LU Xuanjun,CHEN Yan,HUANG Yutong,et al.Historical evolution and key information research on classic famous formula Baohe Pills[J].Shanghai Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine,2025,59(3):18-25.
LU Xuanjun,CHEN Yan,HUANG Yutong,et al.Historical evolution and key information research on classic famous formula Baohe Pills[J].Shanghai Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine,2025,59(3):18-25. DOI: 10.16305/j.1007-1334.2025.z20241016001.
Historical evolution and key information research on classic famous formula Baohe Pills
This paper traces the historical evolution of Baohe Pills by reviewing ancient texts and verifying key information such as its origin, name, ingredients, dosage, preparation method, administration, herbal basis, processing techniques, and therapeutic indications. The current formula for Baohe Pills, a traditi
onal digestive remedy to relieve food stagnation, originates from
Danxi Xinfa
(
The Heart & Essence of Dan⁃Xi's Methods of Treatment
), with its name reflecting its mild nature and harmonious taste of the ingredients, as well as its function to harmonize the stomach and promote the balance of yin and yang. The original formula consists of Shanzha (Crataegi Fructus), Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), Fuling (Poria), Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus), and Laifuzi (Raphani Semen), with a dosage ratio of 6∶2∶3∶3∶1∶1∶1. These herbs are powdered and mixed with wheat flour, and the mixture is then fermented to form steamed cakes, which are then used as a base for shaping the pills. The pills are taken with warm water. Medical texts from various dynasties have mostly retained the original formula, with a commonly used ratio of 6∶2∶2∶2∶1∶1∶1, and the main modification being the addition of Maiya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus). The formula functions to promote digestion, alleviate stagnation, harmonize the stomach, and transform accumulation. Clinically, it has been widely used for digestive, respiratory, and metabolic disorders.
ZHOU K , YI X , TAN Z J , et al . Baohe pill decoction treats diarrhea induced by high-fat and high-protein diet by regulating lactase-producing bacteria in intestinal mucosa [J]. Front Microbiol , 2023 , 14 : 1157475 .