Table 3.

Kampo treatment of hot flushes

Name of formula	Syndrome	Pathophysiology	Excess or deficiency
Peach pit decoction to order the Qi (tao he cheng qi tang)	Hardness or palpable masses in lower abdomen; dark stools with normal urination; mania; heat in head; nosebleeds	Blood accumulation in the lower abdomen	Excess
Ledebouriella sage-inspired powder (fang feng tong sheng sân)	Signs of heat excess; tendency towards constipation; headrush syndrome; tendency toward skin problems; dark coloured urine; firm abdomen with rounded contour		Excess
Bupleurum plus dragon bone and oyster shell decoction (chai hu jia long gû mû li tang)	Strong constitution, restless mind, irritability and restlessness, easily angered, palpitations, insomnia, tight distension in epigastric area that is painful upon palpation	Joint disorder of the three yang warps	Excess
Coptis toxin resolving decoction (huang lian jie du tang)	Headrush syndrome; inflammatory conditions; irritability; restlessness; insomnia; thirst; bad breath; bitter taste; distress in upper abdomen or chest; acute bleeding; unusual warmth may be palpable in centre of chest	Heat toxin flooding the triple burner	Excess
Cinnamon twig and poria pill (gui zhi fu ling wan)	Strong constitution, red complexion, headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, shoulder pain, palpitations, abdominal fullness, resistance to pressure or even pain on palpation of lower abdomen, irregular menstruation	Blood stasis and water accumulation	Mixed (mainly excess)
Female spirit powder (nu shen sân)	Uprushing, palpitations, headache, dizziness, back feels like burnt, intense heat, sweating, depression, restlessness, long-term insomnia, constipation	Qi stagnation	Excess
Uncaria powder (gou teng sân)	Headrushes; headache or heavy-headedness; dizziness; muscular tension in neck and shoulder area; ocular rubor tinnitus; thirst; nervousness; irritability; insomnia; eye fatigue or pain; poor appetite	Liver yang transforming into wind with some spleen qi deficiency and phlegm damp	Excess with some deficiency
Warm clearing beverage (wen qing yîn)	Dry lustreless skin; menstrual disorders; bleeding; headrush syndrome; skin problems marked by dryness, redness and itching; inflammatory conditions; anxiety; irritability; restlessness; insomnia; blood stasis signs	Blood heat or damp-heat and blood deficiency	Mixed
Poria, cinnamon twig, white atractylodes, and licorice decoction (ling gui zhu gan tang)	Dizziness; palpitations; shortness of breath; substernal discomfort; headaches; reduced urinary output; tinnitus; twitching; headrushes; substernal splashing sounds; mild upper abdominal rectus tension	Phlegm-mucous from spleen deficiency; water dampness with cold	Mixed
String of pearls beverage (lian zhu yîn)	Palpitations; dizziness (orthostatic); mild oedema; tinnitus; shortness of breath; flushing and profuse sweating; headache; soft abdominal wall with periumbilical sensation	Blood deficiency with water dampness	Mixed (mainly deficiency)
Augmented rambling powder (jia wei xiao yao sân)	Weak constitution, shoulder aches and pain, easily tired, irritability, easily angered, restless mind, heat vexation, flushed red cheeks, dizziness, insomnia	Liver blood deficiency with heat from constraint	Mixed (mainly deficiency)
Tangkuei and peony powder (dang gui shao yao sân)	Relatively weak constitution, cold boody, anaemic, easily tired, occasional sensations of pain in the lower abdomen, heavy head, dizziness, shoulder pain, tinnitus, palpitations, abdominal diagnosis reveals lack of strength	Blood and qi deficiency	Deficiency
Cinnamon twig decoction plus dragon bone, and oyster shell (gui zhi jia long gû mû li tang)	Fatigue; cold extremities; vasomotor symptoms; frequent urination; neurotic symptoms; periumbilical sensation; thin abdominal wall with lower or general rectus tension	Floating of empty yang with insufficiency of qi and blood	Deficiency

From Ref. 50, p. 103.