ChinaHerb – Dry Eczema Formula (Si Wu Xiao Feng San)

Size

60 tablets

Ingredients

Each tablet contains:

Rehmanniae Radix (Di Huang) – rehmannia root / Chinese foxglove – 264mg
Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Dang Gui) – Chinese angelica root / dong quai – 172.5mg
Paeoniae Radix Rubra (Chi Shao) – red peony root – 86.25mg
Schizonepetae Herba (Jing Jie) – schizonepeta herb / Japanese catnip – 144mg
Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fang Feng) – saposhnikovia root – 144mg
Dictamni Cortex (Bai Xian Pi) – Chinese dittany root bark – 144mg
Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuan Xiong) – Sichuan lovage rhizome – 86.25mg
Cimicifugae Rhizoma (Sheng Ma) – Chinese cimicifuga / bugbane rhizome – 86.25mg
Menthae Haplocalycis Herba (Bo He) – Chinese mint / field mint – 86.25mg
Angelicae Pubescentis Radix (Du Huo) – pubescent angelica root – 57mg
Bupleuri Radix (Chai Hu) – bupleurum / Chinese thorowax root – 57mg
Jujubae Fructus (Da Zao) – Chinese date / jujube fruit – 172.5mg

Directions to use

Adults: Take 2 tablets twice daily, 30 minutes before or after meals.

• Sugar free
• No animal products or animal by-products
• No preservatives

Warning

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking medication or have an existing medical condition, consult an appropriate healthcare professional before use. Keep out of reach of children.

Dry Eczema Formula and Chronic Dry, Itchy Skin

ChinaHerb Dry Eczema Formula is traditionally formulated for chronic dry skin presentations rather than acute, weeping or strongly Damp skin patterns.

Within TCM, practitioners may consider Si Wu Xiao Feng San when itching occurs together with signs of insufficient Blood nourishment and dryness. The skin may appear dry, rough, flaky or scaly, while chronic scratching can eventually contribute to thickening and lichenification.

This distinction is important because Traditional Chinese Medicine does not select a formula according to the modern name of a skin condition alone. Two people may both have eczema, for example, while displaying very different TCM patterns.

Therefore, Dry Eczema Formula reflects a particular traditional strategy: nourish what is deficient while addressing the Wind associated with itching.

Understanding Dry Eczema Formula in TCM

One of the central concepts behind Si Wu Xiao Feng San is the traditional relationship between Blood and the skin.

Within TCM, Blood has a broader meaning than physical blood alone. Among its traditional functions, Blood nourishes and moistens the body’s tissues, including the skin.

When Blood becomes deficient, the skin may consequently lose some of this nourishment. TCM associates this pattern with signs such as dryness, roughness, scaling and persistent itching.

However, TCM also traditionally associates itching with Wind.

Wind does not necessarily mean exposure to physical wind. Instead, it describes a traditional pathogenic pattern characterised partly by movement, change and variability.

Dry Eczema Formula therefore combines herbs traditionally used to nourish Blood with others used to disperse Wind and address Heat.

For a deeper explanation of Qi, Blood, Blood Deficiency, Yin and Yang, Wind, Heat, Dampness and other TCM concepts, read our Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine Knowledge article.

A Closer Look at the Ingredients

Di Huang – Rehmannia Root

Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) is rehmannia root, sometimes called Chinese foxglove.

Within TCM, Di Huang traditionally clears Heat, cools Blood and supports Yin and body fluids.

At 264mg per tablet, it is the largest ingredient by weight in ChinaHerb Dry Eczema Formula.

Dang Gui – Chinese Angelica

Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) is Chinese angelica root, also widely known as dong quai.

Within TCM, Dang Gui traditionally nourishes and invigorates Blood. Its inclusion therefore complements the formula’s focus on supporting dry skin associated with insufficient Blood nourishment.

Chi Shao – Red Peony Root

Chi Shao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra) is red peony root.

Within TCM, Chi Shao traditionally cools and invigorates Blood.

