Tong Xie Yao Fang, Important Formula for Painful Diarrhoea, is Bai Zhu, Bai Shao, Chen Pi and Fang Feng. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that regulate and harmonise the Liver and Spleen.

Herb

Amount

9 g

6 g

4.5 g

3 g

Actions and indications

Harmonises the Liver and Spleen

Liver Qi stagnation overacting on a weak Spleen (Wood overacting on Earth)
The same pattern with a Wind-Cold invasion at the same time
Tongue pink with a thin white coat; pulse wiry and even, or thin and wiry, possibly reversed on the two wrists

Spreads Liver Qi and softens the Liver

Episodes that come back with stress, frustration or anger
Fullness or distension in the chest and flanks
Irritability or frequent sighing

Strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness

Weak digestion

Stops painful diarrhoea

Recurring bouts of cramping abdominal pain with loose or watery stools, small in amount
The urge to pass stool brings on the pain, which eases, though not always completely, once the bowels have moved, leaving the patient more comfortable
Rumbling in the intestines with the pain

Modern uses

Irritable bowel syndrome, including the diarrhoea-predominant type
Diarrhoea
Constipation
Acute gastroenteritis
Acute enteritis
Chronic enteritis
Colitis
Ulcerative colitis
Allergic colitis
Bacillary dysentery
Gastrointestinal neurosis
Gastralgia
Indigestion
Abdominal pain
Acute hepatitis
Chronic hepatitis
Chronic cholecystitis
Liver cancer
Hernia
Hypothyroidism
Anemia
Dysmenorrhea
Premenstrual syndrome
Neck tension
Upper back tension
Tourette syndrome
Bipolar disorder

Modifications

Chronic diarrhoea: + chao sheng ma

Loose stools with indigestion, IBS or long-standing colitis: + shan zha, + ge gen, + fang feng

Porridge-like stools: + cang zhu

Pus and blood in the stool: + bai tou weng, + huang qin

Children's diarrhoea from indigestion: + shan zha

Tenesmus: + bing lang, + mu xiang

Severe abdominal pain: + bai shao, + qing pi, + xiang fu, + chuan lian zi, + yan hu suo

Difficult urination: + hua shi

Marked Qi deficiency: + dang shen, + gan cao

Diarrhoea with hypothyroidism: + ge gen, + bai shao, + mu li, + xia ku cao, − fang feng

Diarrhoea with hyperthyroidism: + ge gen, + mu li, + xia ku cao, + bai shao, + fang feng

Diarrhoea from acute gastroenteritis, colonic tuberculosis, acute malaria or dysentery (combined with Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang): + shan zha

