Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang
Star半夏泻心汤 (Pinellia Decoction to Drain the Epigastrium)
Source: Shang Han Lun (c. 220)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang (Pinellia Decoction to Drain the Epigastrium), from the Shang Han Lun, is used to disperse Qi obstruction in the Middle-Jiao; harmonize mixed cold and heat.
Presentation: Shao Yang syndrome wrongly purged, injuring Middle-Jiao Qi and Yang; epigastric fullness and distension with mild pain; reduced appetite; nausea; vomiting; borborygmi; diarrhea; tongue: thin, sticky, yellow coating; pulse: wiry and rapid.
Syndrome: Syndrome of disharmony at the Shao Yang level.
Composition strategy:
- Pungent-warm plus bitter-cold herbs dissipate a knotted cold-heat complex.
- Treats coexisting cold/heat and excess/deficiency in the Middle-Jiao.
- Applied also to gastroenteritis, IBS, food allergy/intolerance with weak Spleen and stagnant Liver-Qi.
Note: the book prints different doses in its two discussions of this formula: Gan Jiang 9 g (p. 370) vs 6 g (p. 264); Huang Qin 9 g (p. 370) vs 6 g (p. 264); Ren Shen 9 g (p. 370) vs 6 g (p. 264); Da Zao 6 g (p. 370) vs 4 pieces (p. 264).
Source: Yang Y. Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010, p. 264, 370.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ban Xia
as printed: Ban Xia (Pinelliae rhizoma)
|
9g | 17.65% | Jun (Chief) | disperse Qi stagnation, open obstruction, soothe Stomach-Qi |
|
Huang Qin
as printed: Huang Qin (Scutellariae radix)
|
9g | 17.65% | Jun (Chief) | bitter-cold, descend and clear heat |
|
Huang Lian
as printed: Huang Lian (Coptidis rhizoma)
|
3g | 5.88% | Jun (Chief) | bitter-cold, descend and clear heat |
|
Gan Jiang
as printed: Gan Jiang (Zingiberis rhizoma)
|
9g | 17.65% | Zuo (Assistant) | warm Middle-Jiao, disperse cold |
|
Ren Shen
as printed: Ren Shen (Ginseng radix)
|
9g | 17.65% | Zuo (Assistant) | tonify Spleen, protect Stomach |
|
Da Zao
as printed: Da Zao (Jujubae fructus)
|
6g | 11.76% | Zuo (Assistant) | tonify Spleen |
|
Gan Cao
as printed: Zhi Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae radix preparata)
|
6g | 11.76% | Zuo (Assistant) | tonify Spleen |
Dui Yao — Core Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations at the heart of this formula, as recorded on the herbs' own pages — each pair has an action neither herb has alone.
An acrid-opening, bitter-descending combination: one disperses phlegm and knotted qi while the other clears and drains heat, relieving epigastric focal distention from intermingled heat and phlegm.
Epigastric focal distention from mixed cold and heat. Ban Xia is used processed; the raw herb is toxic.
Acrid opening combined with bitter descending, which unblocks focal distention in the epigastrium from mixed heat and cold and harmonises the stomach.
Epigastric focal distention with nausea, vomiting and borborygmus from mixed cold and heat.
Energetics dose-weighted
The formula's overall nature, taste balance and channel reach, weighted by each herb's dose. Classical formulas often pair warm and cool herbs on purpose, so a net figure summarises the mix — it doesn't describe every herb in it.
Nature
Net slightly warm (+0.35)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 24%, neutral 12%, warm 47%, hot 18%.
Small but decisive: Huang Lian 3g (cold, 6% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 35%
- sweet 32%
- bitter 32%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Spleen 100%
- Lung 82%
- Stomach 82%
- Heart 71%
- Large intestine 24%
- Gallbladder 24%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
Dose-weighted from each herb's recorded nature, taste and channels (missing values are left out, never counted as neutral). It describes the composition — it is not a recommendation.
Preparation
Source text: decoct in about 10 cups to 6, remove dregs, reduce to 3 cups, take warm in three doses. Now a standard decoction; ban xia usually +3g, zhi gan cao -3g, and only 4 jujubes, to prevent distention.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 127.
Relationships
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Formula family
Each entry reads as the larger formula written out: “+” adds its other catalogue cores, then the herbs none of them hold. A catalogue formula counts as a core only when at least 80% of its herbs are present, no more than 1 is absent, and the absent herb is not its chief.
Formula Network
Formulas that share herbs with this one — the closer to the centre, the stronger the match. Click a node to explore.
Similar Formulas by composition
Match score combines dosage-weighted composition (cosine, 70%) with shared-herb overlap (Jaccard, 30%).
Traditional formula information is for educational purposes only. Herbal formulas should be prescribed by a qualified practitioner — dosages and combinations are individualized and can interact with medications.
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