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Bao He Wan保和丸

Preserve Harmony Pill (Citrus & Crataegus Formula)

Reducing Food Stagnation 消食剂Reduce Food Stagnation 消食化滞

Ingredients7 herbs

山Shan Zha山楂180g君 ChiefBreaks down meat and fatty food stagnation; carries the largest dose in the formula神Shen Qu神曲60g臣 DeputyDigests retained grain and wine, warms and moves the middle半Ban Xia半夏90g佐 AssistantDries damp, settles rebellious Stomach qi, stops nausea茯Fu Ling茯苓90g佐 AssistantFortifies the Spleen and leaches out the damp that food retention breeds陈Chen Pi陈皮30g佐 AssistantMoves qi in the middle burner so the fullness eases连Lian Qiao连翘30g佐 AssistantClears and scatters the heat that stagnant food generates莱Lai Fu Zi莱菔子30g臣 DeputyDescends qi and disperses starch and grain stagnation

Indications

Disperses food stagnationHarmonizes the Stomach, settles rebellionTransforms damp and clears mild accumulated heat

Food stagnation: more food than the middle burner can move, blocking the qi dynamic, with the retention fermenting and generating a little heat. The pattern is congestion, not the substantial accumulation that calls for purging — which is exactly the level this formula works at.

Clinical Manifestations

  • Epigastric and abdominal fullness after overeating
  • Belching with a sour or rancid odour, acid regurgitation
  • Nausea, aversion to food, loss of appetite
  • Loose foul-smelling stools from retained food
  • Children's food accumulation from irregular eating
TongueThick greasy coating, often slightly yellow
PulseSlippery

Health Categories

Digestive Health

Modern Applications

Functional dyspepsiaBloatingAcid refluxLoss of appetitePediatric indigestion

Common adjustments

  • Meat and fatty food predominant — increase Shan Zha 山楂
  • Accumulated heat with constipation and foul breath — add Da Huang 大黄 and Zhi Shi 枳实 to guide the accumulation downward
  • Underlying Spleen deficiency — add Bai Zhu 白术 — the direction of Da An Wan

Contraindications

A dispersing formula for a patient of reasonable strength. Long-standing Spleen deficiency with fatigue and chronic loose stools needs tonification alongside — dispersing alone weakens the middle further. Severe, fixed or feverish abdominal pain should be assessed before any digestive formula is given.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.

Pregnancy

Use in pregnancy only under practitioner supervision — the formula contains Ban Xia, the qi-descending seed Lai Fu Zi, and a large proportion of Shan Zha, all of which are traditionally handled cautiously during pregnancy.

References

Source Dan Xi Xin Fa 《丹溪心法》 · Yuan dynasty

「治一切食积。」
— 《丹溪心法》(classical source, public domain)
  1. Classical source (public domain), cited in the source-quote section.
    2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
    3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— pattern analysis cross-checked.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.