imported>LookDownAtTheSky: /* Ingredients */ clean up

2025-02-22T04:14:09Z

Ingredients: clean up

New page

{{Short description|Traditional Chinese medicine product}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2009}}

[[File:Po chai pills.jpg|thumb|right|Po Chai Pills in bottle form]]

'''Po Chai Pills''' ({{zh|t=保濟丸|s=保济丸|hp=bǎojìwán|first=j|j=bou2 zai3 jyun2}}) is a [[traditional Chinese medicine]] product made from several [[herb]]s formed into tiny spherical pills about 4 mm in diameter. It is used as a remedy for the relief of [[indigestion]], [[heartburn]], [[vomiting]], [[diarrhea]], and [[bloating]]. It can also be used as a [[hangover]] prevention remedy.

==History==
Po Chai Pills were developed by Li Shiu Kei in [[Foshan]], [[Guangdong]], in 1896. Following the [[Chinese Civil War]], the Li family fled to [[Hong Kong]] and reestablished their company, Li Chung Shing Tong. However, their mainland property was nationalized. As a result, there are now two manufacturers of Po Chai Pills:

*Li Chung Shing Tong (Holdings) Limited (李眾勝堂(集團)有限公司) in Hong Kong; and
*Guangzhou Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical Company Limited (廣州王老吉葯業股份有限公司) in [[Guangzhou]], China.

A mutual agreement between both parties has limited Wanglaoji's [[trademark]] rights to mainland China, while Li Chung Shing Tong has the rights to use the trademark in the rest of the world. The mainland manufacturer exports them from China as Curing Pills or Bao Ji Pills.

On 8 March 2010, sales of the pills and the capsule form of Po Chai from Li Chung Shing Tong were temporarily halted in [[Singapore]] as a precaution because traces of [[phenolphthalein]] and [[sibutramine]] were detected by the company in batches of the capsule form of Po Chai, and were recalled.<ref>[http://www.hsa.gov.sg/publish/hsaportal/en/health_products_regulation/safety_information/product_recalls/2010/Po_Chai_Pills__Capsule_Form_.html Recall notice(Capsule Form)]</ref>
Phenolphthalein's past use for its laxative properties has been discontinued because of concerns it may be [[carcinogenic]]. On 24 March 2010, [[Hong Kong]]'s [[Department of Health (Hong Kong)|Department of Health]] recalled both Po Chai Pills Capsule Form and Po Chai Pills Bottle Form from local retail outlets and consumers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201003/24/P201003240255_print.htm|title=Recall of Po Chai Pills|website=www.info.gov.hk}}</ref>

On 11 May 2010, a licensed manufacturer in proprietary Chinese medicine, Li Chung Shing Tong (Holdings) Ltd. HK was given the green light to resume production and marketing of Po Chai Pills Bottle Form.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/116/20807.html|title=Centre for Health Protection|website=www.chp.gov.hk}}</ref> Laboratory tests identified 11 tainted samples, all in Capsule Form, while none of the Bottle Form samples was found to contain the above two western medicines. In connection, the manufacturer has withdrawn the application for registration of Po Chai Pills Capsule Form which ceased to be produced in late March 2010.

==Ingredients==
The lists of known ingredients for Po Chai pills are listed as follows:
[[File:Po Chai Supplement Facts.png|thumbnail|right|Proprietary ingredients in Po Chai Pills]]

*[[Wolfiporia extensa|Poria cocos (茯苓, Fú-Líng)]] Sclerotium
*[[Atractylodes lancea|Southern Tsangshu]] (蒼朮 (苍术), [[Cāng zhú|Cāng-Zhú]]) Rhizome
*[[Agastache rugosa|Chinese patchouli]] (藿香, Huò-Xiāng) herb
*[[Angelica dahurica|Fragrant Angelica]] (白芷 Bái-Zhǐ) Root (''[[Angelica dahurica]]'', ([[Friedrich Ernst Ludwig von Fischer|Fisch.]] ex [[Georg Franz Hoffmann|Hoffm.]]) [[George Bentham|Benth.]] et [[Hook.]] seu ''Angelica anomala'' [[Julius Léopold Eduard Avé-Lallemant|Avé-Lall.]])
*[[Kudzu]] (葛根 Gé-Gēn) root
*[[Magnolia officinalis|Magnolia]] (厚朴 Hòu-Pò) root bark
*Massa Fermentata (fermented mix of wheat flour, sweet annie ([[Artemisia annua]] L., 青蒿 Qīng Hāo) aerial parts, cocklebur (''[[Xanthium strumarium|Xanthium sibiricum]]'' [[Eugène Patrin|Patrin]] ex [[Felix Joseph Widder|Widder]], 蒼耳子 Cāng'r Zǐ) aerial parts, and knotweed (''[[Polygonum aviculare]]'' L., 萹蓄 Biǎn Xù) aerial parts) (神曲 Shén Qū, Shen-Chu)
*[[Job's Tears]] (薏米 Yì-Mǐ, 薏苡仁 Yì-Yǐ Rén) seed
*Germinated Rice ([[Oryza sativa]] L.) (谷芽 Gǔ-Yá, 粟芽 Sù-Yá) seed
*Field Mint ([[Mentha canadensis|Mentha haplocalyx]] Briq.) (薄荷 Bó-Hé) herb
*[[Chrysanthemum morifolium|Chrysanthemum]] (菊花 Jú-Huā) flower
*Red pomelo ([[Citrus grandis]] Osbeck) (橘紅 Jú-Hóng, Chu-Hung) peel
*Halloysitum rubrum mineral (赤石脂 Chì Shí Zhī), Red Kaolin
*Rhizoma [[Atractodyles lancea|Atractylodis]] (root)
*Fructus [[Oriza sativa|Oryzae sativae]] germinatus/sprout
*Herba [[Mentha canadensis|Menthae]] (leaves)
*Sclerotium [[Wolfiporia extensa|Poriae cocos]]
*Radix [[Pueraria montana|Puerariae]] (root)
*Herba [[Agastache rugosa|Agastaches]] (leaves)
*Exocarpium [[Citrus grandis|Citri]]/tangerined red part
*Cortex [[Magnolia officinalis|Magnoliae officinalis]] (bark)
*Massa Fermentata/Leaven (and several leaves)

===Endangered species===
Some Po Chai pills contains ''[[Saussurea costus]]'' (syn. Dolomiaea costus, Aucklandia costus, 木香), listed on the label as ''Radix Aucklandiae'' ([[Latin]] for "aucklandia root"), which is endangered in the wild and listed in [[CITES]] Appendix I.<ref>[https://cites.org/sites/default/files/reports/11-12UnitedKingdom.pdf CITES Biennial Report]</ref> As such, CITES permits or certificates are required for international trade in the product (including if the origin of the ''[[Saussurea costus|Dolomiaea costus]]'' was artificially propagated).

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.pochaipills.com/ Po Chai Pills & Li Chung Shing Tong homepage]
* [https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2113659/made-hong-kong-po-chai-pills-cure-all-medicine-chinese-families-have www.scmp.com]

[[Category:Traditional Chinese medicine pills]]

Po Chai Pills - Revision history

imported>LookDownAtTheSky: /* Ingredients */ clean up