Show all 84 modifications

Chronic enteritis: + shan zha, + ge gen
Diarrhoea in chronic liver disease: + shan zha, + ge gen, + fu ling, + yi yi ren
Yellow tongue coat: + huang lian
Watery diarrhoea: + che qian zi, + fu ling, + gan jiang
Yang deficiency with Cold: + gan jiang, + zhi fu zi
Tourette syndrome: + long gu, + mu li, + yi zhi ren
Tourette syndrome, alternative additions: + che qian zi, + ge gen
Chronic enteritis, pain severe: + bai shao, + mu gua, + mu xiang
Chronic enteritis with tiredness: + dang shen
Chronic colitis: + wu mei, + mu gua, + dang shen, + shan yao, + zhu sha
Ulcerative colitis: + sheng ma, + qin pi, + chi shi zhi
Ulcerative colitis, second alternative: + yi yi ren, + che qian zi, + huang qi, + bai jiang cao, + bai zhi, + hou po, + ku shen, + chao cang zhu, + mu xiang, + chai hu
Ulcerative colitis, third alternative: + shan yao, + gu ya, + mai ya
Ulcerative colitis, abdominal pain severe: + shan yao, + gu ya, + mai ya, + yan hu suo, + bai shao
Ulcerative colitis with stagnant Liver Qi: + shan yao, + gu ya, + mai ya, + mu xiang, + zhi ke, + hou po
Ulcerative colitis where stagnant Qi has turned to Fire: + shan yao, + gu ya, + mai ya, + chuan lian zi
Ulcerative colitis with weak Spleen Qi: + shan yao, + gu ya, + mai ya, + dang shen, + huang qi, + yi yi ren
Ulcerative colitis with Damp in the Intestines: + shan yao, + gu ya, + mai ya, + da huang, + bing lang, + huang lian
Ulcerative colitis with deficient Spleen and Kidneys: + shan yao, + gu ya, + mai ya
Irritable bowel syndrome (combined with Si Shen Wan)
Irritable bowel syndrome with long-standing diarrhoea (combined with Si Shen Wan): + sheng ma, + chi shi zhi
Irritable bowel syndrome, Spleen and Kidney Yang deficient: + bu gu zhi, + rou gui
Irritable bowel syndrome with stagnant Liver Qi and deficient Blood: + chai hu, + dang gui
Dysentery (combined with Si Shen Wan): + mu xiang, + huang lian, + gan cao
Irritable bowel syndrome where Spleen deficiency is more marked: + huang qi, + dang shen, + fu ling, + gan cao
Irritable bowel syndrome with sinking central Qi after long-term diarrhoea: + zhi shi, + sheng ma, + chai hu
Irritable bowel syndrome, hands and feet cold: + gui zhi, + gan jiang
Irritable bowel syndrome, Damp marked: + cang zhu, + che qian zi, + ze xie, + sheng jiang
Irritable bowel syndrome where Qi stagnation stands out: + chai hu, + xiang fu, + mu xiang
IBS, Damp-Heat: + huang qin, + huang lian
Irritable bowel syndrome, grain food accumulation: + shen qu, + mai ya
Irritable bowel syndrome, accumulation from fatty meat: + shan zha, + ji nei jin
Irritable bowel syndrome where Heat has injured fluids: + mai men dong, + ge gen
IBS, Blood deficient: + dang gui, + yan hu suo, + chi shao
Irritable bowel syndrome, Kidney Qi deficient: + wu mei, + he zi, + rou dou kou
Irritable bowel syndrome, Kidney Yang deficient: + shan yao, + tu si zi, + bu gu zhi
Irritable bowel syndrome with Damp-Heat and stagnant Qi and Blood: + yi yi ren, + bai jiang cao, + hong teng, + chuan lian zi, + mu dan pi
Irritable bowel syndrome with frequent anger, low mood or tension: + ye jiao teng, + he huan pi
IBS where there are night sweats, pale nails and lips, tension and anger: + suan zao ren, + fu shen, + dang gui
Irritable bowel syndrome with anxiety, forgetfulness and poor concentration: + fu shen, + bai zi ren, + suan zao ren
Abdominal pain and vomiting: + zhi ban xia, + huang lian
Irritable bowel syndrome, mind confused: + yu jin, + shi chang pu, + yuan zhi
Abdominal pain and irritability: + chai hu, + xiang fu
Abdominal pain, Spleen Qi deficient: + dang shen, + fu ling
Constipation: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi
Constipation, Qi stagnant, irritable: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + chai hu, + qing pi, + xiang fu
Constipation with Qi deficiency, tiredness and a pale face: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + dang shen
Constipation with cramping abdominal pain: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + chao bai shao, + yan hu suo, + gan cao
Constipation with bleeding: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + di yu, + san qi fen
Constipation, stools mucousy: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + cang zhu
Constipation with food stagnation: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + chao mai ya, + jiao shan zha, + jiao shen qu
Constipation, some Blood stasis: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + dan shen, + yu jin, + yan hu suo
Constipation, anxious and nervous: + da fu pi, + fo shou, + zhi shi, + he huan pi, + wu wei zi, + fu xiao mai
To strengthen the regulation of Liver Qi: + chai hu, + qing pi, + xiang fu
Diarrhoea, abdomen very painful: + bai shao, + gan cao, + yan hu suo
Diarrhoea with flatulence: + chao shan zha, + chao shen qu
Diarrhoea with tenesmus: + mu xiang, + bing lang
Diarrhoea with bleeding: + di yu, + san qi fen
Diarrhoea with mucus: + cang zhu
Diarrhoea with food stagnation: + chao mai ya, + chao shan zha, + chao shen qu
Diarrhoea with mild Blood stasis: + dan shen, + yu jin, + yan hu suo
Diarrhoea, anxious or nervous: + he huan pi, + wu wei zi, + fu xiao mai
Diarrhoea with depression: + yu jin, + he huan pi, + xiang fu
Severe or stubborn cases: one or two of these astringents: + chi shi zhi, + he zi, + wu mei, + rou dou kou, + lian zi, + qian shi
Hepatitis C with marked Qi deficiency and Damp (combined with Shen Ling Bai Zhu San)
Hepatitis C, flank or rib-side distension and pain marked: + yu jin, + chuan lian zi
Hepatitis C, abdomen badly distended: + hou po, + da fu pi
Hepatitis C with breathlessness and lack of strength: + huang qi, + dang shen
Hepatitis C, hands and feet cold: + gui zhi
Ulcerative colitis, painful urgent loose stools: + chai hu, + yi yi ren, + bai bian dou, + shan zha
Prominent Damp: + fu ling
Stronger signs of Qi stagnation: + mu xiang

Cautions

contraindication Diarrhoea from food stagnation, with marked distension and belching that ease after vomiting or purging

contraindication Diarrhoea from Damp-Heat, with foul-smelling stools, burning and a yellow tongue coat

contraindication Loose stools from Spleen Qi deficiency alone, mainly with tiredness and without cramping or an emotional trigger

caution Do not raise the amount of Fang Feng without good reason

caution Where there is fever, infection, or mucus or blood in the stools, the problem is probably more than a Liver-Spleen disharmony: refer for medical assessment rather than relying on this formula

caution Diarrhoea that persists or keeps returning should be checked by a qualified practitioner for underlying digestive disease

Pinyin

tong xie yao fang

English Name

Important Formula for Painful Diarrhea

tong xie yao fang

About tong xie yao fang

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Harmonises the Liver and Spleen

Spreads Liver Qi and softens the Liver

Strengthens the Spleen and dries Dampness

Stops painful diarrhoea

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification

Support