Pills, referred to as wan ji (丸剂), are spherical preparations made from finely powdered Chinese herbs or herbal extracts combined with suitable binders or excipients. After ingestion, these pills dissolve slowly in the gastrointestinal tract, gradually releasing their medicinal effects for a prolonged duration. They can also delay the absorption of toxic, narcotic, or irritating herbs, thereby reducing toxicity and adverse reactions. Therefore, pills are commonly used in clinical treatment for chronic diseases or for patients who are weak due to prolonged illness, as well as for those needing to harmonize their qi (气) and blood (血) post-illness.
Pills can be classified based on their excipients into water pills (水丸), honey pills (蜜丸), paste pills (糊丸), wax pills (蜡丸), and concentrated pills (浓缩丸). Our hospital currently offers two types of pills: water pills and honey pills.
Water Pills
Also known as shui fan wan (水泛丸), these are small spherical pills made by using cold boiled water, herbal juice, or other liquids as a binding (moistening) agent for finely powdered Chinese herbs. The pills are small in size, with a dense and smooth surface, making them easy to swallow, resistant to moisture, and suitable for storage. During preparation, they can be layered according to the properties and aromas of the herbs to mask unpleasant odors and prevent the volatilization of aromatic components. Since the binding agent is water-soluble, they dissolve and are absorbed more easily after ingestion, leading to quicker effects. The excipients used can be selected based on the patient’s condition and the principles of TCM diagnosis and treatment to enhance the efficacy of the medicine.
Honey Pills
These are solid pills made from finely powdered Chinese herbs using processed honey as a binding agent. Honey has a sweet taste that can mask unpleasant flavors and possesses properties that moisten the lungs and relieve cough (润肺止咳), moisten the intestines and promote bowel movements (润肠通便), and detoxify (解毒). After processing, honey has strong adhesive properties, and when mixed with herbal powder, the surface of the pills does not harden easily, allowing for greater plasticity. The resulting pills are round, smooth, and moist, with low moisture content, dissolving slowly and providing lasting effects. Honey pills are often used to treat chronic diseases and conditions requiring nourishment.
(Text by Wang Xia, Edited by Xu Jing, Reviewed by Wang Xia, Edited by Suo Zhihui)
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