Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan (香砂养胃丸) — Saussurea & Cardamom Nourish the Stomach Pill

By Dr (TCM) Attilio D’Alberto — registered Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner (BAcC, RCHM) with over 25 years’ clinical experience.

Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan is a gentle, warming Chinese patent remedy for the chronically weak digestion that leaves you bloated after eating, with a poor appetite and loose stools. It supports the Spleen and Stomach in TCM terms, and is used as ongoing digestive support rather than for a one-off upset. It is complementary self-care, not a substitute for medical advice.

On this page

What it is
What it is used for
Key ingredients
Safety and cautions
When to see a practitioner
Frequently asked questions
Related pages

1. What it is

Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan (“Saussurea and Cardamom Nourish the Stomach Pill”) is an over-the-counter formula that tonifies the Spleen and Stomach, moves Qi and dries Damp. It is built on the classical Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen) with aromatic Qi-moving herbs added.

2. What it is used for

Traditionally used for Spleen-Stomach Qi deficiency with Damp and Qi stagnation:

Poor appetite and a feeling of fullness soon after eating
Bloating, belching and a heavy, distended abdomen
Loose stools and sluggish digestion
Nausea and a thick tongue coat, worse with cold or rich food

3. Key ingredients

It combines Spleen-tonifying herbs — Dang Shen, Bai Zhu, Fu Ling — with Qi-moving and aromatic herbs Mu Xiang (saussurea), Sha Ren (cardamom), Chen Pi and Ban Xia. It contains no animal products.

4. Safety and cautions

For deficiency-cold patterns — not for Heat patterns with a red tongue, burning reflux or constipation.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: only under professional advice.
Persistent symptoms: ongoing indigestion, weight loss, reflux or a change in bowel habit need medical assessment first.
Tell your pharmacist about regular medication. Always have Chinese herbal medicine prescribed by a herbalist registered with the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM).

5. When to see a practitioner instead

A patent remedy is a fixed formula for a passing complaint. Recurrent or persistent symptoms point to an underlying pattern that a one-size-fits-all pill will not resolve — for those, an individualised assessment and a tailored prescription address the root. See Chinese herbal medicine or arrange an online herbal consultation.

6. Frequently asked questions

What is Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan used for?

It is traditionally used for chronically weak digestion of the Spleen-Stomach-deficiency type — poor appetite, fullness and bloating after eating, loose stools and a sluggish, heavy feeling, often worse with cold or rich food. It supports the digestion over time rather than treating a one-off upset.

How is it different from Curing Pills or Bao Ji Wan?

Curing Pills and Bao Ji Wan are for the acute, sudden upset stomach of over-eating or travel. Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan is a tonic for the underlying weak digestion that causes ongoing poor appetite and bloating — it builds the Spleen rather than settling an acute flare.

How long does it take to work?

As a digestive tonic it works gradually, over a few weeks of regular use, and is best taken as a reviewed course alongside sensible eating. It is not an instant remedy for an acute upset.

Is it suitable if I have acid reflux?

Not necessarily — it suits a cold, deficient, damp picture rather than a hot, burning one. If reflux, burning pain or a red tongue dominate, a different approach is needed; see a practitioner.