Chinese: 五味消毒饮
Pinyin: Wǔ Wèi Xiāo Dú Yǐn
Other names: Five-Ingredient Drink to Eliminate Toxin,
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that clear external abscesses and sores
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: MastitisCarbunclesErysipelas and nine other conditions
- Clears Heat
- Resolves Toxicity
- Cools the Blood
- Reduces swelling
Contraindications: Contraindicated for Yin-type boils. Use with caution when the patient suffers... Contraindicated for Yin-type boils. Use with caution when the patient suffers from Spleen Deficiency. see more
Source date: 1742 AD
Source book: Golden Mirror of the Medical Tradition
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.
Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Honeysuckle Flowers (Jin Yin Hua) as a principal ingredient.
Invented in 1742 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that clear external abscesses and sores. Its main actions are: 1) clears Heat and 2) resolves Toxicity.
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 Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Toxic-Heat. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as abnormal vaginal discharge, multiple furuncles or carbuncles for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the five ingredients in Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, we review the patterns and conditions that Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin helps treat.
The five ingredients in Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin
Jin Yin Hua is a king ingredient in Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Honeysuckle Flowers (Jin Yin Hua)
Jin Yin Hua clears Heat and resolves Toxicity from both the Qi and Blood levels. It also resolves swellings. It is sweet and thus has the particular advantage of not damaging the Stomach during the treatment.
Zi Hua Di Ding is a deputy ingredient in Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
2. Tokyo Violets (Zi Hua Di Ding)
Part used: Dried herb
Nature: Cold
Zi Hua Di Ding has a comparatively strong ability to resolve Toxicity, cooling the Blood, reducing swellings and dispersing clumps. It is often used to treat various types of purulent lesions.
Tian Kui Zi is a deputy ingredient in Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Semiaquilegia Root Tubers (Tian Kui Zi)
In general Tian Kui Zi's main actions are as follows: "Clears Heat, resolves toxicity, reduces swelling and disperses Stagnation"
In the context of Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, it is used because it resolves Toxicity, cools the Blood, reduces swellings and disperses clumps.
Pu Gong Ying is a deputy ingredient in Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Dandelions (Pu Gong Ying)
In general Pu Gong Ying's main actions are as follows: "Expels Heat and Fire toxicity. Dispels Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner. Increases lactation. Treats all kinds of inflammations."
In the context of Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, it is used because it resolves Toxicity, cools the Blood, reduces swellings and disperses clumps.
Ju Hua is a deputy ingredient in Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
5. Chrysanthemum Flowers (Ju Hua)
Part used: Dried capitulum
Nature: Cool
In general Ju Hua's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Exterior and clears Heat. Relieves Wind-Heat from the Liver channel and clears the eyes. Cools Heat of the Liver and Kidney due to Yin Deficiency. Relieves patterns of Liver Yang rising."
In the context of Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, it is used because it resolves Toxicity, cools the Blood, reduces swellings and disperses clumps.
Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin is used to treat Toxic-Heat
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 Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin is mostly used to treat the pattern "Toxic-Heat" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Toxic-Heat here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Abnormal vaginal discharge Multiple furuncles Carbuncles Erysipelas Cellulitis Mastitis Appendicitis Conjunctivitis Bartholinitis Urinary tract infection Acute pyelonephritis Acute hepatitis
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin treats abnormal vaginal discharge" for instance. Rather, Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin is used to treat Toxic-Heat, which is sometimes the root cause behind abnormal vaginal discharge.
Now let's look at Toxic-Heat, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin.
'Heat' as a body pattern in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Heat pattern in Chinese Medicine
Toxic-Heat
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Tongue color: Red
Symptoms: Pus Fever Boils Sores Eczema Thirst Pustule Coughing Erythema Swellings Carbuncles Dark Urine Sore throat Mouth ulcers Constipation Abdominal pain Swollen tonsils Feeling of heat Lower back pain Perineum swollen Prostate swollen Testicle swollen Red skin eruptions Shortness of breath Yellow vaginal discharge Smelly Vaginal discharge Sticky vaginal discharge Bloody vaginal discharge Five colour vaginal discharge
Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Toxic-Heat. This pattern leads to symptoms such as fever, swellings, pus and boils. Patients with Toxic-Heat typically exhibit rapid (Shu) pulses as well as Red tongue with yellow coating.
There are two types of Toxic-Heat. One type is called Toxic-Heat Stagnation, which mainly happens in Channels or other surfaces like skins, throat, lymph or mouth. The symptoms include pain, redness and swollen in throat as well as skin pustule and rush. Acne during teenage time is mainly due to... read more about Toxic-Heat
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