Chinese: 痛泻要方
Pinyin: Tòng Xiè Yào Fāng
Other names: Important Formula for Painful Diarrhea
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that harmonize Liver-Spleen
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: ColitisIngestion in children
- Tonifies the Spleen
- Softens the Liver
- Expels Dampness
- Stops diarrhea
Contraindications: This formula is not recommended in situations of food poisoning diarrhea. While... This formula is not recommended in situations of food poisoning diarrhea. While this can be accompanied by stomach pain, it normally goes away once the bowels have been emptied and the food stagnation has dispersed. Other distinguishing signs include the presence of undigested food in the stools and especially foul stools. Borborygmus, if present, is typically followed by the release of foul-smelling gas. see more
Source date: 1481 AD
Source book: Essential Teachings of [Zhu] Dan-Xi
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Tong Xie Yao Fang is a 4-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Atractylodes Rhizomes (Bai Zhu) and White Peony Roots (Bai Shao) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1481 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that harmonize Liver-Spleen. Its main actions are: 1) tonifies the Spleen and 2) softens the Liver.
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Tong Xie Yao Fang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as colitis or ingestion in children for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the four ingredients in Tong Xie Yao Fang, we review the patterns and conditions that Tong Xie Yao Fang helps treat.
The four ingredients in Tong Xie Yao Fang
Bai Zhu is a king ingredient in Tong Xie Yao Fang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Atractylodes Rhizomes (Bai Zhu)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Bai Zhu strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness. In case a Deficient Spleen interacts with an overcontrolling Liver, this herb is used to nurture the Spleen (Earth), which will have the effect of controlling the Liver(Wood). The combination of Atractylodes rhizome and White peony root works very well in controlling Wood and nurture the Earth. This stops the pain and diarrhea linked with this condition.
Bai Shao is a king ingredient in Tong Xie Yao Fang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. White Peony Roots (Bai Shao)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Neutral
Meridian affinity: LiverSpleen
Category: Tonic herbs for Blood Deficiency
Bai Shao softens the overactive Liver and alleviates pain. The combination of Atractylodes rhizome and White peony root works very well in controlling Wood and nurture the Earth. This stops the pain and diarrhea linked with this condition.
Chen Pi is a deputy ingredient in Tong Xie Yao Fang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi)
Chen Pi is aromatic. It helps in harmonizing the functions of the Middle Burner and transforms Dampness. It also helps Atractylodes rhizome strengthening the Spleen and eliminating Dampness.
Fang Feng is an assistant ingredient in Tong Xie Yao Fang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
4. Saposhnikovia Roots (Fang Feng)
Fang Feng It enters the Liver and Spleen channels and helps relieve the overcontrol of the Spleen by the Liver, while focusing the actions of all the herbs on these two Organs. It serves as both the assistant and the envoy.
Tong Xie Yao Fang is used to treat Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Tong Xie Yao Fang is mostly used to treat the pattern "Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Tong Xie Yao Fang treats colitis" for instance. Rather, Tong Xie Yao Fang is used to treat Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen, which is sometimes the root cause behind colitis.
Now let's look at Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Tong Xie Yao Fang.
The Liver is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Liver in Chinese Medicine
Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen
Pulse type(s): Weak (Ruo), Wiry (Xian)
Symptoms: Tiredness Flatulence Irritability Abdominal pain Abdominal distension Alternating constipation and diarrhea Stools sometimes dry and in small pieces
Tong Xie Yao Fang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen. This pattern leads to symptoms such as irritability, abdominal distension, abdominal pain and alternating constipation and diarrhea. Patients with Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen typically exhibit weak (Ruo) or wiry (Xian) pulses.
Liver Qi is said to be rebellious when its horizontal movement is accentuated. This impairs the Spleen's function of transformation and transportation and prevents Spleen Qi from rising.
It is a pattern of mixed Deficiency and Excess: Excess of the Liver (Rebellious Qi) and Deficiency of Spleen... read more about Rebellious Liver Qi invading the Spleen
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