Is Huoxiang Zhengqi Water really a "universal" heat-relieving medicine?

This is the 5009th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

In the hot summer, high temperature alarms frequently sound, as if the whole world is being roasted. In this "barbecue" mode, preventing heat stroke has become the top priority for each of us. When it comes to heatstroke prevention, everyone may think of the well-known "magic potion" - Huoxiang Zhengqi Water. This magical prescription originated from Huoxiang Zhengqi Powder in the "Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang" of the Song Dynasty, and is carefully prepared from more than ten kinds of medicinal materials such as Patchouli, Pi Pi, and Angelica Dahurica.

In many people's minds, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water can not only help us resist the scorching heat, but also treat colds, diarrhea, and even prevent prickly heat. It is simply an "all-around warrior" in summer. With the development of the times, in order to meet the health needs of modern people, Huoxiang Zhengqi Powder has also innovated its dosage form, and derived a variety of dosage forms of Chinese patent medicines such as Huoxiang Zhengqi Liquid, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, Huoxiang Zhengqi Capsules, and Huoxiang Zhengqi Drop Pills.

Faced with such a wide range of choices, how should we choose? In fact, the key to selection lies in three factors: ingredients, dosage form and efficacy.

In terms of ingredients

Although the name is "Huoxiang Zhengqi", the proportion and content of medicinal materials in different dosage forms may be different. Read the product instructions carefully and choose the one with the ingredients that best suit your needs.

When we choose Huoxiang Zhengqi products, there are two main differences in the ingredients of the excipients: alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

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Huoxiang Zhengqi water containing alcohol

advantage

Adding alcohol can better protect and stabilize the herbal ingredients, allowing the medicinal effects to be more fully exerted. At the same time, alcohol can also help us refresh our minds and dispel the cold.

Taste

It's spicy and stimulating, and tastes a bit like drinking white wine, which may not be acceptable to everyone.

price

Usually more affordable.

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Precautions

People with allergies

If you are allergic to alcohol, this product is not for you.

child:

Alcohol may not be safe for children and is not recommended for children.

Driver

Don't drink before driving, as alcohol can affect driving safety.

Drug interactions

When taking certain medications, such as cephalosporin antibiotics or nitroimidazoles, do not drink alcohol-containing Huoxiang Zhengqi water to avoid adverse reactions.

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Non-alcoholic Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid

advantage

It uses polysorbate 80, cinnamon oil, etc. as auxiliary materials, does not contain alcohol, and is more suitable for a wide range of people.

Taste

It has a good taste, is suitable for all ages, and is acceptable to most people.

Target Group

Because it does not contain alcohol, it is suitable for a wider range of people, including children and people who need to avoid alcohol intake.

Other dosage forms

In addition to water and oral liquid, Huoxiang Zhengqi is also available in various forms such as tablets, capsules and pills, which usually do not contain alcohol.

When choosing a Huoxiang Zhengqi product, first consider whether you are allergic to alcohol, whether you need to avoid alcohol, and whether you are taking medications that may interact with alcohol. If these are not issues, then you can choose based on your personal taste and preference. I hope this information can help you make a more informed choice and let Huoxiang Zhengqi preparations become your health guardian in the summer.

In terms of dosage form

Different dosage forms have different ways of taking and experiences. For example, capsules, tablets, and pills are easy to carry, while liquid preparations are not convenient to carry because of their heavy bottles. However, liquid mixtures, aqueous solutions, and oral solutions are easier to absorb and take effect faster. Capsule preparations have relatively high requirements on the patient's spleen and stomach absorption function. Another one is Huoxiang Zhengqi Drop Pills. The drops are a new dosage form. They are easier to digest and absorb than traditional pills and tablets, and do not contain alcohol.

Due to different dosage forms, the onset time will vary. It is generally believed that Huoxiang Zhengqi water, oral liquid, mixture, and pills will take effect faster and are suitable for emergency patients; Huoxiang Zhengqi tablets, capsules, concentrated pills, and large honey pills take effect slower, but the effect is long-lasting and suitable for chronic patients. So which dosage form to choose depends on our own needs and circumstances. After all, the best one is the one that suits you.

In terms of efficacy

Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, this name sounds like a cool antidote for summer, but in fact, the summer heat it treats is not the kind of summer heat under the scorching sun, but a special kind of "summer heat" - we call it Yin heat. What is Yin heat? Simply put, Yin heat is the accumulation of cold and dampness in the body due to excessive use of air conditioning or eating too many cold things in summer. In this case, some warm medicines are needed to dispel the cold and dampness. Most of the medicinal materials in Huoxiang Zhengqi Water are warm in nature, such as Amomum villosum, Elsholtzia ciliata, Angelica dahurica, Atractylodes lancea, etc., but in fact they are used to dissolve the cold and dampness in the body and help the body restore balance.

Therefore, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water can cure diseases related to cold and dampness, especially those related to the digestive system. For example, if you accidentally catch a cold in the summer and feel a headache and a heavy body, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water can help you dispel the cold; if you feel chest tightness, abdominal distension, and indigestion, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water can help you dissolve dampness and make your spleen and stomach more comfortable; gastrointestinal colds: summer colds, especially those accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water can also help.

What we usually call heat stroke refers to Yangshu, which is called heat stroke in modern medicine. It usually occurs in hot summer. If you stay in the hot sun for too long or are active in high temperatures, you may experience fever, dizziness, headache, burning skin, and even nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, you may faint or have convulsions. Infants, the elderly, people with heart disease, and people with high blood pressure are more likely to be in danger. If Huoxiang Zhengqi water is used for heat stroke here, it will make the situation worse. To prevent Yangshu, you should drink more water, but you should not drink alcoholic beverages and high-sugar beverages. You can drink sour plum soup, mung bean soup, watermelon juice, honeysuckle dew, Longhudan, etc., which are effective in preventing and treating heat stroke.

In short, Huoxiang Zhengqi water is not a "universal heat-relieving medicine" in summer, but a good medicine specifically for "yin summer heat". When we use Huoxiang Zhengqi preparations, we cannot just use them casually based on the words, but should choose according to the actual symptoms and physical condition. If we understand its effects and scope of application, we can better use it to maintain good health. Remember, no matter what medicine you use, safety and suitability are the most important.

Author: Shanghai Changzheng Hospital

Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine