Zhi Zhu Wan枳术丸

Unripe Bitter Orange and Atractylodes Macrocephala Pill

Reducing Food Stagnation 消食剂Strengthen the Spleen and Reduce Food Stagnation 健脾消食

Ingredients2 herbs

HerbDosageWhat it does in this formula

枳Zhi Shi枳实炒Aurantii Fructus Immaturus30gBreaks up the knotted qi below the heart and disperses the accumulation 白Bai Zhu白术Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma60gStrengthens the Spleen and dries damp — deliberately twice the dose of Zhi Shi

Indications

Strengthens the Spleen and moves stagnant qiReduces focal distention below the heartReduces food accumulationDries damp in the middle burner

Spleen deficiency with food and qi stagnation. The transporting function is weak rather than obstructed, so food lingers and the qi below the heart knots — a deficiency pattern carrying an excess sign.

Clinical Manifestations

Epigastric fullness and focal distention after eating
Chronically weak digestion with intermittent bloating
Poor appetite in a person of deficient constitution
Heaviness and fatigue after ordinary meals
Loose stools with abdominal fullness

TonguePale with a thin white or slightly greasy coating

PulseWeak, sometimes slippery

Health Categories

Digestive Health

Modern Applications

Functional dyspepsia Gastroparesis Bloating Chronic gastritis Poor appetite

Common adjustments

Food accumulation prominent — add Shen Qu 神曲 and Mai Ya 麦芽 — this is Qu Mai Zhi Zhu Wan
Phlegm-damp with nausea — add Chen Pi 陈皮 and Ban Xia 半夏 — this is Ju Ban Zhi Zhu Wan
Qi stagnation with cold in the middle burner — add Mu Xiang 木香 and Sha Ren 砂仁 — this is Xiang Sha Zhi Zhu Wan
Marked qi deficiency — add Ren Shen 人参 or Dang Shen 党参

Contraindications

Not sufficient for a hard, painful, substantial accumulation with constipation — that needs a guiding-out or purgative formula. Not appropriate where the fullness comes from yin deficiency with a red peeled tongue, since both herbs are drying. Zhi Shi breaks qi, so where qi is markedly sinking — prolapse, chronic exhaustion — its proportion should be kept low or the formula changed.

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

Pregnancy

Used in pregnancy only on a practitioner's decision. Bai Zhu is a classical Spleen tonic long used in pregnancy, but Zhi Shi breaks qi strongly and is traditionally restricted during pregnancy, so the pairing is not one to self-prescribe while pregnant.

Related Formulas

Jian Pi Wan健脾丸

References

Source Nei Wai Shang Bian Huo Lun 《内外伤辨惑论》 · Jin

「治痞，消食，强胃。」
— 《内外伤辨惑论》(classical source, public domain)

Classical source (public domain), cited in the source-quote section; the formula is attributed to 张元素 and recorded by 李杲.
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.