Traditional Chinese medicine has made great achievements in sobering up and relieving hangovers. As early as the Jin and Yuan dynasties, the "Discussion on the Spleen and Stomach" already had a dedicated section discussing the "harm caused by excessive drinking". It pointed out the damage caused by excessive drinking to the spleen, stomach, heart, and kidneys, and the resulting symptoms. The treatment principle proposed was "dispelling the alcohol and inducing sweating, or promoting urination to eliminate dampness." Among them, Ge Hua (kudzu flower) is the preferred choice for traditional Chinese hangover remedies.
Ge Hua and Ge Gen (kudzu root) come from the same plant and are the unopened flowers of wild kudzu. Ge Hua has a sweet taste and neutral nature, and is good at detoxifying alcohol, awakening the spleen and stomach, and relieving thirst.
In the Tang Dynasty, Tao Hongjing recorded the hangover-relieving effect of Ge Hua in the "Records of Famous Physicians", stating: "(Ge Hua) relieves drunkenness. It is taken with powdered mung bean flower. Drinking alcohol will not make one drunk." Based on this, people use 10-15 grams of Ge Hua decoction to treat symptoms such as headache, dizziness, thirst, and fullness in the chest caused by excessive drinking.
In the Yuan Dynasty, Li Dongyuan included a prescription called "Ge Hua Jie Xing Tang" (Kudzu Flower Hangover-Relieving Decoction) in the "Lan Shi Mi Cang" (Secret Collection of Orchid Room). This prescription is specifically used for hangover relief. In the Ming Dynasty, the "Dian Nan Ben Cao" (Local Herbal Medicine of Southern Yunnan) recorded the "Ge Hua Qing Re Wan" (Kudzu Flower Clearing Heat Pill), also designed for treating drunkenness. Both prescriptions primarily use Ge Hua as the main ingredient.
Ge Hua Jie Xing Tang:
Also known as Kudzu Flower Hangover-Relieving Decoction, Hangover-Relieving Decoction, or Ge Hua Tang, it has become the most commonly used and effective hangover remedy. It is used to treat symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, bloating, poor appetite, fatigue, and difficulty urinating caused by excessive drinking, which results in dampness and injury to the spleen and stomach. It can also be used for treating symptoms such as oral ulcers, toothaches, diarrhea, or alcohol addiction.
Composition: Ge Hua, Sand Ren (Cardamom), Cong Ren (Scallion Bulb), each 5 qian (about 15 grams); Yu Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae), 3 qian (about 9 grams); Chao Shen Qu (Fried Massa Medicata Fermentata), Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes Rhizome), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Ze Xie (Water Plantain Rhizome), each 2 qian (about 6 grams); Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), Ren Shen (Ginseng), Fu Ling (Poria), Zhu Dan (Pig Gallbladder), each 1 qian (about 4.5 grams); Mu Xiang (Costus Root), Wu Fen (Acorus Tatarinowii Rhizome), each 5 fen (about 1.5 grams). A total of 13 medicinal ingredients. This prescription warms the spleen and stomach, eliminates alcohol accumulation, and promotes dampness elimination and heat clearing. Although originally designed to treat symptoms caused by alcohol accumulation, its precise formulation and strong effectiveness make it suitable for treating other damp-heat related conditions such as stomach pain, diarrhea, and dizziness. It is effective for diseases characterized by spleen and stomach dampness and heat, especially when dampness is more prominent than heat.
