Dao Chi San
Classical TCM Formula Profile
Part of the HJMEDICAL TCM Discovery Center
导赤散 · Dǎo Chì Sàn
A classical formula for Heart fire transmitting to the Small Intestine, with irritability, mouth sores, dark scanty urine and a red tongue tip.
Read the complete guide →Quick Facts
- Formula Category
- Heat-Clearing Formulas
- Primary Pattern
- Heart Fire
- Primary Function
- Clear Heart fire, promote urination
- Primary Therapeutic Principle
- Clear heat from the Heart channel and guide it out through the urine
- Classical Source
- Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue (Qian Yi, Song dynasty)
- Available as Granules
- Yes
Formula Overview
A classical formula for Heart fire transmitting to the Small Intestine, with irritability, mouth sores, dark scanty urine and a red tongue tip.
Therapeutic Principle
Traditionally selected for Heart fire with dark urine or mouth sores — guiding heat downward through urine, rather than Blood-cooling lin formulas or Liver-damp-heat draining.
Composition: Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, Envoy
Every herb in the formula, grouped by the job it does in the classical hierarchy.
君SovereignTreats the main pattern
臣MinisterReinforces the sovereign
佐AssistantTreats accompanying patterns
Classical Composition
- Rehmanniae Radix (Sheng Di) 6g
- Akebiae Caulis (Mu Tong) 6g
- Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao Shao) 6g
Dosages follow the classical source and are shown for study, not as a prescription.
Related Conditions
Related Health Topics
Actions
- Clears heart fire
- nourishes yin
- and promotes urination.
Indications
- This formula is indicated for intense heat in the heart channel.
- The symptoms are vexing heat in the chest, sores in the mouth and tongue, thirst, red complexion, preference for cold drinks, difficult and painful urination that is dark, a red tongue, and a rapid pulse.
Traditional Pathogenesis
Cause & mechanism
- This is a pattern of intense heat in the heart channel or the transmission of heart heat to the small intestine.
- The intense fire consumes yin, which causes thirst and a preference for cold drinks.
- Since there is an interior-exterior relationship between the heart and the small intestine, heart heat transmits to the small intestine, which fails to separate the clear and the turbid and cause difficult and painful urination with dark urine.
- Qian Yi said the pathogenesis of this pattern is “heart heat” or “heat of the heart qi”, without defining the nature of the pattern in terms of deficiency or excess.
- Later, the《Golden Mirror of the Medical Tradition》Yi Zong Jin Jian concluded this pattern is “deficient water without excessive fire”; in other words, the yin deficiency and the fire are not severe.
- Children, whose yin and yang are tender, are more apt to contract cold and heat.
- Their diseases change rapidly, and may be either deficient or excessive.
- Since the flaming of heart fire damages kidney yin, Qian Yi also suggested clearing heart fire together with nourishing yin, and promoting urination to drain heat.
Clinical presentation
- The heart fire flames up along the channel and causes vexing heat in the chest, sores in the mouth and tongue, and a red complexion.
Tongue & pulseThe red tongue and rapid pulse are signs of internal heat.
Treatment strategy
- According to these features, Qian Yi established the therapeutic principle: prevent deficiency when treating excess, and prevent excess when treating deficiency for children’s diseases.
How does this formula compare?
Clinical Perspective
Dao Chi San clears Heart fire via urination. Xiao Ji Yin Zi cools Blood for urinary bleeding. Ba Zheng San drains damp-heat for painful urinary dysfunction. Long Dan Xie Gan Tang drains Liver-Gallbladder damp-heat.
Clinical Differentiation
- Dao Chi San is a commonly used formula used to treat intense heat in the heart channel, and a commonly used formula that embodies the therapeutic methods of clearing heat, promoting urination, and nourishing yin.
- This clinical pattern is marked by vexing heat in the chest, sores in the mouth and tongue, red complexion, difficult and painful urination with dark urine, red tongue and rapid pulse.
Safety notes: Use this formula with caution in patients with spleen and stomach deficiency, as bitter-cold mu tong and cool-cold sheng di are included in the formula.
For educational reference only, based on traditional pattern differentiation — not a substitute for professional advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the actions of Dao Chi San?
Dao Chi San has the actions of clearing Heart Fire, promoting urination, and nourishing Yin. It guides excess Heat from the Heart downward through the Small Intestine and out via the urine, while protecting Yin fluids.
Which modern diseases is Dao Chi San suited to?
Modern TCM clinical practice commonly applies it to individuals whose pattern differentiation falls within Heart channel Heat, including stomatitis, oral ulcers or thrush, pediatric night crying of Heat type, and mild acute urinary tract conditions (such as urethritis or cystitis) when Heart Heat has transferred to the Small Intestine.
Is Dao Chi San suitable for improving mouth sores, irritability, and dark painful urination?
For presentations of heat or restlessness in the chest, thirst with desire for cold drinks, red face, mouth or tongue sores, and/or dark scanty urine with burning pain on urination, a red tongue, and a rapid pulse — in those whose pattern differentiation confirms Heart Fire or Heart Heat transferring to the Small Intestine — TCM commonly applies Dao Chi San as an adjunct. It cannot replace standard medical treatment.
Related Products
Hoi Tin Dao Chi San (Guide Out the Red Powder) 5:1 Concentrated Granules
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Related Articles
Dao Chi San: Classic TCM Formula for Heart Fire, Mouth Sores, Irritability & Painful Urination
Xiao Ji Yin Zi: Classic TCM Formula for Bloody Urine, Heat in the Blood & Lin Syndrome
Ba Zheng San: Classic TCM Formula for Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner, Painful Urination & Lin Syndrome
Long Dan Xie Gan Tang: Classic TCM Formula for Liver-Gallbladder Damp-Heat, Irritability & Hypochondriac Pain
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Medical Disclaimer
For general TCM education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified TCM practitioner or licensed healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, nursing, on medication, or managing a chronic condition.