Seville Orange Fruit Classic Formulas … Natural Herb Library

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Regulates qi and relieves distention - Zhi Qiao is used when the chest, ribs, or abdomen feel full, tight, or stuck from stagnation.
Opens the chest and diaphragm - it is a standard addition when constrained qi and phlegm create chest oppression, belching, or discomfort under the ribs.
Guides stagnant qi downward - it supports bowel movement and digestive transit when fullness, constipation, or food retention accompany the stagnation.
Acts more gently than Zhi Shi - mature Zhi Qiao moves qi without the same strongly breaking quality associated with the immature fruit.

Zhi Zhu Wan - classic pairing of Zhi Qiao with Bai Zhu for focal distention, reduced appetite, and postprandial fullness.
Qi-regulating formulas pair Zhi Qiao with Chai Hu, Xiang Fu, or Chen Pi when hypochondriac or chest discomfort reflects constrained liver-spleen qi.
Chest-obstruction formulas combine it with Gua Lou or Xie Bai when phlegm and qi stagnation create pressure, stuffiness, and pain in the chest.

Materia medica tradition distinguishes the gentler mature-fruit action of Zhi Qiao from the more forceful breaking action of immature Zhi Shi.
Traditional sources also note pregnancy caution and reserve the herb for cases where stagnation and distention are more prominent than frank qi collapse or deficiency.