What Jia Wei Xiao Yao San is for
This is the same formula as Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San, written under a different name. On the skin it settles itch, flushing and small flat spots that flare when life gets stressful, by freeing the constrained Liver Qi and clearing the Heat that has built up behind it. Either name can be matched to the same picture, so the formula is chosen for the pattern rather than for the label.
The skin reacts to strain before the person has noticed anything else. Itch appears or worsens on the scalp, the face flushes in patches, and small flat red or brown spots come up on the cheeks, the neck or the chest. The flare follows a spell of tension or frustration rather than a change of product or weather, and it settles again when the pressure eases. The pattern is Liver Qi held long enough to generate Heat, on thin Blood and a weak Spleen, which is why the skin reacts quickly and recovers slowly.
Chai Hu frees the constrained Qi so the movement that the skin depends on is restored, Dang Gui and Bai Shao nourish the Blood that the constraint has left thin, and Bai Zhu and Fu Ling hold the Spleen so the Blood has a source. Mu Dan Pi and Zhi Zi clear the Heat that the constraint has generated, which is what takes the redness and the heat out of the flare. The base is the balanced Xiao Yao San composition with the two cooling herbs added, so the formula settles the skin without drying or chilling it.
It fits the constrained, heated picture: skin that flares with emotion, flushes easily and itches at the scalp, with a wiry quality to the whole presentation. It does not fit pure deficiency heat, where the skin is dry, thin and red with no trigger, and it does not fit cold skin that has gone pale and numb. The two names refer to one formula, so either can be used for this pattern.
Actions
- Courses the Liver and resolves constraint
- Clears Heat and cools the Blood
- Strengthens the Spleen
- Settles the spirit
Properties
- Taste and temperature: Predominantly bitter and pungent with sweet underlying tones. Bitter and pungent clear Heat and move Qi, sweet supports the Spleen.
- Organs: Liver, Spleen, Heart
- Channels: Liver, Spleen, Heart
The pattern behind it
The pattern is Liver Qi constraint that has lasted long enough to generate Heat, on a base of Spleen and Blood deficiency. The constraint produces the irritability and the stress-linked flares, the Heat produces the flushing and the bitter taste. The formula frees the Qi, clears the Heat and supports the Spleen.
Composition
The herbs in Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, with their role and dose.
| Role | Herb | Dose | Properties | Why it is there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King | Chai Hu | 6 to 9 g | Slightly cool, Pungent, bitter | Frees Liver Qi, addressing the constraint that started the process. |
| Dang Gui | 6 to 9 g | Warm, Sweet, pungent | Nourishes Blood so the Liver has substance. | |
| Bai Shao | 6 to 9 g | Slightly cold, Bitter, sour | Nourishes Liver Blood and softens tension. | |
| Mu Dan Pi | 3 to 6 g | Slightly cold, Bitter, pungent | Clears Heat and cools the Blood, one of the two additions. | |
| Zhi Zi | 3 to 6 g | Cold, Bitter | Clears Heat and drains it downward, the second addition. | |
| Bai Zhu | 6 to 9 g | Warm, Bitter, sweet | Strengthens the Spleen that the constraint has disturbed. | |
| Fu Ling | 6 to 9 g | Neutral, Sweet, bland | Supports the Spleen and prevents Dampness. | |
| Bo He | 2 to 3 g | Cool, Pungent | Courses Liver Qi and clears the head lightly. | |
| Envoy | Sheng Jiang | 3 slices | Slightly warm, Pungent | Warms the middle and helps the formula digest. |
| Gan Cao | 3 to 6 g | Neutral, Sweet | Harmonises the formula and supports the middle. |
Patterns it treats
Liver Qi Stagnation
Itch, flushing and small flat spots that flare with emotional strain, most often on the scalp, the face and the upper chest. The pattern is Liver Qi held long enough to generate Heat, so the skin reacts to tension and reddens rather than drying or scaling.
How the formula is built
The formula is the balanced Xiao Yao San base with two cooling herbs. The base frees the Qi, nourishes the Blood and supports the Spleen; the two additions clear the Heat that constraint has produced. It is the same composition as Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San.
Skin conditions it is used for
Where this formula appears in the skin conditions of the library.
Preparation and use
Taken as prepared pills or a powder in warm water, two to three times a day.
Modifications
- If the Heat is marked, the cooling herbs are increased.
- If the Spleen deficiency is marked, the tonics are increased.
- If the Blood deficiency dominates, nourishing herbs are added.
- If Damp-Heat develops, draining herbs are added.
Timing
Taken two to three times a day.
Duration
Four to eight weeks for chronic patterns, reassessed.
Diet while taking it
Reduce alcohol and caffeine, and eat at regular times.
Safety
Contraindications
Caution in Yin deficiency with vigorous Fire without Liver Qi constraint. Avoid in Cold patterns.
Interactions
Gan Cao may interact with diuretics, digoxin and corticosteroids.
Pregnancy
Use with caution in pregnancy; patent labelling lists pregnancy as a caution for this formula.
Breastfeeding
Use only under professional guidance.
Children
Used only with professional supervision.
Before you use it
Recorded from the classical record and rewritten in this project's own words. Educational only: not a prescription. This page documents that Jia Wei Xiao Yao San and Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San are the same formula.
General safety references
General references for herbal hepatotoxicity and herb-drug interactions; they are not specific to this formula.
- Review article: Herbal hepatotoxicity - an update on traditional Chinese medicine preparations. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2014. PMID: 24844799.
- Interactions between herbal medicines and prescribed drugs: an updated systematic review. Drugs, 2009. PMID: 19719333.
- Warfarin and food, herbal or dietary supplement interactions: a systematic review. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2021. PMID: 32478963.
Origin and history
Nei Ke Zhai Yao (内科摘要, Internal Medicine Summary) by Xue Ji, Ming dynasty, 1548, as a modification of Xiao Yao San. The name Jia Wei Xiao Yao San is used for the prepared patent form.
The formula was created by Xue Ji in the 16th century as a modification of Xiao Yao San, and it is known by two names: Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San in the classical literature and Jia Wei Xiao Yao San for the prepared patent medicine. This page exists so that readers searching either name reach the same description rather than assuming they are different formulas.
Classical record
Xue Ji added Mu Dan Pi and Zhi Zi to Xiao Yao San for constraint that has generated Heat. The prepared form is sold as Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan, which is the same formula.
Nei Ke Zhai Yao (内科摘要, Internal Medicine Summary), Xue Ji, Ming dynasty, 1548.
Evidence note
No controlled trial of this treatment in skin conditions was identified for this entry. What is described here rests on the classical and later materia medica record and on traditional clinical use, not on controlled trial evidence, and it is not a prediction of benefit. Where skin-specific research does exist it is linked above.
Common questions
Is this the same as Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San?
Yes. They are the same formula. Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San is the classical name and Jia Wei Xiao Yao San is the name used for the prepared patent medicine.
How is it different from Xiao Yao San?
It adds Mu Dan Pi and Zhi Zi to clear Heat, so it is used when constraint has produced flushing, irritability and a bitter taste.
Can it help stress-related skin flares?
Yes, for the pattern where flares clearly follow emotional strain and there are heat signs.
Is it safe in pregnancy?
Patent labelling lists pregnancy as a caution, so professional guidance is needed.