Classic formula · Regulate qi
Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
半夏厚朴汤 Pinellia and Magnolia Bark Decoction
The formula for plum-pit throat: the feeling of a lump in the throat that you can neither swallow nor cough up, with chest tightness and sometimes nausea or a cough. Stuck qi and phlegm have knotted together, usually from stress. Five herbs that untie the knot.
The old texts called it a plum pit stuck in the throat. It is not a thing. It is a knot of stress and phlegm, and the formula pulls the knot apart from both ends.
Also sold as: Ban Xia Hou Po Wan · Pinellia and Magnolia Combination
Who Ban Xia Hou Po Tang is for
This formula is chosen for 2 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- A lump-in-the-throat feeling that will not swallow or cough away
- Chest and rib tightness
- Nausea or a queasy stomach
- A cough with sticky phlegm that follows stress
- Anxiety with throat tightness
- Hoarseness from a tight throat with no infection
- Tongue
- White, possibly greasy, coat.
- Pulse
- Wiry and slippery.
What is in Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ban Xia Raw Pinellia Tuber High caution | 12 g | Chief | Processed pinellia transforms phlegm and sends rising qi down. |
| Hou Po | 9 g | Deputy | Magnolia bark moves qi downward and opens the chest. |
| Fu Ling Poria | 12 g | Assistant | Poria drains the damp that makes the phlegm. |
| Sheng Jiang Fresh Ginger Use caution | 15 g | Assistant | Fresh ginger disperses, warms, and settles nausea. |
| Zi Su Ye Perilla Leaf (Zi Su Ye) | 6 g | Envoy | Perilla leaf spreads the stuck qi and lifts the mood. |
How Ban Xia Hou Po Tang works
Pinellia and poria deal with the phlegm. Magnolia bark and perilla deal with the stuck qi. Ginger warms and keeps the stomach settled. The formula is drying and moving, which is exactly right for a damp knot and exactly wrong for a dry throat.
Actions in classic terms
- Moves qi and disperses knots
- Transforms phlegm and sends rebellious qi down
Common changes to Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
Cautions with Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
- Drying. Not for a dry, red, yin-deficient throat with a peeled tongue; that needs moistening.
- A lump in the throat that is actually there, that can be felt from outside, or that comes with trouble swallowing food, needs examining. The formula is for the sensation, not a mass.
- Pinellia must be processed.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day, the usual label dose
- Course
- Two to four weeks.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
The box reads Ban Xia Hou Po Tang or Wan with the characters 半夏厚朴. Five ingredients: processed Pinellia, Magnolia bark, Poria, Ginger, and Perilla leaf.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
- Xiao Yao San 逍遥散 For the stress without the phlegm and throat knot.
- Er Chen Tang 二陈汤 For phlegm without the stuck qi: a wet cough and nausea with no throat lump.
Conditions where Ban Xia Hou Po Tang comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and cautions.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.