This formula is indicated for liver fire invading the stomach, which causes burning pain in the rib-side, vomiting and bitter taste in the mouth, epigastric upset and acid swallowing, a red tongue with yellow coating, and a wiry, rapid pulse.

Zuo Gui Wan is used to treat patterns of true yin deficiency marked by dizziness, blurred vision, soreness of the waist and knees, seminal emission, efflux diarrhea, spontaneous sweating, night sweat, a dry mouth and tongue, a red tongue with a scanty coating, and a thready pulse.

This is a pattern caused by dampness accumulation in the spleen and stomach. Spleen pertains to the earth of taiyin, is localized in middle jiao, and governs transportation and transformation. It is adverse to humidity and prefers dryness. When dampness accumulation blocks the middle jiao, the result is failure of transportation and transformation marked by abdominal distension and fullness, poor appetite and tastelessness. Additionally, the stomach qi might fail to descend. Counterflow of the stomach qi leads to nausea, vomiting, belching, and acid swallowing. Dampness is a yin pathogen that is heavy and lingering by its nature. Therefore, dampness accumulation in the body leads to heavy sensation in the limbs, lassitude, and somnolence. Dampness entering the intestine results in diarrhea. The therapeutic principles are to dry dampness and to activate the spleen as the primary function and move qi and harmonize the stomach as the secondary function. The ability to remove dampness is increased when qi moves smoothly.

Zheng Chai Hu Yin is indicated for a mild pattern of externally contracted wind-cold. The symptoms are mild aversion to wind-cold, fever, absence of sweating, headache, general body pain, a thin and white tongue coating and a superficial pulse.