What Is Xiao Yao Wan
Xiao Yao Wan commonly known as Free and Easy Wanderer is a common Chinese patent medicine for gynecology. It first appeared in <Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang> in 1,078 AD.
Xiao Yao is a philosophical term of Taoism. It means “carefree”, “unrestrained”, or “leisure”. Wan means “Edible pills”. It is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for soothing the liver and strengthening the spleen.
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is often used to soothe the liver and strengthen the spleen, nourish blood and regulate menstruation, and treat abnormal menstruation, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, cholelithiasis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, chronic gastritis, irritable bowel syndromes, gastroptosis, functional dyspepsia, gastritis, gastrointestinal neurosis, premenstrual tension, mammary lobular hyperplasia, menopausal syndrome, anxiety neurosis, depression, chloasma, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, uterine fibroids, acne, and melasma.
In the early days, most traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions were decoctions or powders. Xiao Yao Wan is also known as Xiao Yao San. San means “powder”.
With the development of pharmaceutical technology, it has been improved into pills, capsules, and granules with more standardized dosage.
In the market, the common Xiao Yao Wan include Xiao Yao Wan, Xiao Yao Pian, Xiao Yao Capsules, and Xiao Yao Granules.
Ingredients
- Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri)
- Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis)
- Bai Shao (White Peony Root)
- Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae)
- Fu Ling (Poria)
- Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata)
- Bo He (Mentha)
- Sheng Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens)
Chai Hu is the most important ingredient in this prescription. Its medicinal nature is slightly cool. It can soothe liver qi for relieving qi stagnation, send up the lucid yang.
The medicinal nature of Dang Gui is relatively warm. It can nourish blood and regulate menstruation, promote blood circulation and stop the pain.
The medicinal nature of Bai Shao is slightly cold. It can nourish blood and astringe yin fluids, stabilize liver Yang. They are compatible with Chai Hu to nourish blood and soothe the liver.
The medicinal nature of Bai Zhu is relatively warm. It can invigorate the spleen and replenish qi. The medicinal nature of Fu Ling is relatively neutral. It can invigorate the spleen and strengthen the middle-jiao.
The medicinal nature of Gan Cao is relatively neutral. It can invigorate the spleen and replenish qi. It can reconcile the effects of other Chinese herbal medicines in this prescription.
The medicinal nature of Bo He is relatively cool. It can soothe the liver and promote the circulation of qi. It can be used in combination with Chai Hu, Dang Gui, and Bai Shao to soothe the liver, regulate the flow of qi, and regulate menstruation.
The medicinal nature of Sheng Jiang is relatively warm. warm middle-jiao and dispel cold.
Benefits
- Increasing the pain threshold and inhibiting the pain caused by the mouse hot plate experiment and glacial acetic acid experiment.
- Reducing the acute liver injury induced by D-galactosamine or CCL4 and protecting the liver.
- Inhibiting the growth of solid tumors in mice and inducing apoptosis in breast cancer MCF-7 cells.
- Reducing the content of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increasing the content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease in the convalescent period.
- Reducing stress-induced serum glucocorticoid levels, inhibiting thymocyte apoptosis, and improving cellular immune function in animals with chronic psychological stress.
- Soothing liver qi for relieving qi stagnation, treating fullness and pain in the flanks, chest tightness, shortness of breath, fullness in the stomach, loss of appetite, dry mouth, bitterness in the mouth caused by stagnation of the liver-qi.
- Treating bloating, stomach pain, bloating and stuffiness in the flanks, frequent belching, bitterness in the mouth and dry throat, anorexia, and irregular stools caused by liver depression and qi stagnation or disharmony between liver and stomach.
- Treating depression, melancholy, chest tightness, shortness of breath, frequent belching, the fullness of chest and flank, anorexia, irritability, insomnia, loose stools caused by stagnation of the liver-qi or incoordination between the liver and the spleen.
- Treating menstrual cycle disorders, premenstrual irritability, menstrual breast tenderness, dysmenorrhea, and loose stools caused by stagnation of the liver-qi or disharmony between Chong and ren.
- Treating dizziness, increased dizziness during mood swings, irritability, insomnia, loose stools caused by qi-blood disharmony, spleen deficiency, or lucid yang failing to rise.
- Treating breast hyperplasia, irregular menstruation, perimenopausal syndrome, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome, amenorrhea, uterine fibroids.
- Studies have found that it can make intestinal smooth muscle rhythm contract, dilate blood vessels, and improve irritable bowel syndromes.
How to use it
When using Xiao Yao Wan, follow the instructions for the medicine. Xiao Yao Wan include water pills, concentrated pills, tablets, capsules, and granules.
Generally, it is recommended to take it after meals.
When using the ancient Chinese medicine method to make Xiao Yao Wan, all the ingredients of the medicine are ground and made them into pills.
When taking its water pills, you should take it with warm water. The dosage per administration is about 6-9g. Take it 1-2 times a day.
When taking its concentrated pills, you should take it with warm water. The dosage per administration is 8 pills(about 1.4g). Take it 3 times a day.
When taking its tablets, you should take it with warm water. The dosage per administration is 2-3 tablets (about 0.7-1.05g). Take it 2-3 times a day.
When taking its granules, it should be taken after stirring and dissolving in warm water. The dosage per administration is 1 sachet (about 15g). Take it 2 times a day.
Generally, after taking the medicine for 1-2 days, the patient’s symptoms will be relieved. Patients should stop using it when their symptoms have resolved.
Side Effects
At present, no data have been found to show that there will be adverse reactions when it is taken in the prescribed dose.
Precautions and Warnings
- During the medication, it is not recommended to eat cold, spicy, and greasy foods.
- People who are allergic to the ingredients in Xiao Yao Wan should not take it.
- Patients with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, etc. should take it under the guidance of a physician.
- People with heavy periods should not take it.
- People with colds should not take it.
- Pregnant, nursing, and menstruating women should take it under the guidance of a doctor.
- Children, the elderly, and the infirm should take it under the guidance of a doctor.
- During the medication, if the patient has decreased menstrual flow, postponed menstruation, or irregular vaginal bleeding, she should go to the hospital in time.
- If you are taking other drugs at the same time, you should consult your doctor to prevent interactions between the drugs and affect the efficacy of the drugs.
- After using it for 3 days, if the symptoms are not significantly improved or the symptoms are aggravated, the patient should go to the hospital in time.