Nature: sweet, neutral

Enters: Heart, Liver

Actions: Quiets the Shen; relieves mental stress and depression; relieves constraint; promotes blood circulation; dissipates swelling; alleviates pain; calms the five organs and promote happiness.

Indications:
• Anger, restlessness, insomnia, poor memory, constrained emotions, irritability (when using it for insomnia, it is especially indicated when due to Qi problems [usually constraint]).
• Blood stasis: trauma, carbuncle, internal abscess, pain and swelling.
Li: Nourishes heart blood.
Hsu: Tonic, stimulant, analgesic, anthelmintic, diuretic, oxytocic action.

Dose: 9-30g

 
He Huan Hua: the flower
• Sweet, neutral.
• Same functions as the bark, though generally stronger overall, more moving to the Qi, and promotes the free flow of stagnant liver Qi.
• Primarily for depression, constrained emotions, irritability, insomnia, especially when accompanied by epigastric pain and feelings of pressure in the chest.
• There are at least four different plants used as this herb, including albizzia flower, which consists of many pink hairs when fresh and becomes brown when dry, and several unrelated others. Many practitioners prefer the substitute species to the “true” herb.

Dose: 6-15g