Hou Po Wen Zhong Tang, Magnolia Bark Decoction for Warming the Middle, is Hou Po, Cao Dou Kou, Chen Pi, Mu Xiang, Gan Jiang, Fu Ling and Zhi Gan Cao. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that promote the movement of Qi.

Herb

Amount

9 g

6 g

9 g

6 g

1.5 g

9 g

3 g

Actions and indications

Warms the Middle Jiao

Cold-Damp obstructing the Spleen and Stomach and injuring them, with Qi stagnation
Abdominal pain, and distension that is worse with cold and better with warmth
Typically in an otherwise healthy person whose Middle Jiao has been damaged by Cold from too much raw or cold food
Tongue pale with a white, slippery coat; pulse deep and wiry, deep and slow, wiry and slippery, or slippery and thready

Promotes the movement of Qi and eliminates fullness

Fullness and distension of the epigastrium and abdomen
Flatulence

Dries Dampness

Poor appetite, lethargy, and tired or heavy limbs
Loose stools or diarrhoea
Vomiting of clear fluid
Excessive vaginal discharge

Modern uses

Peptic ulcer (gastric or duodenal)
Chronic gastritis
Chronic enteritis
Chronic colitis
Intestinal tuberculosis
Irritable bowel syndrome
Inflammatory bowel disease
Chronic pancreatitis
Dyspepsia, including functional dyspepsia
Anorexia
Abdominal pain
Vaginitis
Cervicitis
Leukorrhea
Infertility

Modifications

Severe epigastric pain: + dan shen

Food stagnation: + shan zha, + mai ya, + shen qu

Flank pain with acid reflux (combined with Zuo Jin Wan)

Abdominal pain with diarrhoea: + cang zhu, + sha ren

Nausea, or vomiting of thin watery fluid: + zhi ban xia, + bai zhu

Cold body and limbs from deficient Cold: + zhi fu zi, + rou gui

Oedema with a heavy body: + da fu pi

Severe pain: + rou gui, + gao liang jiang

Diarrhoea and flatulence from Cold-Damp in the Spleen and Stomach with Qi stagnation: + bing lang, + cang zhu, − zhi gan cao

Thin vaginal discharge with lower abdominal fullness from Cold-Damp pouring downward: + bai zhu, + gui zhi, − zhi gan cao

Cautions

contraindication Abdominal distension or pain arising from Qi deficiency or from Stomach Yin deficiency rather than Cold-Damp; its warm, drying herbs do not tonify and can make a simple deficiency worse

contraindication Heat patterns, or signs of Stomach Yin deficiency such as a dry mouth, hunger with no wish to eat and dry stools

caution Meant for the Cold-Damp episode only, not for long-term use

Pinyin

hou po wen zhong tang

English Name

Magnolia Bark Decoction for Warming the Middle

hou po wen zhong tang

About hou po wen zhong tang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Warms the Middle Jiao

Promotes the movement of Qi and eliminates fullness

Dries Dampness

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification