Classic formula · Clear heat
Qing Wei San
清胃散 Clear the Stomach Powder
The classic formula for Stomach fire in the gums. For red, swollen gums that bleed when brushed, a throbbing toothache that prefers cold, bad breath, and a thirst for cold drinks. Five herbs, used for a short course while the fire is put out.
The Stomach channel runs straight through the upper gums. When the Stomach is on fire the gums are the chimney, so this formula cools the stove and sends the heat out through the mouth.
Also sold as: Clear Stomach Powder · Qing Wei Wan
Who Qing Wei San is for
This formula is chosen for one pattern. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Red, swollen, bleeding gums
- Toothache that throbs and prefers cold
- Bad breath
- Mouth ulcers
- Facial swelling or a hot cheek with toothache
- Thirst for cold drinks
- Fever with a hot face
- Dry mouth with a yellow coat
- Tongue
- Red with a yellow coat.
- Pulse
- Slippery, large, and rapid.
What is in Qing 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huang Lian Rhizome of Chinese Goldthread Use caution | 6 g | Chief | Coptis, the bitterest cold herb in the pharmacy, drains Stomach fire. |
| Sheng Ma Largetrifoliolious Bugbane Rhizome | 9 g | Deputy | Cimicifuga lifts the clearing herbs into the gums and vents heat out of the Stomach channel. |
| Sheng Di Huang Fresh Rehmannia Root | 12 g | Deputy | Raw rehmannia cools the blood and protects the fluids the fire is burning. |
| Mu Dan Pi Tree Peony Bark Use caution | 9 g | Assistant | Tree peony bark cools the blood and stops the gums bleeding. |
| Dang Gui Root of Chinese Angelica Use caution | 6 g | Assistant | Angelica moves the blood so swelling and pain settle, and keeps the cold herbs from freezing it. |
How Qing Wei San works
Coptis puts out the fire. Cimicifuga carries the rest of the formula upward into the gums, which is why this formula reaches the mouth where a plain heat-clearing formula would not. Raw rehmannia and peony bark cool the blood so the bleeding stops, and a small dose of angelica keeps the blood moving so the swelling drains.
Actions in classic terms
- Drains Stomach fire
- Cools the blood and nourishes yin
- Vents heat from the Stomach channel in the face and gums
Common changes to Qing Wei San
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Constipation with the fire add Da Huang Rhubarb drains the heat down and out.
- Strong thirst and a very hot face add Shi Gao Gypsum for strong Stomach heat.
- Gums that bleed heavily add Huai Hua, Bai Mao Gen Cooling herbs that stop bleeding.
Cautions with Qing Wei San
- Cold and bitter. Take it for days or a couple of weeks, not months. Stop when the gums are pink and the tongue coat is thin.
- Not for toothache from wind-cold (worse with cold, better with warmth) or from a yin-deficient dry picture with a peeled tongue. The second one needs Yu Nu Jian or Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan.
- Not for someone with a weak Spleen, loose stools, or a cold constitution.
- A tooth with pus or an abscess needs the infection dealt with. The formula helps the gum, not a dead tooth.
- 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
- Decoction
- One bag a day in two doses, with the amounts above
- Course
- One to two weeks while the fire is cleared. Change the diet at the same time or the fire comes back.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Qing Wei San
The box reads Qing Wei San or Qing Wei Wan with the characters 清胃散. Five herbs: Coptis, Cimicifuga, raw Rehmannia, Moutan, and Angelica. Sold as teapills and granules.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Qing Wei San
- Yu Nu Jian 玉女煎 Also for toothache and bleeding gums, but on a dry, yin-deficient base: a red peeled tongue, tiredness, a thirst that sips. Qing Wei San is for full fire with a thick yellow coat.
- Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan 知柏地黄丸 For the slow, quiet version: gums that recede over years with night sweats and a dry mouth. No swelling, no bad breath.
- Huang Lian Jie Du Tang 黄连解毒汤 Coptis plus three more bitter cold herbs, for fire in every organ at once. Harsher and shorter.
Conditions where Qing Wei San comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, cautions, and modifications.
- Li Dong-yuan, Lan Shi Mi Cang, 1336 Source text.
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.