Yue Ju Wan (越鞠丸) — Escape Restraint Pill
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Overview
Yue Ju Wan — Escape Restraint Pill — is a concise five-herb formula created by the Jin-Yuan Dynasty physician Zhu Danxi (1282–1358 CE) to address the six types of stagnation (liu yu) that he identified as the root of many chronic diseases: Qi stagnation, Blood stasis, Phlegm accumulation, Fire constraint, Food stagnation and Dampness. Rather than treating each stagnation with a separate formula, Yue Ju Wan addresses all six simultaneously through five precisely chosen herbs, each of which targets a primary stagnation while having effects on the others. In contemporary practice it is most relevant for the complex presentation of depression[1], anxiety[4] and digestive dysfunction arising from multifactorial stagnation.
TCM pattern
Prescribed for the six stagnations (liu yu) — Qi, Blood, Phlegm, Fire, Food and Damp stagnation simultaneously, characterised by: a sense of oppression and stuffiness in the chest and epigastrium, a smothering or stifled feeling in the chest, sighing, belching, nausea[12], distension and fullness in the epigastrium and abdomen, depression and lack of motivation, a greasy tongue coating, and a wiry, slippery pulse.
Key herbs
- Xiang Fu (Cyperus rotundus rhizome, 6-14g) — the principal herb; moves Liver Qi and resolves Qi stagnation; the most important herb for Qi stagnation in TCM
- Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong rhizome, 3-10g) — invigorates Blood and moves Qi; resolves Blood stasis and moves the stagnant Qi in the channels
- Cang Zhu (Atractylodes lancea rhizome, 3-10g) — dries Dampness and strengthens the Spleen; resolves Damp stagnation
- Zhi Zi (Gardenia jasminoides fruit, 3-12g) — clears Fire constraint from stagnation; resolves Fire stagnation
- Shen Qu (Massa Fermentata Medicinalis, 6-16g) — resolves food stagnation and harmonises the Stomach; the classic herb for food accumulation
Formula actions
- Moves Qi
- Releases constraint
- Resolves the six stagnations (Qi, Blood, Phlegm, Fire, Food, Dampness)
Conditions treated
- Depression with chest oppression, lethargy and a stifled emotional state from multiple stagnations
- Stress with digestive symptoms — the formula directly addresses the impact of emotional stagnation on digestion
- Digestive disorders with simultaneous Qi stagnation, food accumulation and Dampness
- IBS[5] with complex multifactorial stagnation pattern — often used as a base to which other herbs are added
- Chest oppression and smothering sensation from multiple stagnations in the thorax
- Nausea, belching and epigastric fullness from food and Qi stagnation
Cautions
Always consult a qualified Chinese herbalist registered with the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM). Online herbal consultations are available. See the prices page for costs.
Prefer to be treated from home? Chinese herbal medicine online consultations are available throughout the UK and worldwide. After a full video consultation, Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto formulates a bespoke herbal prescription and posts your Chinese herbs directly to your door.
References
[1] Butler L, Pilkington K. Chinese herbal medicine and depression: the research evidence. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:739716. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/739716. PMID: 23476690.
[4] Lin Y, Cai S, Wang T, Zhuang T, Huang T, Yu X, et al. Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Xiao Yao San as a Treatment for Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022;2022:1319592. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/1319592. PMID: 35432568.
[5] Liu Q, Shi Z, Zhang T, Jiang T, Luo X, Su X, Yang Y, Wei W. Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Herbal Medicine Xiao Yao San in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 19;12:821802. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.821802. PMID: 35126152.
[12] Zhai X, He Q, Chen M, Yu L, Tong C, Chen Y, et al. Pinellia ternata-containing traditional Chinese medicine combined with 5-HT3RAs for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 RCTs. Phytomedicine. 2023 Jul;115:154823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154823. PMID: 37099981.
