An 1,800-Year-Old Herbal Formula with Modern Research Supporting Its Positive Effects on Depression
At our clinic, we combine time-honoured traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) wisdom with modern research and clinical care. One herbal classic that is brilliant for mood support is Zhi Zi Chi Tang, a formula used for over 1,800 years to help calm the mind and relieve emotional distress.
A Traditional Formula for Stress, Irritability, and Low Mood
In TCM, Zhi Zi Chi Tang is traditionally used when emotional stress leads to:
Feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or down
Internal agitation or “heat” that affects sleep and mood
Difficulty relaxing or winding down
This pattern is common in people struggling with persistent stress and emerging depression, especially when symptoms are linked with tension and emotional distress.
What Modern Research Shows
Recent scientific research supports the positive effects of this formula in a stress-induced model of depression. In this study:
Animals exposed to chronic stress showed behaviors similar to depression.
When treated with Zhi Zi Chi Tang, the animals showed significant improvements in mood-related behaviours.
These benefits were associated with physiological changes that reduced oxidative stress in the brain, helping protect brain cells under stress.
One key finding was that the formula helped increase levels of glutathione, the brain’s most important natural antioxidant. Low glutathione is linked with poorer stress resilience and mood dysregulation, and improving glutathione balance is increasingly understood as a key factor in supporting emotional wellbeing.
Modern Understanding in Everyday Language
Chronic stress wears down the brain’s ability to cope — similar to rust forming on metal over time. By supporting antioxidant systems and reducing cellular stress, Zhi Zi Chi Tang can help the nervous system bounce back more effectively, making it easier to recover from persistent stress and low mood.
How Acupuncture Fits In
At our clinic, herbal medicine and acupuncture are often paired because they complement each other beautifully:
Acupuncture supports stress regulation by calming the nervous system and enhancing the body’s natural relaxation response.
Common points used for mood support include:
Yintang (M-HN-3) — calms anxiety and restlessness
Heart 7 (Shenmen) — supports emotional balance and sleep
Liver 3 (Taichong) — helps regulate emotional tension and irritability
Spleen 6 (Sanyinjiao) — improves resilience and overall stress tolerance
Together, acupuncture and herbal formulas like Zhi Zi Chi Tang offer a holistic, personalised approach that addresses both the symptoms and the underlying stress patterns contributing to depression.
What This Means for You
This research highlights how ancient formulas can still be valuable today, especially when combined with targeted acupuncture and clinical support. While everyone’s situation is unique, many people with stress-related low mood find that this combined approach helps them:
Feel calmer and more emotionally balanced
Sleep better and think more clearly
Build resilience against the effects of ongoing stress
Research Reference
The findings referred to here come from a study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, which reported that Zhi Zi Chi Tang improved depressive behaviours and reduced oxidative stress via the glutathione pathway in a chronic stress model.
If you are interested to see how Chinese herbal formulas and acupuncture may be able to assist you with symptoms like depression and low mood, give us a call at Centre of Health to see if we can assist.