Chinese: 舟车丸
Pinyin: Zhōu Chē Wán
Other names: Vessel and Vehicle Pill
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that drive out excess water
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: UremiaSchistosomiasis
- Promotes Qi movement
- Harshly drives out Water and Heat Stagnation
Contraindications: This formula is not recommended during pregnancy or in people who are weak or... This formula is not recommended during pregnancy or in people who are weak or impaired. Liquorice is not recommended for use with this mixture because it is incompatible with certain of its constituents. Because the recipe contains several extremely dangerous ingredients, the dosage and duration of administration must be strictly controlled. Following the resolution of the acute condition, formulas that regulate and tonify the Spleen and Kidney should be provided to promote full recovery. see more
Source date: 992 AD
Source book: Formulas from Benevolent Sages Compiled during the Taiping Era
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.
Zhou Che Wan is a 10-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Kansui Roots (Gan Sui), Genkwa Flowers (Yuan Hua) and Peking Spurge Roots (Jing Da Ji) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 992 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that drive out excess water. Its main actions are: 1) promotes Qi movement and 2) harshly drives out Water and Heat Stagnation.
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 Zhou Che Wan is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Oedema. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as schistosomiasis or uremia for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the ten ingredients in Zhou Che Wan, we review the patterns and conditions that Zhou Che Wan helps treat.
The ten ingredients in Zhou Che Wan
Gan Sui is a king ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Kansui Roots (Gan Sui)
Part used: The dried root
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: SpleenKidneyLarge intestineLung
Category: Cathartic herbs that drain downward
In general Gan Sui's main actions are as follows: "Relieves water retention and congestion of Fluids. Cools swellings and reduces inflammation when applied topically. Strong purgative, driving water and Food Stagnation out though the stool."
In the context of Zhou Che Wan, it is used because it is a harsh expellants that purge water from the abdomen and chest.
Yuan Hua is a king ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Genkwa Flowers (Yuan Hua)
Part used: Dried flower bud
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: KidneyLarge intestineLung
Category: Cathartic herbs that drain downward
In general Yuan Hua's main actions are as follows: "Relieves chronic congestion of Fluids in the chest and stops cough. Drains congested Fluids through the urine and the stool. Expels parasites."
In the context of Zhou Che Wan, it is used because it is a harsh expellants that purge water from the abdomen and chest.
Jing Da Ji is a king ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
3. Peking Spurge Roots (Jing Da Ji)
Part used: Dried roots
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: SpleenKidneyLung
Category: Laxative herbs that drain downward
In general Jing Da Ji's main actions are as follows: "Drains water downward and drives out Phlegm-Fluids. Reduces swellings and dispels lumps."
In the context of Zhou Che Wan, it is used because it is a harsh expellants that purge water from the abdomen and chest.
Qian Niu Zi is a deputy ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Morning Glory Seeds (Qian Niu Zi)
Part used: Seeds
Nature: Cold
Meridian affinity: KidneyLarge intestineLung
Category: Cathartic herbs that drain downward
Qian Niu Zi purges Heat and water from the Small and Large Intestines through urination. It also interacts synergistically with the Key herbs.
Da Huang is a deputy ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
5. Rhubarb (Da Huang)
Part used: Dried root and rhizome
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomachLarge intestineLiverPericardium
Category: Purgative herbs that drain downward
Da Huang purges Heat and water from the Small and Large Intestines. It also interacts synergistically with the Key herbs.
Qing Pi is an assistant ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
6. Green Tangerine Peel (Qing Pi)
Part used: Dried pericarp of the young or immature fruits
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: GallbladderStomachLiver
Category: Herbs that regulate Qi
Qing Pi promotes Qi circulation so as to supports the key and deputy ingredients. It also spreads the Liver Qi and breaks up clumping in the abdomen.
Chen Pi is an assistant ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
7. Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi)
Chen Pi promotes Qi circulation so as to supports the key and deputy ingredients. It also promotes movement of the Lung and Spleen Qi, helping to smooth Qi circulation in the diaphragmatic and thoracic regions.
Bing Lang is an assistant ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
8. Areca Nuts (Bing Lang)
Part used: Dried ripe seed
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: Large intestineStomach
Category: Herbs that expel parasites
In general Bing Lang's main actions are as follows: "Destroys parasites. Regulates Qi circulation. Promotes urination."
In the context of Zhou Che Wan, it is used because it promotes urination, directs the Qi downward, and breaks up clumping in the abdomen.
Mu Xiang is an assistant ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
9. Costus Roots (Mu Xiang)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: GallbladderLarge intestineLiverLungSpleenStomach
Category: Herbs that regulate Qi
In general Mu Xiang's main actions are as follows: "Relieves the Stagnation of Qi of the digestion in the Spleen, Stomach and Intestines. Relieves Qi Stagnation of the Liver and Gallbladder. Strengthens the Spleen and is used with tonifying herbs to prevent their potential cloying effects."
In the context of Zhou Che Wan, it is used because it removes Qi Stagnation in the Triple Burners..
Qing Fen is an assistant ingredient in Zhou Che Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
10. Calomelas (Qing Fen)
Part used: The mineral
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: BladderKidneyLiver
Category: Herbs for external application
In general Qing Fen's main actions are as follows: "Relieves toxicity, kills parasites, used as an external wash for scabies and syphilitic sores. Inhibits bleeding, diarrhea, dysentery with blood in the stools, abnormal uterine bleeding and leukorrhea. The powder can be applied topically for any type of bleeding. Anti-inflammatory and expectorant for difficult-to-expectorate Phlegm and Wind-Phlegm conditions such as mania, coma and convulsions."
In the context of Zhou Che Wan, it is used because it unblocks the bowels, expels water, and reinforces the actions of the key and deputy ingredients.
Zhou Che Wan is used to treat Oedema
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 Zhou Che Wan is mostly used to treat the pattern "Oedema" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Oedema here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Zhou Che Wan treats schistosomiasis" for instance. Rather, Zhou Che Wan is used to treat Oedema, which is sometimes the root cause behind schistosomiasis.
Now let's look at Oedema, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Zhou Che Wan.
Body Fluids (Jin Ye) is one of Chinese Medicine's vital subtances. Learn more about Body Fluids in Chinese Medicine
Oedema
Pulse type(s): Hidden (Fu), Slowed-down (Huan)
Tongue coating: Thick white coating
Symptoms: Fatigue Sore back Sore knees Cold limbs Eye swelling Loose stools Poor appetite Oedema of face Oedema of feet Oedema of legs Oedema of hands Oedema of ankles Oedema of abdomen Labored breathing Abdomen distension Urinary difficulty Feeling of heaviness General sensation of heaviness distention and fullness
Zhou Che Wan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Oedema. This pattern leads to symptoms such as oedema of abdomen, oedema of ankles, oedema of face and oedema of feet. Patients with Oedema typically exhibit hidden (Fu) or slowed-down (Huan) pulses as well as Pale tongue with white sticky coating or white slippery coating.
Oedema (also spelled "Edema") a retention of Body Fluids that results in swellings, depending where the retention occurs: it can be in the limbs, the legs, the face, etc. The swellings are usually so that if one presses on it with a finger, the resulting dip takes a long time to disappear.
Oedema... read more about Oedema
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