Bao He Wan: A Simple Guide to a Digestion-Boosting, Stomach-Soothing Herbal Formula
- Hongji Medical
- Dec 27, 2024
- 4 min read
Bao He Wan, or "Harmony-Preserving Pill," is a classic Chinese herbal formula from Danxi's Heart Method. Renowned for aiding digestion and soothing the stomach, it tackles food stagnation caused by overeating or poor diet.
With a blend of herbs like hawthorn and tangerine peel, this gentle remedy restores digestive balance and eases discomfort.
What’s in Bao He Wan?
Bao He Wan combines seven herbs to promote digestion and clear food stagnation:
Hawthorn (Shan Zha): Sweet and sour, it breaks down meat and greasy food buildup.
Divine Comedy (Shen Qu): A fermented herb, it aids digestion of alcohol and starchy foods.
Radish Seed (Lai Fu Zi): Guides qi downward, easing grain-related bloating.
Pinellia (Ban Xia): Dries dampness and stops nausea or vomiting.
Poria (Fu Ling): Strengthens the spleen and clears excess moisture.
Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi): Regulates qi, reduces bloating, and boosts digestion.
Gardenia Seed (Lian Qiao): Clears heat and detoxifies damp-heat from stagnation.
Recipe: 180g hawthorn, 60g divine comedy, 90g each of pinellia and poria, 30g each of tangerine peel, gardenia seed, and radish seed. Grind into powder, form into pills, and take 6–9g with warm water, or decoct as tea with adjusted doses.
How Bao He Wan Works
Bao He Wan targets food stagnation, where undigested food blocks stomach qi, causing:
Bloating, abdominal pain, or fullness
Nausea, vomiting, or acid reflux
Loose stools or bad breath
Thick, greasy tongue coating and slippery pulse
Its actions include:
Aiding Digestion: Hawthorn, divine comedy, and radish seed break down food buildup.
Soothing the Stomach: Pinellia and tangerine peel ease nausea and regulate qi.
Clearing Dampness: Poria and gardenia seed resolve damp-heat and prevent diarrhea.
Modern Uses
Bao He Wan is used for:
Digestive Issues: Treats acute or chronic gastritis, enteritis, and indigestion.
Pediatric Conditions: Eases diarrhea or vomiting in infants from food stagnation.
Other Disorders: Helps with gastric ulcers, pancreatitis, or food poisoning symptoms.
It’s ideal for temporary digestive upset from overeating or irregular diets.
Dietary and Lifestyle Support
To enhance Bao He Wan’s effects:
Hawthorn Porridge: Aids digestion and reduces bloating.
Tangerine Peel Tea: Soothes the stomach and promotes qi flow.
Radish Soup: Breaks down food stagnation.
Poria Porridge: Strengthens the spleen and clears dampness.
Mindful Eating: Avoid overeating, greasy, or heavy foods.
Things to Keep in Mind
Short-Term Use: As an “attacking” formula, avoid long-term use to prevent spleen strain.
Weak Spleen/Stomach: Not for those with chronic digestive weakness unless adjusted by a doctor.
Cold Constitution: Use cautiously if you’re prone to feeling cold, as it may need warming herbs.
Professional Guidance: Consult a TCM practitioner for proper use and dosing.
Why Bao He Wan Matters
Bao He Wan is a TCM gem, blending hawthorn, pinellia, and tangerine peel to clear food stagnation and soothe the stomach. Rooted in ancient wisdom, it shines in modern clinics for gastritis, bloating, and more. Paired with digestive-friendly foods and expert guidance, this formula restores gut harmony, proving the timeless power of Chinese herbal medicine.
Chinese Name | 保和丸 |
Phonetic | Bao He Wan |
English Name | Harmony-Preserving Pill |
Classification | Digestive formulas |
Source | 《Teachings of [Zhu] Dan-xi》Dan Xi Xin Fa《丹溪心法》 |
Combination | Crataegi Fructus (Shan Zha) 6 liang (180g), Medicata Massa Fermentata (Shen Qu) 2 liang (60g), Pinelliae Rhizoma (Ban Xia) 3 liang (90g), Poria (Fu Ling) 3 liang (90g), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chen Pi) 1 liang (30g), Forsythiae Fructus (Lian Qiao) 1 liang (30g), Raphani Semen (Lai Fu Zi) 1 liang (30g) |
Method | Grind the ingredients into powder and prepare into pills. One dose is approximately 6-9g taken with warm water. It can also be prepared as a decoction by adjusting the medicinal quantities based on the original ratio. |
Action | Promotes digestion and harmonizes the stomach. |
Indication | This formula is indicated for food accumulation in the stomach cavity. The symptoms are fullness, distending pain in the abdomen and stomach cavity, belching, acid swallowing, aversion to food, vomiting, and diarrhea. The tongue coating is thick and greasy, and the pulse is slippery. |
Pathogenesis | This is a pattern of food accumulation caused by an improper diet and overeating. Inhibition of the qi mechanism by food accumulation results in fullness and distending pain in the abdomen and stomach cavity. When the ascending and descending function of the spleen and stomach is impaired, diarrhea and vomiting may result. Diarrhea is caused by the clear yang failing to ascend and vomiting is due to turbid yin failing to descend. A thick, greasy tongue coating and a slippery pulse indicate food accumulation. The therapeutic principles used to remedy this pattern are to promote digestion and remove accumulation. |
Application | 1. Essential pattern differentiation Bao He Wan is a commonly used formula applicable for a variety of food accumulation patterns. This clinical pattern is marked by fullness in the abdomen and stomach, distention and pain in the abdomen and stomach cavity, belching, acid swallowing, thick and greasy tongue coating, slippery pulse. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of food accumulation: acute and chronic gastritis and enteritis, dyspepsia, and infants with diarrhea. 3. Cautions and contraindications This formula is an aggressive formula that attacks and dispels; therefore, it should not be taken for long periods of time. Additionally, it should not be prescribed to treat food accumulation patterns due to spleen deficiency without proper modification. |
