Skip to content
Cura x Cura

Bai Bian Dou白扁豆

Lablab Semen Album, Dolichoris lablab semen · White Hyacinth Bean · Lablab Bean

Herbs that Tonify the Qi 补气药《名医别录》

Overview

A food-grade bean that doubles as a gentle Spleen tonic: sweet, slightly warm and unhurried, it supports digestion while quietly drying the damp that a weak Spleen produces. Its second role is for summer — the damp-heat malaise of hot weather, with nausea, loose stools and a heavy head. The dry-fried form is the stronger of the two for strengthening the Spleen and firming the stool, while the unprocessed bean is preferred for clearing summer damp.

Nature & Flavor

Sweet · Slightly warm

Channels

Spleen · Stomach

Typical Dosage

10–15 g in decoction
白扁豆Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

3 core actions

  • Strengthens the Spleen, transforms dampPoor appetite, loose stools, fatigue after eating and a sense of heaviness in the limbs.
  • Resolves summer dampHot-weather nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhoea and thirst with a sticky tongue coating.
  • Checks vaginal dischargeThin, clear or white discharge on a Spleen-deficient background.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Bai Bian Dou

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Spleen deficiency with poor appetite and loose stools
    - Summer-damp upset stomach with nausea and diarrhoea
    - Persistent white vaginal discharge from Spleen deficiency
    - Fatigue and heaviness in humid weather

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

Chronic diarrhoeaPoor appetiteGastroenteritisVaginal discharge

Contraindications

Cautions

Mild but supplementing: hold off where cold pathogens are still on the exterior or where food stagnation is the active problem, since the bean is slow and slightly cloying. Lablab beans must be thoroughly cooked — undercooked beans can cause nausea and vomiting, so the herb is decocted or the dry-fried form is used rather than eaten raw.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific pregnancy restriction — practitioner judgment applies.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Ming Yi Bie Lu《名医别录》(classical source, public domain).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.

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.