Ardisia 16 is a slight modification of the widely used Bupleurum and Dragon Bone Combination, a traditional formula that was applied to treat nervousness, palpitations, insomnia, and other stress syndromes. It has been modified to reinforce the phlegm resolving action of pinellia and ginger by adding ardisia and acorus; further, the blood vitalizing and heat clearing herbs salvia, moutan, and peony have been added. Ardisia was selected because it both resolves phlegm and vitalizes blood, two areas that usually need to be addressed in chronic conditions involving stagnation and accumulation. Bupleurum and Dragon Bone Combination focuses on treating an agitational syndrome affecting the liver and heart which arises from an acute disease, but the modifications utilized here make it better suited to chronic syndromes. One of the intended applications of Ardisia 16 is aiding persons who are trying to withdraw from drugs that affect the nervous system, especially those that can be addictive. Ardisia was used in China to treat opium-addicted patients; Bupleurum and Dragon Bone Combination has been used in the U.S. to treat withdrawal from anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs as well as illicit drugs that are ultimately used for similar purposes. Another derivative of Bupleurum and Dragon Bone Combination is Fu-shen 16; that formula has a greater focus on settling liver yang, with hematite and haliotis added as heavy sedating agents, and uncaria and coptis used to clear liver fire.

Jin Niu Cao (ardisia) 10% Chai Hu (bupleurum) 9% Long Gu (dragon bone) 9% Mu Li (oyster shell) 8% Dan Shen (salvia) 8% Ban Xia (pinellia) 7% Di Huang (rehmannia) 7% Huang Qin (scute) 6% Fu Shen (fu shen) 5% Shi Chang Pu (acorus) 5% Mu Dan Pi (moutan) 5% Bai Shao (peony) 5% Ren Shen (ginseng) 5% Rou Gui (cinnamon bark) 5% Gan Jiang (ginger) 4% Da Huang (rhubarb) 3%