Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang: An ancient Chinese medicine formula that can relieve adverse reactions, resolve phlegm, replenish qi and soothe the stomach
- Hongji Medical Group
- Feb 21
- 6 min read
Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang comes from the ancient Chinese Han Dynasty's Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases, a medical classic compiled by Zhang Zhongjing and one of the important classics of Chinese medicine. The original text mentions: "After sweating due to febrile diseases, vomiting and diarrhea, if there is a hard lump under the heart and belching after the symptoms are relieved, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang is the main treatment." This passage describes the main application scenario of this prescription: due to the reverse of qi in the stomach due to deficiency, hard lump under the heart and belching.

Explanation of the Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang
The ingredients of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang include Inula flower, Daizhe stone, ginger, ginseng, roasted licorice, Pinellia and jujube.
Main medicine : Inula flower and hematite
Inula flower : warm in nature, can soften and disperse lumps, descend qi and eliminate fullness, descend qi, promote water circulation and stop belching. It is mainly used to treat fullness under the heart and persistent belching.
Daizheshi : It is heavy and sinks, bitter and cold, enters the liver, is heavy and can calm the liver and reduce adverse reactions. When combined with Inula japonica, it can reduce qi and eliminate phlegm, and calm the adverse reactions of the liver and stomach.
Minister medicine : ginger
Ginger : The dosage of this prescription is particularly important, and it has three meanings: first, it can harmonize the stomach and reduce adverse reactions to increase the effect of stopping vomiting; second, it can disperse water vapor to help eliminate phlegm; third, it can restrain the cold nature of magnetite, so that it can calm and reduce adverse reactions without damaging the stomach.
Adjuvant : Pinellia
Pinellia : pungent and warm, eliminates phlegm and resolves stagnation, relieves adverse reactions and harmonizes the stomach.
Adjuvant drugs : ginseng, licorice, jujube
Ginseng : nourishes the spleen and stomach, replenishes qi deficiency, and supports the damaged qi.
Roasted Licorice : harmonizes various medicines and relieves pain.
Jujube : nourishes the spleen and stomach, replenishes the body and strengthens Qi.
The combination of these medicines forms a drug that can reduce adverse qi, resolve phlegm, invigorate qi and harmonize the stomach, so that phlegm can be eliminated, adverse qi can be calmed, and the deficiency in the middle can be restored. Then the hard and lumpy feeling under the heart can be eliminated and belching and hiccups can be stopped.

Pathogenesis of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang
The pathogenesis of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang is mainly related to weak stomach qi and internal obstruction of phlegm. When the human body is invaded by external evil, although the external evil can be eliminated through treatment methods such as sweating, vomiting or diarrhea, these methods may damage the spleen and stomach, leading to spleen and stomach dysfunction, internal generation of phlegm and obstruction in the middle burner. In this case, the stomach qi is not harmonious and the qi is blocked, which will cause symptoms such as hardness under the heart and belching. Its main symptoms include hardness under the heart, belching, or nausea and vomiting, spitting saliva, pale tongue, white and slippery tongue coating, and stringy and weak pulse.
In the Five Elements theory, the liver wood overcomes the stomach earth. When the stomach qi is weak, the liver qi can easily take advantage of the weakness and enter, leading to liver-stomach qi reversal. This qi reversal phenomenon can cause frequent belching, even vomiting and hiccups. The main medicinal materials in Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang, Inula flower and Daizhe stone, are aimed at this pathogenesis, and relieve these symptoms by reducing adverse reactions and resolving phlegm, calming the liver and reducing adverse reactions.

