Anchor the Yang addresses rising excess Heat and/or Internal Wind patterns. These patterns most often occur when Kidney Yin is deficient and is failing to nourish the Liver, leading to Liver Yin deficiency and ascending Liver Yang. Over time, the vigorous Heat generated from the ascending Yang will produce Wind, rising to the head and with occasional dizziness, head pressure, stiff neck and red face, denoting an excess nature. There will be a red tongue and excess pulse, with a slight manifestation of Blood or Yin deficiency signs.Anchor the Yang subdues ascendant Liver Yang, clears Heat, cools the Liver and tonifies and invigorates the Blood. Several herbs directly clear and cool excess Heat. Chinese motherwort fruit clears Heat, regulates Blood, breaks up stasis, and cools the Liver. Tree peony root bark and Chinese rhubarb rhizome and root clear Heat and Fire, and invigorate the Blood. Prunella fruit spike clears Liver Fire Blazing upward and disperses clumps. Coptis rhizome and Abalone shell further assist by draining Fire, with Coptis rhizome also relieving blazing Fire and Abalone shell calming ascendant Liver Yang.Gambir stem branch and twig drains Liver Heat and extinguishes Wind, especially patterns of Liver Heat with internal stirring of Liver Wind. Gastrodia rhizome cools and calms the Liver, subdues Wind and addresses Wind Phlegm patterns. Chrysanthemum flower disperses Wind, clears Heat and cools and tonifies the Liver.Raw Rehmannia root clears Heat and cools the Blood, nourishes the Yin, and generates fluids. Dong quai root tonifies and invigorates the Blood, and White peony root tonifies Blood, nourishes the Yin, extinguishes Wind, and breaks up stagnation. It replaces Donkey hide gelatin which is on the CITES list for endangered species. All together, these herbs tonify and nourish Blood and Yin and provide an essential action to relieve Heat and cool the Blood.Achyranthes root invigorates Blood, dispels Blood stasis and directs Fire downward. Amber resin settles and calms the Shen and moves the Blood. Sichuan lovage rhizome and Sandalwood invigorate Blood, promote the movement of Qi, and break up stagnation. Sichuan lovage rhizome expels Wind. Sandalwood replaces Aquilaria, which is found in the original formula, and is no longer available due to regulatory restrictions.Anchor the Yang addresses ascendant Liver Yang transforming into internal Wind and underlying Blood deficiency. Gastrodia and Uncaria Wind Relief also addresses ascendant Liver Yang, but with a stronger focus on anchoring Liver Yang rising, and less of a focus on the underlying Blood deficiency. ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENTAnchor the Yang is a modern formula (within the last 50 years).
