Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San: A Simple Guide to a Dampness-Clearing, Stomach-Harmonizing Herbal Formula
- Hongji Medical
- Dec 12, 2024
- 5 min read
Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San, or "Agastache Qi-Correcting Powder," is a classic Chinese herbal formula from the Song Dynasty’s Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang.
Renowned for dispelling dampness, regulating qi, and soothing the stomach, it’s a go-to remedy for summer colds, digestive upset, and heatstroke caused by wind-cold and internal dampness. This versatile blend restores balance with a warming, aromatic touch.
What’s in Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San?
Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San combines a mix of herbs to clear dampness and harmonize digestion:
Patchouli (Huo Xiang): Aromatic and warming, it dispels cold, stops vomiting, and clears dampness.
Perilla Leaf (Zi Su Ye): Relieves exterior cold and disperses dampness.
Angelica Root (Bai Zhi): Warms and dries dampness to ease discomfort.
Poria (Fu Ling): Strengthens the spleen and drains dampness.
Atractylodes (Bai Zhu): Boosts spleen function and dries dampness.
Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi): Regulates qi and dries dampness to reduce bloating.
Magnolia Bark (Hou Po): Moves qi, relieves chest tightness, and clears dampness.
Platycodon Root (Jie Geng): Clears lung qi and supports the diaphragm.
Licorice (Gan Cao): Harmonizes the formula and protects the stomach.
Ginger and Jujube: Warm the middle and aid decoction.
Preparation: Grind into powder and take 9g with warm water, or decoct with ginger and jujube, adjusting the dose as needed.
How Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San Works
Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San targets wind-cold and internal dampness, causing:
Chills, fever, or headaches
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain
Chest fullness, bloating, or intestinal gurgling
White, greasy tongue coating
Its actions include:
Relieving Exterior Symptoms: Patchouli, perilla, and angelica dispel wind-cold.
Clearing Dampness: Poria, atractylodes, and tangerine peel dry internal moisture.
Regulating Qi: Magnolia bark and platycodon ease chest tightness and bloating.
Harmonizing the Stomach: Licorice and ginger soothe digestion and stop vomiting.
Modern Uses
Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San is used for:
Digestive Issues: Treats acute gastroenteritis, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Summer Colds: Eases chills, fever, and body aches.
Heatstroke: Relieves dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.
Stomach Cold: Soothes discomfort and loose stools.
Research highlights its antibacterial, antiviral, antipyretic, and digestive-regulating effects.
Dietary and Lifestyle Support
To boost Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San’s effects:
Ginger and Jujube Tea: Warms the stomach and stops nausea.
Barley Porridge: Strengthens the spleen and clears dampness.
Tangerine Peel Tea: Promotes digestion and eases bloating.
Stay Warm: Avoid cold or raw foods to support spleen function.
Things to Keep in Mind
Warm and Drying Nature: Avoid in cases of wind-heat (fever with sore throat) or yin deficiency with excess fire.
Chronic Conditions: Use cautiously in hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or liver/kidney issues.
Pregnancy, Children, or Elderly: Consult a doctor for safe use.
Professional Guidance: Follow a TCM practitioner’s advice for dosing and safety.
Why Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San Matters
Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San is a TCM gem, blending patchouli, tangerine peel, and poria to clear dampness, regulate qi, and soothe the stomach.
From Song Dynasty pharmacies to modern clinics, it tackles gastroenteritis, colds, and heatstroke with ease. Paired with warming teas and expert guidance, this formula restores digestive harmony, proving the timeless wisdom of Chinese herbal medicine.
