lingjiao gouteng decoction

Lingjiao Gouteng Decoction is a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula composed of ten herbs, with Saiga antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao) and Gambir vine stems/thorns (Gou Teng) as principal ingredients. It was first recorded in the Qing dynasty and is traditionally used to "cool the Liver" and "extinguish Wind," addressing syndromes associated with internal wind due to excess heat in the liver channel. Modern research has explored its neuroprotective effects in conditions such as acute alcohol intoxication, vascular dementia, epilepsy after cerebral hemorrhage, and tremor symptoms. Mechanistically, it exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects—regulating pathways such as RhoA/ROCK2/NF-κB signaling—and helps maintain neurovascular coupling by reducing oxidative stress markers like NOX2 while increasing SOD3 expression[1][3][6][9]. Its main clinical indications include convulsions/spasms from febrile diseases or hypertension-related wind syndromes; it is also being studied for alcohol-induced brain injury and late-onset epilepsy.

Other names

Ling Jiao Gou Teng TangLing-Yang-Gou-Teng DecoctionAntelope Horn and Uncaria DecoctionGastrodia and Uncaria CombinationCornu Antelopis Uncaria Decoction