Chinese: 五皮饮
Pinyin: Wǔ Pí Yǐn
Other names: Five Peel Decoction
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that promote urination and leach out Dampness
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: UrticariaPre-eclampsiaMenopausal edema and three other conditions
- Reduces edema, diuretic
- Regulates and strengthens Spleen Qi
Contraindications: Contraindicated for patients without symptoms of edema
Source date: 1107 AD
Source book: Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People in the Taiping Era
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Wu Pi Yin is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Poria-Cocos Mushrooms (Fu Ling), Mulberry Bark (Sang Bai Pi) and Ginger Peel (Sheng Jiang Pi) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1107 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that promote urination and leach out Dampness. Its main actions are: 1) reduces edema, diuretic and 2) regulates and strengthens Spleen Qi.
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Wu Pi Yin is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Yin Excess or Oedema. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as pre-eclampsia, protein-deficiency edema or ascites from cirrhosis for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the five ingredients in Wu Pi Yin, we review the patterns and conditions that Wu Pi Yin helps treat.
The five ingredients in Wu Pi Yin
Fu Ling is a king ingredient in Wu Pi Yin. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Poria-Cocos Mushrooms (Fu Ling)
Part used: Dried sclerotium
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartKidneyLungSpleen
Category: Herbs that drain Dampness
In general Fu Ling's main actions are as follows: "Encourages urination and drains Dampness. Tonic to the Spleen/Stomach. Assists the Heart and calms the Spirit."
In the context of Wu Pi Yin, it is used because it leaches out Dampness, promotes urination, and strengthens the transportive function of the Spleen.
Sang Bai Pi is a king ingredient in Wu Pi Yin. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Mulberry Bark (Sang Bai Pi)
Part used: Dried root bark
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: Lung
Category: Herbs that cool the Blood
In general Sang Bai Pi's main actions are as follows: "Clears heat from the lung, relieves asthma and induce urination to disperse swelling"
In the context of Wu Pi Yin, it is used because it promotes urination by directing the Lung Qi downward and opening up the water pathways.
Sheng Jiang Pi is a king ingredient in Wu Pi Yin. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
3. Ginger Peel (Sheng Jiang Pi)
Part used: The dried outer peel of the rhizome
Nature: Cool
Taste(s): Pungent
Category: Herbs that drain Dampness
In general Sheng Jiang Pi's main actions are as follows: "Promotes urination and reduces edema at its early onset. Disperses the Exterior."
In the context of Wu Pi Yin, it is used because it transforms Dampness and disperses Edema.
Da Fu Pi is an assistant ingredient in Wu Pi Yin. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
4. Areca Peel (Da Fu Pi)
Part used: Dried pericarp
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Pungent
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomachLarge intestineSmall intestine
Category: Herbs that regulate Qi
Da Fu Pi works together with Citrus peel (Chen Pi) to eliminate Qi Stagnation since it is said that "if the smooth flow of Qi is reestablished, the Fluids will follow".
Chen Pi is an assistant ingredient in Wu Pi Yin. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
5. Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi)
In general Chen Pi's main actions are as follows: "Warms the Spleen and regulates the Middle Burner Qi. Dries Dampness and disperses Phlegm from the Lungs and Middle Burner. Reduces the potential for Stagnation caused by tonifying herbs."
Conditions and patterns for which Wu Pi Yin may be prescribed
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Wu Pi Yin is used by TCM practitioners to treat two different patterns which we describe below.
But before we delve into these patterns here is an overview of the Western conditions they're commonly associated with:
Pre-eclampsia Protein-deficiency edema Ascites from cirrhosis Congestive heart failure Urticaria Menopausal edema
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Wu Pi Yin treats pre-eclampsia" for instance. Rather, Wu Pi Yin is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind pre-eclampsia.
Now let's look at the two patterns commonly treated with Wu Pi Yin.
'Excess' as a body pattern in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Excess / Full in Chinese Medicine
Yin Excess
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Tight (Jin), Wiry (Xian), Full (Shi)
Tongue coating: Thick white coating
Tongue color: Pale
Symptoms: Edema Nausea Dampness No thirst Cold limbs Pale urine Loose stools Poor appetite Feeling of cold Profuse urination Frequent urination Feeling of heaviness Feeling of oppression Heavy vaginal discharge Pain relieved with heat Forceful but slow movement Abdominal distention and fullness Epigastric pain worsen by pressure
Wu Pi Yin is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Yin Excess. This pattern leads to symptoms such as no thirst, forceful but slow movement, epigastric pain worsen by pressure and profuse urination. Patients with Yin Excess typically exhibit slippery (Hua), tight (Jin), wiry (Xian) or full (Shi) pulses as well as Pale with white wet and/or creamy think coating.
Excess Yin is a Full Yin state pattern. It creates Cold symptoms which are similar to these of Yang Deficiency, such as feeling of cold, cold limbs, profuse but clear urination, pain that gets worse by pressure but relieved by warmth. It is because Yin is cooling in nature and the excessive... read more about Yin Excess
Body Fluids (Jin Ye) is one of Chinese Medicine's vital subtances. Learn more about Body Fluids in Chinese Medicine
Oedema
Pulse type(s): Hidden (Fu), Slowed-down (Huan)
Tongue coating: Thick white coating
Symptoms: Fatigue Sore back Sore knees Cold limbs Eye swelling Loose stools Poor appetite Oedema of face Oedema of feet Oedema of legs Oedema of hands Oedema of ankles Oedema of abdomen Labored breathing Abdomen distension Urinary difficulty Feeling of heaviness General sensation of heaviness distention and fullness
Wu Pi Yin is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Oedema. This pattern leads to symptoms such as oedema of abdomen, oedema of ankles, oedema of face and oedema of feet. Patients with Oedema typically exhibit hidden (Fu) or slowed-down (Huan) pulses as well as Pale tongue with white sticky coating or white slippery coating.
Oedema (also spelled "Edema") a retention of Body Fluids that results in swellings, depending where the retention occurs: it can be in the limbs, the legs, the face, etc. The swellings are usually so that if one presses on it with a finger, the resulting dip takes a long time to disappear.
Oedema... read more about Oedema
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