Chinese: 益胃汤
Pinyin: Yì Wèi Tāng
Other names: Benefit the Stomach Decoction, Augment the Stomach Decoction，
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that nourish Yin and tonify
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: DiabetesChronic gastritis
- Strengthen the Stomach
- Creates Body Fluids
Contraindications: Contraindicated for patients with Dampness obstructing the Middle Burner, which... Contraindicated for patients with Dampness obstructing the Middle Burner, which manifests as focal distention and a greasy tongue coating. see more
Source date: 1798 AD
Source book: Systematic Differentiation of Warm Pathogen Diseases
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.
Yi Wei Tang is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang) and Dwarf Lilyturf Roots (Mai Dong) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1798 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that nourish Yin and tonify. Its main actions are: 1) strengthen the Stomach and 2) creates Body Fluids.
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 Yi Wei Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Stomach Yin Deficiency. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as chronic gastritis or diabetes for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the five ingredients in Yi Wei Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that Yi Wei Tang helps treat.
The five ingredients in Yi Wei Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Yi Wei Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang)
Part used: Prepared dried root tuber
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartKidneyLiver
Category: Herbs that cool the Blood
Di Huang is sweet, cooling and moistening. It addresses both the root (Yin Deficiency) and the branch (internal Heat) of the pattern this formula targets.
Mai Dong is a king ingredient in Yi Wei Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Dwarf Lilyturf Roots (Mai Dong)
Part used: Dried root tuber
Nature: Cool
Meridian affinity: HeartLungStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency
In general Mai Dong's main actions are as follows: "Replenishes Yin Essence and promotes secretions. Lubricates and nourishes the Stomach. Soothes the Lung. Nourishes the Heart."
In the context of Yi Wei Tang, it is used because it is sweet, cooling and moistening. It is used both for Yin Deficiency and internal Heat.
Bei Sha Shen is a deputy ingredient in Yi Wei Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Glehnia Roots (Bei Sha Shen)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Cool
Meridian affinity: LungStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency
Bei Sha Shen enters the Stomach Channel. It directs the action of the king herbs more specifically to the Stomach.
Yu Zhu is a deputy ingredient in Yi Wei Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Angular Solomon's Seal Roots (Yu Zhu)
Part used: Dried rhizome
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: LungStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency
In general Yu Zhu's main actions are as follows: "Nourishes the Yin of the Lung and Stomach. Generates Fluids and extinguishes Wind. Stop thirsty."
In the context of Yi Wei Tang, it is used because it directs the actions of the king herbs specifically to the Stomach.
Bing Tang is an assistant ingredient in Yi Wei Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
5. Rock Sugar (Bing Tang)
Bing Tang moistens the Lungs and strengthen the Stomach. It is a primarily sweet substance for moderating the actions of the other herbs.
Yi Wei Tang is used to treat Stomach Yin Deficiency
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 Yi Wei Tang is mostly used to treat the pattern "Stomach Yin Deficiency" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Stomach Yin Deficiency here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Yi Wei Tang treats chronic gastritis" for instance. Rather, Yi Wei Tang is used to treat Stomach Yin Deficiency, which is sometimes the root cause behind chronic gastritis.
Now let's look at Stomach Yin Deficiency, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Yi Wei Tang.
The Stomach is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Stomach in Chinese Medicine
Stomach Yin Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Empty (Xu), Floating (Fu)
Tongue coating: Partial absence of coating
Tongue color: Red
Symptoms: Thirst Retching Dry mouth Hiccuping Dry throat Dry stools Constipation Poor appetite Slight thirst Bleeding gums Epigastic pain Epigastric pain No desire to eat Feeling of hunger Feeling of fullness Hot palms and soles Desire to drink in small sips Feeling of heat in the afternoon Slight feeling of fullness after eating
Yi Wei Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Stomach Yin Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as no desire to eat, desire to drink in small sips, slight feeling of fullness after eating and epigastric pain. Patients with Stomach Yin Deficiency typically exhibit empty (Xu) or floating (Fu) pulses as well as Normal color with rootless coating or without coating in the center.
The Stomach is responsible for receiving foods and drinks, ripening them and sending them to the Spleen for further digestion. Therefore, the Stomach is the origin of Body Fluids. It is also an Organ that likes Cold and Dampness which are both Yin characteristics. Stomach Yin Deficiency harms this... read more about Stomach Yin Deficiency
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