Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan: A TCM Formula for Relieving Food Stagnation and Clearing Damp-Heat
Hongji Medical- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan comes from the Jin Dynasty’s Confucian’s Duties to Their Parents (Ru Men Shi Qin), written by Zhang Congzheng. This classic Chinese medicine formula is renowned for its ability to “promote qi flow, relieve stagnation, clear heat, and ease bowel movements.”
It has been widely praised by generations of practitioners as an effective treatment for food stagnation and dysentery. With its qi-regulating, heat-clearing, and laxative effects, Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan is commonly used for conditions like acute gastroenteritis and bacterial dysentery.
Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan Formula Explanation
The ingredients of Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan are grouped according to the "monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy" principle:
Monarch Herbs:
Mu Xiang (Aucklandia): Promotes qi flow, relieves pain, strengthens the spleen, aids digestion, and reduces bloating and discomfort.
Bing Lang (Betel Nut): Supports Mu Xiang by enhancing qi movement and relieving stagnation, aiding digestion and promoting water metabolism.
Minister Herbs:
Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange): Promotes qi flow, relieves bloating, and supports the monarch herbs in easing abdominal discomfort.
Qing Pi (Green Tangerine Peel): Soothes the liver, breaks qi stagnation, and aids digestion, assisting in liver qi regulation and stagnation relief.
Chen Pi (Aged Tangerine Peel): Regulates qi, strengthens the spleen, dries dampness, and clears phlegm, supporting spleen function and dampness elimination.
Assistant Herbs:
E Zhu (Curcuma): Breaks blood stasis, promotes qi flow, relieves pain, and aids digestion, supporting the main herbs in resolving stagnation.
Xiang Fu (Cyperus): Soothes liver stagnation, regulates qi, and relieves pain, assisting in liver qi regulation.
Huang Lian (Coptis): Clears heat, dries dampness, and detoxifies, helping to eliminate damp-heat.
Huang Bai (Phellodendron): Clears heat, dries dampness, and detoxifies, further addressing damp-heat.
Envoy Herbs:
Da Huang (Rhubarb): Purges stagnation, clears heat, detoxifies, and stops bleeding, promoting bowel movements and heat clearance.
Qian Niu Zi (Morning Glory Seed): Purges water, relieves stagnation, and promotes bowel movements, aiding in constipation relief.
Pathophysiology of Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan
Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan targets food stagnation, damp-heat accumulation, and qi obstruction. Here’s a detailed explanation:
Food Stagnation: Overeating, consuming cold, raw, or greasy foods, or poor dietary habits can cause food to accumulate in the digestive tract, impairing spleen-stomach function.
This leads to qi stagnation, causing abdominal bloating, discomfort, and fullness.
Damp-Heat Accumulation: Prolonged food stagnation generates dampness and heat, forming damp-heat. This blocks qi and blood flow, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, and a sensation of incomplete bowel movements (tenesmus).
Damp-heat also disrupts spleen-stomach function, leading to poor digestion and appetite loss.
Qi Obstruction: Blocked qi flow causes qi and blood stasis, resulting in bloating, fullness, and pain. Severe cases may lead to constipation or diarrhea.
Combined Damp-Heat and Food Stagnation: Damp-heat and food stagnation worsen qi obstruction, intensifying symptoms like dysentery with mucus or blood and tenesmus.
Spleen-Stomach Dysfunction: Food stagnation and damp-heat weaken the spleen and stomach, impairing digestion and absorption, which further aggravates qi obstruction and damp-heat.
Effects of Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan
Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan’s primary effects are “promoting qi flow, relieving stagnation, clearing heat, and easing bowel movements.” It effectively alleviates abdominal bloating, tenesmus, and constipation through the combined action of its herbs.
Mu Xiang and Bing Lang, as monarch herbs, powerfully regulate qi, relieve pain, and resolve stagnation, promoting digestion and reducing discomfort.
The formula also clears heat, dries dampness, and detoxifies. Huang Lian and Huang Bai eliminate damp-heat, easing abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Da Huang and Qian Niu Zi, as envoy herbs, purge stagnation, clear heat, and promote bowel movements, relieving constipation.
Specific effects include:
Promoting Qi Flow and Relieving Stagnation: Mu Xiang, Bing Lang, Zhi Ke, Qing Pi, and Chen Pi regulate qi, reduce bloating, and aid digestion.
Clearing Heat and Easing Bowel Movements: Huang Lian, Huang Bai, Da Huang, and Qian Niu Zi clear damp-heat, detoxify, and promote bowel movements, relieving constipation.
Modern Applications of Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan
Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan is widely used in modern medicine, extending beyond traditional Chinese medicine. Its applications include:
Acute Gastroenteritis: Caused by bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens, this condition involves abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan regulates qi, clears heat, and promotes bowel movements, relieving these symptoms. Mu Xiang, Bing Lang, and Da Huang provide strong qi-regulating and heat-clearing effects.
Acute Bacterial Dysentery: Characterized by abdominal pain, tenesmus, and dysentery with mucus or blood, this condition benefits from the formula’s heat-clearing, dampness-drying, and detoxifying effects. Huang Lian, Huang Bai, and Da Huang inhibit bacterial infection and ease symptoms.
Functional Dyspepsia: Involving bloating, abdominal pain, and poor appetite, this condition is improved by the formula’s qi-regulating and digestion-promoting effects. Mu Xiang, Bing Lang, Qing Pi, and Chen Pi enhance digestive function.
Constipation: Marked by dry stools, difficulty passing stools, bloating, and pain, constipation is relieved by the formula’s heat-clearing and laxative effects. Da Huang and Qian Niu Zi promote bowel movements.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Involving abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, IBS is alleviated by the formula’s qi-regulating and heat-clearing effects. Mu Xiang, Bing Lang, and Da Huang improve intestinal function.
Precautions
When using Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan, note the following:
Caution for the Elderly or Weak: Elderly, frail, or constitutionally weak individuals may not tolerate the formula’s strong purging effects and should use it cautiously or under medical supervision.
Syndrome Differentiation: The formula is for excess conditions like food stagnation or dysentery. Avoid in deficiency conditions.
Long-Term Use: Consult a physician or pharmacist for prolonged use to ensure safety.
Dietary Adjustments: Avoid spicy, greasy, or cold foods during treatment to maintain efficacy.
Conclusion
Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan is a classic Chinese medicine formula for promoting qi flow, relieving stagnation, clearing heat, and easing bowel movements. Derived from Confucian’s Duties to Their Parents, it effectively treats food stagnation and dysentery, addressing symptoms like abdominal bloating, dysentery, tenesmus, and constipation.
In modern medicine, it is used for acute gastroenteritis, bacterial dysentery, functional dyspepsia, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome, showing significant therapeutic value. Proper syndrome differentiation, formula adjustments, and lifestyle changes are essential for optimal results.
