Yi Huang San
Star益黄散 (Benefit the Yellow Powder)
Source: Craft of Medicines and Patterns for Children (1119)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Yi Huang San (Benefit the Yellow Powder), from Craft of Medicines and Patterns for Children (1119).
Actions: Strengthens the Spleen; Harmonizes the Stomach; Regulates the qi; Stops diarrhea
Indications: In babies and young children: (1) Spleen and Stomach deficiency with qi stagnation, with abdominal pain and distention, vomiting, unremitting diarrhea, and no desire for food; (2) childhood nutritional impairment with fatigue, a yellow complexion, a grossly bloated abdomen, and wasting of the rest of the body.
Pattern: Pediatric Spleen-Stomach functional deficiency with qi stagnation (diarrhea, vomiting, nutritional impairment)
Cautions:
- Warming; contraindicated for hot dysenteric disorders
Modifications:
- more severe food stagnation: add Gigeriae galli Endothelium corneum (ji nei jin) and Hordei Fructus germinatus (mai ya)
- more pronounced qi deficiency: add Ginseng Radix (ren shen) and Atractylodis macrocephalae Rhizoma (bai zhu)
Commentary: 'Deficiency' here is immature function in children rather than depletion, so aromatic, acrid-warm moving, bitter drying and sour securing herbs are used instead of qi tonics.
Category: Formulas that Bind Up the Intestines and Secure Abandoned Conditions.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 433.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chen Pi
as printed: Citri reticulatae Pericarpium (chen pi) 30g
|
30g | 37.04% | Jun (Chief) | regulates Spleen-Stomach qi and dries dampness |
|
Qing Pi
as printed: Citri reticulatae viride Pericarpium (qing pi) 15g
|
15g | 18.52% | Chen (Deputy) | regulates qi, dredges Liver, disperses food stagnation |
|
He Zi
as printed: prepared Chebulae Fructus (pao he zi) 15g
|
15g | 18.52% | Chen (Deputy) | astringes to stop diarrhea, warms Stomach, binds Intestines |
|
Gan Cao
as printed: Glycyrrhizae Radix preparata (zhi gan cao) 15g
|
15g | 18.52% | Chen (Deputy) | tonifies the middle and augments qi; eases abdominal spasm |
|
Ding Xiang
as printed: Caryophylli Flos (ding xiang) 6g
|
6g | 7.41% | Zuo (Assistant) | warms the middle, disperses cold, descends rebellious qi to stop vomiting |
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 (+0.63)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: neutral 37%, warm 63%.
Taste
- pungent 35%
- sweet 19%
- sour 9%
- bitter 37%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Lung 82%
- Spleen 63%
- Stomach 44%
- Large intestine 19%
- Heart 19%
- Gallbladder 19%
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
Powder, 6-9g taken as a draft per the source; now usually decocted at reduced doses.
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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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