Chinese Name | 藿香正氣散 |
Phonetic | Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San |
English Name | Agastache Qi-Correcting Powder |
Classification | Dampclearing formulas |
Source | 《Formulas from the Imperial Pharmacy》Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang《太平惠民和劑局方》 |
Combination | Arecae Pericarpium (Da Fu Pi) 1 liang (30g), Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Bai Zhi) 1 liang (30g), Perillae Folium (Zi Su Ye) 1 liang (30g), Poria (Fu Ling) 1 liang (30g), Pinelliae Rhizoma (Ban Xia qu) 2 liang (60g), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Bai Zhu) 2 liang (60g), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chen Pi) 2 liang (60g), Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex (Hou Po processed with ginger juice) 2 liang (60g), Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng, processed with ginger juice) 2 liang (60g), Agastachis Herba (Huo Xiang) 3 liang (90g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle (Zhi Gan Cao) 2.5 liang (75g) |
Method | Grind the medicinals into powder. Take 9g with a decoction of sheng jiang and da zao. It may also be prepared as a decoction that includes sheng jiang and da zao. |
Action | Releases the exterior and removes dampness, rectifies qi and harmonizes the center. |
Indication | Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San is indicated for the contraction of exogenous wind-cold and internal damage by internal dampness. The symptoms include aversion to co1d with fever, headache, chest and diaphragm distension and depression, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bowel sounds and diarrhea. The tongue has a white, greasy tongue coating. It can also be used to treat conditions that are contracted from the clouds and mists in the mountains, malaria, etc. |
Pathogenesis | This pattern, commonly seen in summer, is caused by externally contracted wind-cold and internal damage by dampness. Wind-cold contraction in the exterior obstructs wei yang and leads to exterior patterns marked by aversion to cold and fever. Internal damage by dampness in the middle jiao leads to spleen-stomach disharmony and disturbance of ascending and descending marked by vomiting and diarrhea. Qi stagnation due to blockage of dampness is marked by distension and depression of the chest and diaphragm as well as abdominal pain. The proper therapeutic method is to dispel wind-cold externally and remove damp-turbidity internally in combination with methods that rectify qi and harmonize the center. This formula may also be applied to patients who have contracted a similar condition from the clouds and mists in the mountains, malaria, and inability to acclimate. |
Application | 1. Essential pattern differentiation Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San is the common formula used to treat exterior wind-cold and internal damage by dampness accumulation. This clinical pattern is marked by aversion to wind with fever, vomiting and diarrhea, white and greasy tongue coating. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of dampness stagnation in spleen and stomach with exterior wind-cold contraction: acute gastroenteritis and common cold in the four seasons. 3. Cautions and contraindications This formula has a powerful effect to remove dampness and to harmonize the stomach and a mild effect to release the exterior and dissipate cold. After taking it, one should cover up with an extra layer to help release the exterior. It is not applicable for vomiting and diarrhea caused by damp-heat. |
Additonal formulae | Liu He Tang (Six Harmony Decoction 六和湯) [Source]《Beneficial Formulas from the Taiping Imperial Pharmacy》Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang《太平惠民和劑局方》 [Ingredients] Sha ren 1 liang (30g), ban xia 1 liang (30g), xing ren 1 liang (30g), ren shen 1 liang (30g), zhi gan cao 1 liang (30g), chi fu ling 2 liang (60g), huo xiang 2 liang (60g), bai bian dou 2 liang (60g), mu gua 2 liang (60g), xiang ru 4 liang (120g), hou po 4 liang (120g) [Preparation and Administration] Cut the medicinals into pieces. One doge is 4 qian (12g). Add 1.5 zhan of water and decoct it with 3 pieces of sheng jiang and 1 piece of da zao until 80% water remain, remove the dregs and take it warm. It can also be prepared as a decoction. [Actions] Dispels summerheat and removes dampness, fortifies the spleen and harmonizes the stomach. [Applicable Patterns] Damage of the spleen and stomach by dampness, summerheat-damp invasion the exterior. Symptoms include: severe vomiting and diarrhea, drowsiness and lassitude, chest and diaphragm distension and depression, and a white and watery tongue coating. |
Remark | Officinal Magnolia (Magnolia officinalis) is listed as "Endangered" in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. |
