Liver Yang hyperactivity

Liver Yang hyperactivity, also called Liver Yang rising or Liver Yang ascendant hyperactivity, is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pattern describing a state where rising or excessive "Yang" energy in the Liver (as defined in TCM, not the anatomical liver) produces symptoms such as headache, dizziness, tinnitus, irritability, insomnia, hypertension, and facial flushing[1][3][6][7]. It is viewed as an imbalance, often resulting from deficiency of Liver Yin or Blood, leading to relatively excessive upward-moving Yang[1]. The pattern is central to certain presentations of hypertension, ADHD, and other conditions in TCM[3][5]. Treatments aim to "subdue Liver Yang" and "nourish Liver Yin and Blood" using prescribed herbal formulas such as Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin, Qi Ju Di Huang Wan, and others[1][2][3]. However, Liver Yang hyperactivity is not recognized as a molecular or druggable target by modern Western medicine and does not correspond to any specific protein, receptor, or signaling pathway[1][2][7].

Other names

Liver Yang risingLiver-Yang hyperactivity syndromeLiver Yang ascendant hyperactivityGān Yáng Shàng Kàng (Chinese: 肝阳上亢)