In ancient times, people referred to obese individuals as "meat people" or "fat people". The causes of obesity were believed to be related to "dampness, phlegm, and deficiency", so obese individuals were often associated with excess dampness, phlegm, and deficiency of qi. There are various methods for treating obesity, including syndrome differentiation treatment, single herb formulas, tested prescriptions, qigong, acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, and medicinal diet therapy. These methods have shown good results in the treatment of obesity. Commonly used Chinese herbal medicines for weight loss include Fengfeng Tongsheng Pill.
Fengfeng Tongsheng Pill is used for abdominal subcutaneous fat accumulation, characterized by a bloated abdomen centered around the umbilicus (abdominal type) obesity. This formula consists of Ma Huang (Ephedrae Herba), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Jing Jie (Schizonepetae Herba), Bo He (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba), Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Jie Geng (Platycodi Radix), Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Rhizoma), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Hei Shan Zhi (Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati), Da Huang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma), Mang Xiao (Natrii Sulfas), Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Hua Shi (Talcum), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix Alba). It is suitable for people who often have constipation and tend to have high blood pressure. It is used to treat stasis conditions such as food poisoning (broadly defined as intestinal-originated poisoning caused by stagnant feces leading to various diseases that are difficult to cure) and water poisoning (a state of abnormal water metabolism that can cause pathological exudates, abnormal secretions, and abnormalities in sweating and urination). Fengfeng Tongsheng Pill can eliminate these abnormal conditions through sweating, diuresis, and purgation, while also having detoxifying and constipation-relieving effects. Ma Huang, Fang Feng, Jing Jie, and Bo He have the function of inducing sweating from the body surface. Hua Shi and Bai Zhu have diuretic effects to treat water poisoning. Huang Qin, Shi Gao, and Hei Shan Zhi have anti-inflammatory effects. Jie Geng and Lian Qiao have the function of clearing heat and detoxifying. Dang Gui, Bai Shao, and Chuan Xiong can promote blood circulation. This formula has a metabolic inhibitory effect and is therefore used to treat obesity.
Xiaopang Mei (Slimming Beauty) is composed of 9 Chinese and Western medicines, such as Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix). It is used to treat simple obesity. It has the functions of suppressing appetite, enhancing physique, relieving liver depression, invigorating the spleen and benefiting qi, eliminating turbidity, promoting diuresis and resolving dampness, enhancing metabolism, and mildly reducing the absorption of glucose.
Qing Shen Jiang Zhi Le (Light Body and Cholesterol Reduction) is composed of 16 Chinese herbs, including He Shou Wu (Polygoni Multiflori Radix), Xia Ku Cao (Prunellae Spica), Dong Gua Pi (Benincasae Semen Exocarpium), and Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium). Animal experiments have proven its weight loss effect. Clinical observation of 231 cases showed an effective rate of 94.81%. It can reduce body weight, body fat percentage, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. This medicine has the functions of nourishing yin and clearing heat, nourishing the liver, clearing heat and resolving dampness, moistening the intestines and promoting bowel movements, invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen, promoting diuresis and resolving dampness, promoting blood circulation and dispelling stasis, resolving phlegm and dispersing nodules, suppressing appetite, promoting fat metabolism, reducing blood lipids, and improving palpitations and shortness of breath.
Ti Ke Qing (Body Light) is composed of Fa Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum), Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Yun Fu Ling (Poriae Cocos Sclerotium Pararadicis), Chao Cang Zhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba), Chao Mi Ren (Oryzae Semen Praeparatum), and Da Fu Pi (Arecae Pericarpium). The herbs are prepared and made into concentrated pills, with a dosage of 45 pills three times a day.
(Note: The translations of the herbal names may vary depending on the source and the specific translation system used.)