In short, the pathogenesis of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang can be summarized as "stomach deficiency, phlegm blocking, liver and stomach qi reversal". This pathogenesis makes this prescription have a significant therapeutic effect in the treatment of middle deficiency, phlegm blocking and qi reversal syndrome. By resolving phlegm and lowering reverse qi, and replenishing qi and tonifying deficiency, it can achieve the effect of eliminating phlegm, calming reverse qi, and restoring middle deficiency.
The efficacy of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang
Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang is mainly used to treat weak stomach qi and phlegm blocking the internal organs. This prescription has the effects of descending adverse qi and resolving phlegm, invigorating qi and harmonizing the stomach, and is particularly suitable for the syndrome of qi blocking phlegm in the middle deficiency.
The main effects of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang are to reduce adverse qi and resolve phlegm, and to invigorate qi and harmonize the stomach. This means that it can help relieve various uncomfortable symptoms caused by the upward flow of stomach qi, such as belching, vomiting, and hiccups. By reducing adverse qi and resolving phlegm, the prescription can effectively reduce the accumulation of phlegm in the body, thereby improving the function of the respiratory and digestive tracts.
In addition, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang has the effect of invigorating Qi and harmonizing the stomach. This is particularly effective for those symptoms such as fullness in the middle jiao and hardness under the heart caused by weak stomach Qi. By invigorating the spleen and stomach, this prescription can enhance the function of the digestive system, promote the digestion and absorption of food, and thus improve overall digestive health.
In summary, the efficacy of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang lies in its ability to simultaneously treat the problems of gastric qi reflux and gastric qi weakness. This makes it effective in treating a variety of digestive system diseases, especially those accompanied by phlegm and qi blockage. By reducing reflux and resolving phlegm and invigorating qi and harmonizing the stomach, this prescription can effectively restore the normal function of the gastrointestinal tract and improve the patient's quality of life.
Modern application of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang
In modern medical research, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang has shown a variety of biological activities. Studies have found that the flavonoids in Inula flower can relieve bronchial spasm caused by histamine and have an antiasthmatic effect. In addition, Inula flower also contains chlorogenic enzymes and caffeic acid, which can enhance intestinal peristalsis and improve central excitability.
Daizheshi is another important ingredient in Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang, which mainly contains ferric oxide, as well as a small amount of impurities such as magnesium, calcium, aluminum and arsenic. These ingredients make Daizheshi have the effect of calming the liver and relieving adverse reactions, and can effectively relieve the symptoms caused by gastric qi reflux.
In addition, pinellia contains biological alkaline substances that can inhibit vomiting and relieve cough. Ginseng can stimulate the heart, increase red blood cells and hemoglobin, and improve physical and intellectual activity. Jujube provides a variety of nutrients to nourish the body. Licorice has the effect of removing phlegm and relieving cough.
Overall, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang has significant antiemetic, antitussive and antiasthmatic effects, as well as tonic and strengthening effects. These biological activities make this prescription still have important application value in modern medicine, especially in the treatment of digestive system diseases and the improvement of overall health.

In modern applications, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang is widely used to treat a variety of digestive system diseases. For example, it has significant therapeutic effects on gastric neurosis, gastric dilatation, chronic gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, etc. The pathogenesis of these diseases is mostly due to gastric deficiency and phlegm obstruction, Qi blockage, and liver and stomach Qi reversal. Therefore, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang's effects of reducing adverse reactions and resolving phlegm, and invigorating Qi and harmonizing the stomach can effectively relieve these symptoms.
In addition, Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang is also used to treat some non-digestive system diseases, such as Meniere's vertigo, neurotic hiccups, diaphragmatic spasms, etc. These diseases are also accompanied by symptoms of stomach deficiency and phlegm obstruction, so the application range of Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang is very wide, showing its important position in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.
Notes
When using Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang, you need to pay attention to the following points:
Dosage of Daizheshi : Daizheshi is cold and sinking in nature, and its heavy texture can bother the stomach, so those with weak stomachs should use a small dosage.
Treatment based on syndrome differentiation : This prescription is mainly used for the syndrome of qi reversal caused by phlegm blocking the middle deficiency. In clinical application, the key points of syndrome differentiation are hardness and fullness under the heart, frequent belching, hiccups, white and slippery tongue coating, and stringy and weak pulse.
People with Yang deficiency constitution : If the patient has Yang deficiency constitution, he can take "Sini Decoction" and "Lizhong Pills" first, and then take "Xuanfu Daizhe Decoction".
Conclusion
Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang is an ancient Chinese medicine prescription. Although not many people know about it, its status in Chinese medicine cannot be underestimated. Its effects of relieving adverse reactions and resolving phlegm, invigorating qi and harmonizing the stomach make it still widely used in the treatment of many diseases in modern medicine. Through a deep understanding of its composition, efficacy and modern application, we can better utilize this ancient prescription to serve modern medicine.
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