When the voice wears thin and the throat dries out

A voice that turns husky after a long day of talking, a dry throat that keeps asking for a sip of water, a feeling of heat in the throat, a need to clear the voice… In TCM, these signs may be associated with Lung Yin running low, often accompanied by a little Heat. According to tradition, the Lung governs the voice: when its Fluids run short, the throat is no longer moistened and the voice loses its brightness.

Xiang Yin Wan is a formula from the Chinese pharmacopoeia. It shares four of its herbs, platycodon, burdock, mint and licorice, with Yin Qiao Pian, but leaves out honeysuckle and forsythia to turn towards Yin: figwort nourishes it, and myrobalan helps the Lung hold on to what it receives. This fruit, which reached China from India along the maritime trade routes, is known in Ayurveda as haritaki.

Moisten, refresh, retain

The formula brings together three movements. Figwort nourishes Yin and cools; mint and burdock disperse the Heat that rises towards the throat; myrobalan, sour and astringent, retains what the formula provides. Platycodon, finally, carries the whole formula upwards, to the throat.

Nourishes Lung Yin: Figwort, sweet, bitter and salty, nourishes the Yin and the Fluids that talking and heat consume.

Brings gentle freshness to the throat: Mint and burdock, both cool, disperse Heat; platycodon and licorice, a classic pair in the tradition, support throat comfort.

Supports periods of intensive voice use: Myrobalan enters the Lung; sour and astringent, it helps, according to tradition, to retain Lung Qi, the Qi that carries the voice.