Cinnabar Classic Formulas — Natural Herb Library

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Calms the spirit and settles fright - Zhu Sha is the best-known traditional name for cinnabar when used for agitation, insomnia, palpitations, and severe spirit disturbance.
Clears Heart heat - classical use includes vexation, irritability, and restlessness associated with Heart-fire patterns.
Addresses convulsive or seizure-type patterns in combination formulas - older formula traditions employ Zhu Sha in severe presentations involving fright-wind, phlegm-heat, or loss of composure.
Relieves toxicity when applied externally - fine topical preparations appear in traditional management of oral lesions, sores, and inflammatory ulcerations.

Zhu Sha An Shen Wan - classic spirit-calming and Heart-fire-clearing formula.
An Gong Niu Huang Wan - resuscitative formula tradition in which cinnabar has historically been included for severe heat and consciousness disturbance.
Ci Zhu Wan - heavy-substance combination used traditionally for spirit disturbance, palpitations, and related sensory complaints.

Traditional materia medica describes Zhu Sha as sweet and slightly cold, entering the Heart channel to calm the spirit, clear heat, and relieve toxicity.
Later clinical cautions repeatedly stress minute dosing, powder use rather than decoction, and careful source control because the medicinal effect is inseparable from a real mercury burden.
This Zhu Sha entry is therefore framed as a toxic mineral medicine rather than a gentle daily sleep herb.