decoction
- Kudzu Decoction
- Coptis Decoction
- Licorice and Aconite Decoction
- Immature Bitter Orange, Chinese Chive, and Cinnamon Twig Decoction
- Bamboo Leaf Decoction
- Tangkuei Decoction for Frigid Extremities plus Evodia and Fresh Ginger
- Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria
- Honey-Fried Licorice Decoction
- Kudzu plus Pinellia Decoction
- White Tiger Decoction Plus Cinnamon Twig
- Magnolia Bark Seven-Substance Decoction
- Minor Blue Dragon Decoction
- Warm the Menses Decoction
- Cinnamon Twig plus Kudzu Decoction
- Kidney Qi Pill
- Bupleurum plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell Decoction
- Mume Pill
- Ephedra and Cimicifuga Decoction
- Turtle Shell Decocted Pill
- Sun Spurge Decoction
Citations
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·香木类·桂（牡桂《本经》上品）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂（时珍：此即木桂，最薄者为桂枝，嫩小者为柳桂）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its alternate names.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂·气味（《本经》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂·气味（张元素·桂枝）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·发明（王好古·桂枝入足太阳经）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its meridian tropism.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂·主治（《本经》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂·主治（《别录》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·牡桂·主治（张元素）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·气味（之才·忌生葱石脂）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十四·木部·桂·发明（时珍·桂性辛散通子宫破血堕胎）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.
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