When rich meals leave a bitter taste in the mouth

A bitter or pasty taste in the mouth on waking, slow digestion of fatty meals, a feeling of fullness under the ribs, a dull complexion, irritability when digestion drags on… In TCM, these signs may be associated with Damp-Heat in the Liver and Gallbladder: a diet that is too rich clogs the centre, Dampness settles in, and when Liver Qi does not flow freely, the Dampness heats up as it stagnates.

Chai Hu Xiao Shi Wan is a five-herb formula from the Chinese pharmacopoeia. It is built around a pair that tradition associates with the Liver and Gallbladder: capillary wormwood (Yin Chen Hao), the lead herb of the formula, and lysimachia (Jin Qian Cao), the ‘gold coin herb’, named for its leaves as round as old Chinese coins. Bupleurum, which gives the formula its name, is included in a smaller amount: it steers the whole towards the Liver and gets its Qi moving again.

Clear, move, lighten

The formula combines three movements. Two cool herbs clear Damp-Heat and open a way out for it; bupleurum and bitter orange move the Qi, the first by releasing the Liver, the second by helping what stagnates in the centre to descend; poria supports the Spleen, so that it stops producing Dampness.

Clears Damp-Heat: Capillary wormwood, bitter and slightly cold, and lysimachia cool the Liver and Gallbladder and help Dampness flow away downwards.

Supports the flow of Qi: Bupleurum releases Liver Qi, and bitter orange moves the Qi of the centre, for a renewed feeling of space under the ribs.

Contributes to a good digestion: Poria supports the Spleen in its transforming function, while bitter orange helps food move downwards.

Supports a feeling of lightness after meals: By lightening both Dampness and stagnation, the formula supports a return to lighter digestion after overindulging at the table.