Commonly Used Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulas and Prepared Chinese Medicines for Weight Loss (Part 1)
2. Fangji Huangqi Decoction (from *Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber*)
Prescription: Stephania tetrandra, Astragalus membranaceus, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Atractylodes macrocephala, Zingiber officinale, Ziziphus jujuba.
Explanation: This formula is for treating those with superficial deficiency and dampness, with Stephania tetrandra and Astragalus membranaceus as the main ingredients.
Fangji (Stephania tetrandra) combined with Atractylodes macrocephala (Bai Zhu) dispels dampness; Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi) combined with Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Gan Cao) tonifies the exterior and strengthens the muscles.
The treatment target of this formula is deficiency syndrome and intermediate deficiency-excess syndrome.
The patient has a pale complexion, soft muscles, a swollen physique, is easily fatigued, sweats excessively, and suffers from lower limb edema and knee pain due to difficulty urinating.
This formula is mostly used for middle-aged and leisurely women. These patients are overweight and easily fatigued, reluctant to move around, have a small appetite but like to drink tea and water, have light menstrual flow, are in a bad mood, and sweat profusely every summer.
Taking Fangji Huangqi Decoction can strengthen muscles, make the body feel light and healthy, and eliminate joint pain and edema.
3. Da Chai Hu Tang (Major Bupleurum Decoction) from *Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber*
Prescription: Bupleurum, Pinellia, Scutellaria, Peony, Jujube, Immature Bitter Orange, Ginger, Rhubarb.
Explanation: This formula is for relieving the pathogenic factors in the Shaoyang meridian, where the pathogenic factors are concentrated internally and the Qi in the lower abdomen is excessive.
Bupleurum and Scutellaria together relieve the stagnation of pathogenic heat in the chest, ribs, and epigastrium; Citrus aurantium regulates qi and promotes bowel movement, and together with Paeonia lactiflora, relieves muscle tension; Rhubarb drains excess heat from the large intestine; and a large amount of fresh ginger is effective in treating nausea and vomiting.
This prescription is designed to treat patients with severe symptoms of excess, who are obese and often have a full and tense physique, thickened abdominal wall, obtuse upper abdominal angle, and tension and tenderness below the ribs.
This condition is commonly seen in middle-aged people who overeat rich, fatty, and sweet foods, dislike physical activity, and consequently experience increased subcutaneous fat.
These patients often experience symptoms such as constipation and wheezing.
Some people add Job's tears to this formula to enhance its weight loss effect.
4. Nine-Ingredient Pinellia Decoction (from *Shizaki Pu'an's Treatise on Drinking Diseases*)
Prescription: Pinellia ternata, tangerine peel, licorice, bupleurum, polyporus umbellatus, alisma plantago-aquatica, poria cocos, dried ginger, cimicifuga foetida.
This formula treats all types of lingering fluid retention.
Those who retain water often become obese due to impaired water metabolism and water retention.
Symptoms of phlegm retention include inability to move the hands and feet freely, numbness, shoulder and back pain, heaviness of the body, and difficulty breathing. It is especially beneficial for obese individuals.
5. Daoshui Fuling Decoction (from *Qixiao Liangfang*)
Prescription: Poria cocos, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Atractylodes macrocephala, Ophiopogon japonicus, Morus alba root bark, Perilla frutescens leaf, Areca catechu peel, Amomum villosum, Aucklandia lappa, Juncus effusus, Areca catechu, Chaenomeles speciosa, Citrus reticulata peel.
This formula is used for those with edema and shortness of breath, and can be tried for those with edema due to kidney disease and other ineffective medications.
6. Wang's Weight Loss Formula (from *Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*)
Prescription: Black morning glory seeds, white morning glory seeds, cassia seed, alisma rhizome, atractylodes rhizome, hawthorn fruit, prepared he shou wu (Polygonum multiflorum).
Boil the above-mentioned herbs twice, combine the liquids, and take them twice a day, morning and evening, for several days to achieve the effect of reducing fat and losing weight.
7. Beauty Tea Formulas I-VI (Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Hangu District Health Center, Tianjin)
Formula I: 7 grams each of hawthorn, alisma, radish seed, malt, medicated leaven, prunella vulgaris, stir-fried oyster shell, dried tangerine peel, cassia seed, poria cocos, red adzuki bean, patchouli, and vegetable leaves.
Efficacy: Eliminates stagnation and promotes diuresis.
Suitable for recently obese individuals whose diet, bowel movements, and sleep are all normal.
Formula II: 10 grams each of raw Polygonum multiflorum, Prunella vulgaris, hawthorn, Alisma plantago-aquatica, abalone shell, radish seed, and vegetable leaf.
Efficacy: Calms the liver and extinguishes wind, regulates qi and eliminates dampness.
Suitable for those with liver yin hyperactivity, irritability, and obesity.
Formula III: 10 grams each of Atractylodes lancea, Atractylodes macrocephala, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Poria cocos, Plantago asiatica, Polyporus umbellatus, Stephania tetrandra, and mustard greens.
Efficacy: Strengthens the spleen and dries dampness.
It is suitable for obesity accompanied by lower limb edema.
Formula IV: 20 grams each of rhubarb, immature bitter orange, atractylodes macrocephala, licorice, and vegetable leaves.
Efficacy: Relieves indigestion and promotes bowel movement.
Suitable for obesity with constipation.
Formula V: 5 grams each of prepared Pinellia ternata, Poria cocos, Citrus reticulata peel, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Citrus aurantium, Areca catechu peel, Benincasa hispida peel, prepared Cyperus rotundus, stir-fried Alisma plantago-aquatica, Plantago asiatica, stir-fried Atractylodes macrocephala, Artemisia capillaris, and rapeseed leaves.
Efficacy: Strengthens the spleen and removes dampness.
Suitable for obese individuals who are completely healthy and experience no discomfort.
Formula VI: Add 40 grams of hawthorn to Formula I.
Efficacy: Suitable for obesity accompanied by elevated blood triglycerides.
Dosage: Select 1 jin of the herbal medicine, grind it into a fine powder, divide it into 7 portions, and take 1 portion daily.
8. Light Body No. 1 (The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Medical University)
Prescription: Astragalus membranaceus, Stephania tetrandra, Atractylodes macrocephala, Ligusticum chuanxiong, processed Polygonum multiflorum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, raw Crataegus pinnatifida, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Artemisia capillaris, buffalo horn, Epimedium, raw Rheum palmatum.
Functions: This formula has the effects of invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen, warming the kidneys and assisting yang, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and promoting diuresis and reducing swelling.
It is designed for the diagnosis of obesity based on spleen and kidney deficiency, internal obstruction of phlegm and dampness, and blood stasis obstructing the collaterals.
Indications: Effective for simple obesity, especially mild to moderate obesity.
Application: The dosage can be increased appropriately depending on the patient's overweight condition.
9. Xiaopangmei (produced by the Research and Development Pharmaceutical Factory of the Fourth Military Medical University)
Ingredients: This product is a compound sugar-coated tablet made from a variety of Chinese and Western medicines, with Bupleurum and Alisma as the main ingredients.
Efficacy: Suppresses appetite, soothes the liver and relieves depression, promotes diuresis and eliminates dampness, enhances metabolism, and slightly reduces intestinal absorption.
Indications: Simple obesity, especially for those who have difficulty controlling their diet and for whom exercise therapy alone is ineffective, as well as those with simple obesity accompanied by hypertension and hyperlipidemia.