Formulas · Calm the Spirit 安神 · Yiro (易老)

Two Ginsengs Elixir

Isam-dan

한글 이삼단 · Pinyin Er Shen Dan

二參丹

The alternative name 二丹丹 counts the two red drugs — 丹參 and 朱砂 — rather than the two ginsengs; both readings of the name circulate.

Composition 構成

Dansam Dan Shen
丹參 단삼 · Salvia

60 g
Chief 君
Sukjihwang Shu Di Huang
熟地黃 숙지황 · Prepared Rehmannia

60 g
Chief 君
Insam Ren Shen
人蔘 인삼 · Ginseng

20 g
Chief 君
Cheonmundong Tian Men Dong
天門冬 천문동 · Asparagus Root

60 g
Deputy 臣
Maekmundong Mai Men Dong
麥門冬 맥문동 · Liriope

40 g
Deputy 臣
Baekbokryeong Fu Ling
白茯苓 백복령 · Poria (white)

40 g
Deputy 臣
Wonji Yuan Zhi
遠志 원지 · Polygala

20 g
Assistant 佐
Seokchangpo Shi Chang Pu
石菖蒲 석창포 · Acorus

20 g
Assistant 佐
Jusa Zhu Sha
朱砂 주사 · Cinnabar (toxic)

20 g
Assistant 佐

toxic
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

40 g
Envoy 使

Total 380 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts.

Received this formula from your practitioner? Amounts shown here are classical reference values — granule and prepared products differ. Always follow your prescribed dosage and directions.

Actions 效能

Treats wind stroke with forgetfulness
Nourishes the spirit
settles the will and harmonizes the blood

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Wind stroke with the spirit unsettled and memory lost
Heart blood vacuity with forgetfulness

Biomedical correlates

Post-stroke cognitive impairment
Vascular dementia

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治中風健忘, 養神ㆍ定志ㆍ和血. 丹參ㆍ熟地黃ㆍ天門冬各一兩半, 麥門冬ㆍ白茯苓ㆍ甘草各一兩, 人參ㆍ遠志ㆍ石菖蒲ㆍ朱砂各五錢. 右爲末, 蜜丸梧子大, 空心以愈風湯送下. 《易老》 ○一名二丹丹.

Translation

Treats wind stroke with forgetfulness; nourishes the spirit, settles the will and harmonizes the blood. Salvia, cooked rehmannia and asparagus root, 1 nyang 5 don each; ophiopogon, poria and licorice, 1 nyang each; ginseng, polygala, acorus and cinnabar, 5 don each. Powder, make honey pills the size of a paulownia seed, and send down with Yupung-tang on an empty stomach. — Yiro 易老 (Donguibogam · Pung)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The companion to Sabaek-dan, and the better of the two. Where that one is aromatic and dispersing, this one is moistening and settling: salvia and rehmannia at the top of the weights, the two ophiopogons for fluid, ginseng and poria for the qi, and polygala and acorus as the pair that always appears when the tradition wants to reach the heart orifice. The indication is forgetfulness after stroke, which is a real and common sequela and one the moistening-and- settling approach suits better than anything in the acute part of the chapter. The cinnabar at 5 don is the problem; without it the formula is a reasonable prescription for post-stroke cognitive impairment, and modern practice drops it. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.