Tang-kuei 18 is the most widely prescribed of all the Seven Forests formulas. It is a fundamental blood nourishing prescription adjusted to deal with the most common accompanying conditions such as stagnation of qi and blood (due to "dryness" of the liver), qi deficiency, and blood heat. The primary blood nourishing component is composed of tang-kuei, peony, cnidium, and rehmannia (the ingredients of Siwu Tang), with lycium fruit, ho-shou-wu, cornus, and ligustrum. To promote circulation of qi and blood, bupleurum, cyperus, curcuma, and achyranthes have been added. To tonify qi and enhance production of blood, astragalus, ginseng, and atractylodes are included. Finally, a small amount of moutan and gardenia are added to help clear heat in the blood that accompanies deficiency syndromes.