Wujia Pi Wine: A Traditional Medicinal Elixir for Health and Vitality

Wujia Pi Wine, also known as Wujia Pi Medicinal Wine, is a traditional medicinal wine widely distributed and prepared in China. It is mainly made from Chinese herbal medicines such as Codonopsis pilosula, Wujia Pi, and Poria cocos. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, dispelling wind and dampness, and relaxing tendons and activating collaterals.

I. Ingredients of Wujia Pi Wine

0.6g Codonopsis pilosula, 0.7g Tangerine Peel, 0.8g Agarwood, 2g Wujia Pi, 1g Poria cocos, 0.7g Chuanxiong, 0.5g Cardamom, 1g Safflower, 1g Chinese Angelica, 2g Polygonatum odoratum, 1g White Atractylodes, 22g Gardenia jasminoides, 22g Red Yeast Rice, 0.7g Citrus aurantium, 4g Caramel, 500g White Sugar, 35g Cinnamon, 0.5g Rehmannia, 5000g Deodorized Alcohol.

II. Preparation of Wujia Pi Wine

1. Put Codonopsis pilosula, Tangerine Peel, Agarwood, Wujia Pi, Poria cocos, Chuanxiong, Cardamom, Safflower, Chinese Angelica, Polygonatum odoratum, White Atractylodes, Gardenia jasminoides, Red Yeast Rice, Citrus aurantium, Cinnamon, and Rehmannia into a stone mill, and grind or crush them into powder using a small stone pestle.

2. Take a clean container, put in the sugar and caramel (coloring), add boiling water to fully dissolve them, then add the mixture of Codonopsis pilosula and other ingredients, stir well, soak for 4 hours, then add deodorized alcohol, stir until well mixed, and continue to soak for 4 hours.

3. Cover the container tightly, store it in a cool place for 1 month, then unseal and filter it to remove impurities and obtain the wine for consumption.

By following the above method, you can make delicious Wujia Pi Wine. As there are many Chinese herbal medicines in Wujia Pi Wine, its efficacy is extraordinary, so one should not drink this wine excessively.

III. Analysis of Efficacy

It dispels wind and dampness, strengthens tendons and bones, sharpens hearing and vision, and tonifies the spleen and lungs. It is most suitable for those who are weak and fatigued.

IV. Historical Review

Wujia Pi Wine is recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Wujia Pi replenishes the middle energizes qi, strengthens tendons and bones, and enhances willpower. Long-term use lightens the body and delays aging." It is highly regarded by the people with the saying "Rather have a handful of Wujia than a cart full of gold and jade."

It is said that during Emperor Qianlong's southern tour, Huang, a royal physician who accompanied him, meticulously prepared Wujia Pi Wine according to the medicinal formula in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" and cured the crown prince Yongyan (later Emperor Jiaqing) of his wind and dampness ailments. As a result, Emperor Qianlong designated Wujia Pi Wine as a royal wine. Later, Huang, tired of palace intrigues, came to the West Gate of Guangzhou and opened a pharmacy around 1795, bringing the royal Wujia Pi Wine to ordinary people's homes.

V. Pharmacological Research

Research on the anti-fatigue effect of Wujia Pi Wine: After orally administering Wujia Pi Wine at different doses (4.17, 8.33, and 25.00 ml/kg) for 30 days, a weight-loaded swimming test, serum urea nitrogen measurement, liver glycogen measurement, and blood lactate measurement were performed on mice.

Results: Compared with the control group, the high-dose group significantly prolonged the swimming time of mice (P<0.001), significantly reduced the serum urea nitrogen content produced during exercise (P<0.05), significantly increased the liver glycogen content of mice (P<0.05), significantly decreased the increase in blood lactate after exercise (P<0.01), and reduced the area under the blood lactate curve (P<0.01). Conclusion: Wujia Pi Wine has anti-fatigue effects.

VI. Precautions

1. The ingredients in the formula are pungent, hot, dry, and aromatic, and they are not suitable for use by those with wind-cold-dampness ailments. Pregnant women should not take it.

2. Wujia Pi has a strong heart-strengthening effect, and oral administration of 1g/kg to cats can cause death, so it should not be consumed in large quantities.

3. Wujia Pi may interfere with the monitoring of digoxin blood concentration, so do not take this medicinal wine when monitoring digoxin blood concentration.