Ge Hua Jie Cheng San — Kudzu Flower Powder to Relieve Hangover
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Overview
Ge Hua Jie Cheng San — the “Kudzu Flower Powder to Relieve Hangover” — is from Li Dong-yuan’s Jin-Yuan-dynasty Lan Shi Mi Cang. It is the classical formula for alcohol injury to the Spleen-Stomach: acute hangover with nausea, vomiting, headache, thirst; chronic alcohol-related fatigue, digestive disturbance, dampness accumulation. The chief herb Ge Hua (kudzu flower) specifically “separates alcohol” (jie jiu) in TCM terminology — helps the body process and eliminate alcohol’s damp-heat residue.
I prescribe Ge Hua Jie Cheng San as part of bespoke herbal formulas from pharmaceutical-grade granules sourced from Sun Ten in Taiwan.
TCM pattern
Ge Hua Jie Cheng San is prescribed for alcohol injury to Spleen-Stomach with Damp-Heat accumulation:
- Acute hangover symptoms — headache, nausea, thirst, fatigue
- Vomiting after drinking, loss of appetite
- Heaviness, dizziness, foggy thinking
- Bitter taste, sticky mouth
- Chronic alcohol-related digestive disturbance
- Tongue — white or yellow greasy coat
- Pulse — slippery
Key herbs
- Ge Hua (Fl. Puerariae, 9–15g) — chief; specifically “separates alcohol”; clears alcohol-related Heat
- Sha Ren (Fr. Amomi, 3–6g), Bai Dou Kou (Fr. Amomi Rotundus, 3–6g) — aromatically open the Spleen; resolve Damp
- Mu Xiang (Rx. Aucklandiae, 3–6g) — moves middle-burner Qi
- Chen Pi (Pe. Citri Reticulatae, 6–9g) — regulates Qi; resolves Damp; harmonises Stomach
- Qing Pi (Pe. Citri Reticulatae Viride, 3–6g) — breaks Qi stagnation
- Fu Ling (Poria, 9–15g), Zhu Ling (Polyporus, 6–9g), Ze Xie (Rz. Alismatis, 6–9g) — drain Damp via urination
- Bai Zhu (Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae, 6–9g) — tonifies Spleen; dries Damp
- Shen Qu (Massa Medicata Fermentata, 6–9g) — resolves food stagnation (relevant after heavy eating with alcohol)
- Gan Jiang (Rz. Zingiberis, 3–6g) — warms the middle; harmonises the cold-clearing herbs
- Ren Shen (Rx. Ginseng, 3–6g) — tonifies Qi (in chronic depletion from alcohol)
Formula actions
- Resolves alcohol-related Damp-Heat
- Harmonises the Stomach; stops nausea and vomiting
- Promotes urination to eliminate alcohol residue
- Tonifies middle Qi depleted by drinking
Conditions treated
- Acute hangover with nausea, headache, fatigue
- Alcohol-related chronic digestive disturbance
- Alcohol-related chronic fatigue with Damp-Heat pattern
- Alcohol-related fatty liver early stages (alongside medical management and abstinence)
- Alcohol withdrawal nausea and discomfort
Cautions
Treats the symptom — does not treat the underlying cause. Established or hazardous alcohol use disorder requires conventional medical and psychological treatment; herbal medicine is not a substitute.
Acute alcohol intoxication with confusion, vomiting blood, severe abdominal pain or signs of overdose is a medical emergency — call 999.
Always consult a qualified Chinese herbalist registered with the RCHM.
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