Classic formula · Dispel dampness
Ping Wei San
平胃散 Calm the Stomach Powder
Four drying, moving herbs for a damp, stuffed stomach. Bloating and fullness, no appetite, nausea, belching, heavy limbs, loose stools, and a thick greasy white coat, in a person who is not weak so much as waterlogged. It dries the damp and gets the stomach moving.
A kitchen floor under an inch of water. Nothing is broken; it just needs mopping and the windows opened. Grey atractylodes is the mop; magnolia bark and tangerine peel are the windows.
Also sold as: Ping Wei Wan · Magnolia and Ginger Formula
Who Ping Wei San is for
This formula is chosen for 2 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Bloating and fullness after meals
- No appetite, a sticky or bland taste
- Nausea, belching, acid
- Heavy limbs, tiredness, a wish to lie down
- Loose stools
- A thick greasy white tongue coat
- Overeating heavy food, the day after
- Tongue
- Thick white greasy coat.
- Pulse
- Slippery or moderate.
What is in Ping Wei San
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cang Zhu Rhizome of Swordlike Atractylodes | 12 g | Chief | Grey atractylodes dries damp and wakes the Spleen. |
| Hou Po | 9 g | Deputy | Magnolia bark moves qi downward and eases the fullness. |
| Chen Pi Dried Tangerine Peel | 9 g | Assistant | Tangerine peel moves qi and dries damp. |
| Zhi Gan Cao Honey-Fried Licorice Root Use caution | 3 g | Envoy | Honey-fried licorice harmonizes. |
| Sheng Jiang Fresh Ginger Use caution | 3 g | Envoy | Fresh ginger settles the stomach. |
| Da Zao Chinese Date | 3 g | Envoy | Jujube dates protect the Spleen from the drying herbs. |
How Ping Wei San works
Grey atractylodes is the strongest damp-drying herb in common use. Magnolia bark and tangerine peel move the stuck qi so the fullness drains. Ginger, dates, and licorice keep the drying crew from scraping the Stomach. It clears a damp stomach fast and is the base of the damp family.
Actions in classic terms
- Dries dampness and strengthens the Spleen
- Moves qi and harmonizes the Stomach
Common changes to Ping Wei San
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
Cautions with Ping Wei San
- Drying. Not for a dry person with a red peeled tongue or dry stools.
- Short courses; it clears damp but does not build the Spleen. Follow with a tonic if weakness is underneath.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, powder, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day, the usual label dose
- Course
- One to three weeks.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Ping Wei San
The box reads Ping Wei San or Wan with the characters 平胃. Four main ingredients: grey Atractylodes, Magnolia bark, Tangerine peel, and Licorice, with ginger and dates.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Ping Wei San
- Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang 香砂六君子汤 Tonifies as well as dries, for the weak, damp, bloated person.
- Er Chen Tang 二陈汤 For damp that has become phlegm: a wet cough and nausea.
- Bao He Wan 保和丸 For food stagnation: the stuffed, sour-belching stomach after overeating.
Conditions where Ping Wei San comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and modifications.
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.