Description

Chinese pin yin name: Xiao Yao Wan, or Xiao Yao San,  逍遥丸. English name: Bupleurum & Danggui Formula. Xiao Yao Wan is one of the most popular Chinese herbal medicine formulas.

TCM ACTIONS:

• Soothes the Liver, tonifies the Spleen Qi and nourishes the Liver Blood.

TCM SYNDROMES:

• Liver Qi constraint. Spleen Qi deficiency.

BIOMEDICAL ACTIONS:

• Anxiolytic, tonic, erythrogenic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, stomachic.

INDICATIONS:

• Stress, depressed mood, stress-related disorders, bruxism, premenstrual tension, hepatitis, hepatic cirrhosis, gastritis, duodenitis, cholecystitis, peptic ulcer disease, mastitis, mammary dysplasia (iibrocystic breast disease), irregular menstruation, chronic hepatitis B.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:

• Sense of frustration, stress, emotional strain, depressed mood
• Sense of tightness or oppressive sensation in the chest, the need to make an effort to take a deep breath, sighing
• Symptoms brought on or worsened by emotional strain
• Tightness of the shoulders and lower thoracic paraspinal muscles
• Fatigue
• Poor appetite, epigastric or abdominal bloating
• Loose stools
• Hypochondrial distending pain
• Premenstrual tension with mastalgia
• Tongue may be normal possibly with a thick tongue coat
• Wiry pulse that may also be weak-thready

INGREDIENTS:

• Bupleumm falcatum, root (chai hu)
• Paeonia lactiflora, root (bai shao)
• Angelica polymorpha, root (dang gui)
• Atractylodes macrocephala, rhiz. (bai zhu)
• Poria cocos, fruit, body (fu ling)
• Glycyrrhiza uralensis, root (gan cao)
• Mentha haplocalyx, herb (bo he)
• Zingiber officinale, rhiz. (sheng jiang)

ACTIONS OF THE MAIN HERBS:

• Bupleurum root is used orally in the treatment of stress, liver disorders, premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhoea, depression, anorexia, inflammation, mild pain, muscle cramps, indigestion, ulcers, haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, constipation, as an immune stimulant, and for reducing cholesterol and triglyceztne levels. It is also used orally as a liver tonic, and a spleen and stomach toner. It has been shown to have the following actions: sedative, analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, immune system stimulant, stomachic, carminative, antitussive, anti-cancer, antibacterial, antiviral and antiprotozoal.
• Paeonia root (white peony) is used orally in formulas to treat various women’s disorders, liver conditions, muscle cramps and spasms, as well as for general debility due to chronic illness. It has been shown to have cardiotonic, cognition enhancing, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory actions.

DOSAGE & COURSE OF TREATMENT:

• 8 pills, 3 times daily (or 12 pills, 2 times daily), half to one hour away from food. In severe cases and in the early stages of treatment (first 2 — 4 weeks) the dosage may be increased by 50%. Course of treatment: 2 — 6 months. Safe for long term use.

CAUTIONS & CONTRAINDICATIONS:

• Caution for those on anti-coagulant medications (i.e. Heparin, warfarin or aspirin).
• Caution for those on any type of sedative drug.
• If taking antibiotics, allow at least 90 minutes before taking this formula.
• Contraindicated for patients taking interferon.
• Caution during pregnancy.