Category: Digestion, acute attack, hidden pathogen, skin, detox, spleen system

Use of the formula according to Traditional Chinese Medicine:

• eliminates external pathogens, releases the exterior
• clears damp-heat and eliminates dampness
• descends stomach Qi, harmonises the middle burner
• stops vomiting and diarrhoea

Description:

The most effective formula for acute attacks on the organism by pathogens of a damp-heat or damp-cold nature (especially in the summer period), which manifest in the organism as turbid dampness or damp-heat, for example after an attack by summer heat. Typical symptoms include elevated temperature or fever alternating with chills and shivering, headaches, especially in the forehead area, and muscle pain. The pathogen that has entered the middle burner causes stagnation there and disrupts the proper mechanism of Qi: instead of descending, stomach Qi begins to rise, which manifests as nausea or vomiting, and instead of rising, spleen Qi descends along with turbid Qi, which causes mushy stools or diarrhoea. All of this can also be accompanied by bloating, pain and abdominal cramps.

Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Pian is therefore used in a modern context for acute gastroenteritis (acute inflammation of the stomach and intestines), food poisoning and infections associated with so-called "stomach flu". It can also be used for motion sickness (nausea and vomiting after excessive movement or travel by transport), after overeating with subsequent food stagnation in the stomach, or after excessive alcohol consumption.

The emperor herb in the mixture is wrinkled giant hyssop, which clears turbid dampness while simultaneously harmonising the stomach and spleen. It is excellent for stopping vomiting and soothing the stomach. Areca nut and perilla help it excellently in this. Other herbs in the formula work with dampness and phlegm, which they transform and eliminate in various ways, and also strengthen the spleen.

Indications:

• acute attacks of diarrhoea or vomiting
• elevated temperature or fever
• chills, shivering, aversion to cold
• headaches
• fullness and pressure in the chest, diaphragm, epigastrium or abdomen
• pain and/or cramps in the stomach and intestinal area

Modern use:

• stomach flu
• traveller's diarrhoea or vomiting
• acute gastroenteritis
• acute enteritis or colitis
• diarrhoea
• food poisoning
• fungal infection
• skin rash from sweating

Tongue:

• thicker greasy coating
• white or yellowish

Pulse:

• fu
• ru, possibly huo (superficial, soggy, possibly slippery)

Contraindications:

• contraindicated in patients with significant blood and yin deficiency (most herbs are pungent and drying)
• use with caution in patients with symptoms of damp-heat; choose a different mixture if heat predominates

Notes:

This is a mixture that you should definitely pack for your summer holiday first – then almost no digestive problems will catch you off guard.

Composition of the formula: