(236) Long Yan Rou (Arillus Longan)

[HB KIM]

LONG YAN ROU (Arillus Longan)
If a patient comes in and you notice that they look anxious or restless, or if they have neurosis due to chronic stress, then Long Yan Rou is definitely a good herb to incorporate into their formula.  Long Yan Rou is good for the chronic stress of modern life.  Chronic stress is taxing on the Heart blood.  Long Yan Rou both tonifies the Heart blood and calms the Shen.  The fruit itself is soft and sweet, and it can be compared to chocolate because eating just makes people feel better.  HT7 is the acupuncture point that has the same actions as Long Yan Rou, to tonify Heart blood and calm the Shen.  This is an essential herb for psychological disorders including symptoms of neurosis and palpitations. 


1.  PALPITATION
If a patient body condition is such that just a little tension causes palpitation, increased breathing rate, or panic, Long Yan Rou has to be given in a dose of 12-20 grams.  Below is an example formula for this type of case:
Long Yan Rou 12-16g
Suan Zao Ren 6-8g
Fu Shen 6-8g
Zhu Ru 4-6g
Zhi Shi 3-4g

CASE. A high-school senior has a lot of anxiety and tension, is not sleeping well, and has a foggy feeling in her head.  She studies a lot; her family is very strict and has expectations for her to enter an ivy-league university.
Dang Gui 8g
Long Yan Rou 8g
Suan Zao Ren 6g
Fu Shen 6g
Shan Zhu Yu 6g
Yuan Zhi 4g
Shi Chang Pu 3g


2.  INSOMNIA
If insomnia is a result of over thinking, with thoughts running through the mind unstoppably, the pattern is Heart blood deficiency.  Insomnia can occur in many patterns, but there are two basic types: excess and deficiency.  Excess fire can blaze up to cause insomnia, or deficiency fire can result from Heart blood deficiency.  The most important aspect of the differential diagnosis is to determine whether the case is excess or deficient.  For Heart blood deficiency pattern insomnia, use this combination: 
Suan Zao Ren (fried) 16-20g
Long Yan Rou 8-12g
Ye Jiao Teng 4-6g
Yuan Zhi 3-4g

CASE. A 36 year old teacher has the main complaint of insomnia.  About five months ago she experienced a lot of stress at work with a particular student and with issues among the faculty.  The work issues have resolved since then, but she still has very disturbed sleep with thoughts just running through her head all night.  She wakes easily, and even though she is very tired she can't sleep.  Now her body is starting to feel very heavy all the time and she is becoming very sensitive emotionally.  Last month her MD prescribed some insomnia medication for her.  It works when she takes it, but now she can't sleep at all if she doesn't take it.  She doesn't want to be addicted to sleeping pills so she didn't take the medication for the last couple of nights.  Her head feels so heavy and she just wants to lie down even though she can't sleep. 
Suan Zao Ren (fried) 20g
Long Yan Rou 12g
Ye Jiao Teng 6g
Yuan Zhi 4g
Ling Zhi 3g (Reishi mushroom)
Da Zao 5pcs


3. ANXIETY/NEUROSIS/PHOBIA/Side effect of Xanax
Long Yan Rou can be used for anxiety, which in severe cases may result is shaking tremors of the hands or body. The Heart is the king organ.  If the king has anxiety, then all his citizens will also lose their confidence.  In the case of the body, the limbs are the citizens and the trembling reflects the imbalanced energy of the Heart. 

Xanax is a benzodiapene frequently prescribed for anxiety and panic disorder.  If taken for an extended period of time, side effects manifest as Heart blood deficiency, or in a more progressed case as Heart and Gall Bladder deficiency.  The symptoms escalate from the realm of anxiety into the realm of phobia, as the patient's tolerance for the drug increases and higher dosages are required.  Of course these symptoms also occur when the patient tries to reduce the dosage or quit the drug.  The concurrent use of an herbal formula which includes Long Yan Rou can greatly help to reduce the symptoms of panic and anxiety associated with decreased dosage or cessation of Xanax.  First try Wen Dan Tang or a modified version of Wen Dan Tang.  If that doesn't work well, then the Heart blood deficiency must be targeted first.  Wood is the mother of fire, so if the Heart blood is deficient then the Liver blood will be strained too.  Shu Di Huang and Dang Gui can help to rectify the Heart and Liver blood deficiency.  This is an example formula:   
Shu Di 12g
Dang Gui 8g
Long Yan Rou 8g
Suan Zao Ren 8g
Fu Shen 6g
Bai Zi Ren 6g
Da Zao 6pcs

CASE.  A 39 year old woman of thin body type has the chief complaint of insomnia and phobia.  She has lived alone since she got divorced five years ago.  Her MD diagnosed anxiety and neurosis and prescribed Xanax.  She took the medication for some time, but then decided that she didn't want to be dependent on a drug so she just quit the medication by herself without any supervision from her MD.  She is now also experiencing tinnitus and aural hallucinations.
Shu Di 12g
Dang Gui 8g
Long Yan Rou 8g
Suan Zao Ren 8g
Gou Qi Zi 6g
Shan Zhu Yu 6g
Fu Shen 6g
Ling Zhi 3g (Reishi mushroom)
Sheng Jiang 3pcs
Da Zao 5pcs


TIP: GUI PI TANG  vs.  WEN DAN TANG  vs.  GUI PI WEN DAN TANG
(1) Gui Pi Tang: A patient presents with a thin body constitution, a thin tongue body or with the normal thin white coating, pale skin, palpitations, other blood deficiency symptoms, and sweaty hands and feet.  Choose herbs in the Gui Pi Tang family (Long Yan Rou, Suan Zao Ren, Dang Gui, Yuan Zhi).
(2) Wen Dan Tang: A patient presents with a thick tongue coating, phlegm symptoms or is overweight, and there is evidence of weak Stomach function, also nausea and a stifling sensation in the chest, and the face is dark or there is darkness below the eyes.  Choose herbs in the Wen Dang Tang family (Ban Xia, Fu Shen, Zhu Ru, Zhi Shi, Shi Chang Pu).
(3) Gui Pi Wen Dan Tang: Occasionally in a complicated case, a patient may have both phlegm and blood deficiency symptoms concurrently.  Then combine both formulas together to make Gui Pi Wen Dan Tang.