Yue Ju Wan越鞠丸
Escape Restraint Pill
Ingredients5 herbs
Indications
The six constraintswith qi constraint at their centre: emotional strain or dietary irregularity blocks the free movement of qi in the Liver and Spleen, and blood, damp, food, fire and phlegm accumulate behind the blockage. Treating the qi is what allows the other five to disperse.
Clinical Manifestations
- Stifling fullness in the chest and epigastrium
- Distending epigastric or abdominal pain
- Belching of rancid food, acid regurgitation
- Nausea or vomiting with poor digestion
- Premenstrual irritability with breast and abdominal distention
Health Categories
Modern Applications
Common adjustments
- Qi constraint predominant — increase Xiang Fu 香附 and add Mu Xiang 木香 or Zhi Ke 枳壳
- Blood constraint predominant — increase Chuan Xiong 川芎 and add Tao Ren 桃仁 or Hong Hua 红花
- Damp constraint predominant — increase Cang Zhu 苍术 and add Fu Ling 茯苓 or Ze Xie 泽泻
- Food constraint predominant — increase Shen Qu 神曲 and add Shan Zha 山楂 and Mai Ya 麦芽
- Fire constraint predominant — increase Zhi Zi 栀子 and add Huang Qin 黄芩 or Huang Lian 黄连
- Phlegm constraint predominant — add Zhi Ban Xia 制半夏 and Gua Lou 瓜蒌
Contraindications
Not for constraint that has already burned through to yin damage, where drying and moving herbs make the dryness worse. Not appropriate where the picture is pure deficiency with no accumulation — Cang Zhu and Xiang Fu are both drying, and consume fluids in a patient who has none to spare.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.
Pregnancy
Use with caution in pregnancy and only under a practitioner's supervision. Chuan Xiong invigorates the blood and Xiang Fu moves qi vigorously; neither belongs in a self-directed regimen during pregnancy.
References
Source Dan Xi Xin Fa 《丹溪心法》 · Yuan
「气血冲和，万病不生，一有怫郁，诸病生焉。」
- 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.