Chinese materia medica distinguishes Chi Shao from Bai Shao, or white peony root. Although both come from peony plants, TCM assigns them different traditional properties.

Jing Jie – Schizonepeta

Jing Jie (Schizonepetae Herba) is schizonepeta herb.

Within TCM, Jing Jie traditionally disperses Wind and commonly appears in traditional formulae involving the skin and itching.

Despite sometimes being called Japanese catnip, Schizonepeta is different from familiar catnip (Nepeta cataria).

Fang Feng – Saposhnikovia Root

Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) is saposhnikovia root.

Its Chinese name is often translated as “guard against Wind”, providing a useful clue to its traditional application.

Within TCM, Fang Feng is a classic herb used to dispel Wind.

Bai Xian Pi – Chinese Dittany Root Bark

Bai Xian Pi (Dictamni Cortex) is the root bark of Dictamnus.

Within TCM, Bai Xian Pi traditionally clears Heat, dries Dampness and addresses itching. Consequently, it appears in a number of traditional Chinese herbal approaches to skin problems.

Chuan Xiong – Sichuan Lovage

Chuan Xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma) is Sichuan lovage rhizome.

Within TCM, Chuan Xiong traditionally invigorates Blood and promotes the movement of Qi.

Here, it complements the nourishing herbs by supporting movement rather than nourishment alone.

Sheng Ma – Chinese Cimicifuga

Sheng Ma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) is Chinese cimicifuga or bugbane rhizome.

Within TCM, Sheng Ma traditionally clears Heat and possesses an upward-directing character.

Bo He – Chinese Mint

Bo He (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba) is Chinese mint or field mint.

Within TCM, Bo He has a cooling and dispersing character and traditionally disperses Wind-Heat.

Mint also provides a familiar connection between Chinese materia medica and plants commonly recognised as culinary herbs.

Du Huo – Pubescent Angelica Root

Du Huo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) is pubescent angelica root.

Although both Du Huo and Dang Gui belong to the Angelica genus, they are different medicinal ingredients with different traditional applications.

Within TCM, Du Huo traditionally dispels Wind and Dampness.

Chai Hu – Bupleurum Root

Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) is bupleurum root, sometimes called Chinese thorowax.

Within TCM, Chai Hu is particularly associated with supporting the smooth movement of Qi.

Da Zao – Chinese Date

Da Zao (Jujubae Fructus) is Chinese date or jujube, a fruit that may already be familiar as a food.

Within TCM, Da Zao traditionally supports Qi and helps harmonise herbal formulae.

What Does Research Say About Chinese Herbal Medicine and Eczema?

Chinese herbal medicine has attracted scientific interest for the management of eczema and atopic dermatitis, and the evidence now extends beyond traditional use alone.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis examined eight higher-quality randomised, placebo-controlled trials involving 662 participants with atopic dermatitis. The researchers reported favourable results for several clinical outcomes in people receiving Chinese herbal medicine compared with placebo, including a higher EASI-90 response rate. (Frontiers)

A more recent systematic review and meta-analysis included 17 randomised controlled trials and 1,624 participants. It found a higher overall recovery rate and lower recurrence rate among participants receiving Chinese herbal medicine, although results for some measures of disease severity were less robust. The researchers consequently noted that further high-quality studies remain necessary. (PubMed)

Research has also investigated Xiao Feng San, a related classical Chinese herbal formula. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 71 people with severe refractory atopic dermatitis, Xiao Feng San produced greater improvements in total lesion scores as well as measures of itching, skin damage and sleep compared with placebo after eight weeks. (PubMed)

These findings are encouraging, but an important distinction remains: Xiao Feng San and Si Wu Xiao Feng San are not identical formulations. Likewise, studies of Chinese herbal medicine as a broader category cannot automatically establish the clinical effectiveness of this particular ChinaHerb product.

Therefore, the available research supports continued scientific interest in Chinese herbal approaches to eczema and atopic dermatitis, while the traditional use of Si Wu Xiao Feng San should remain clearly distinguished from clinical proof of the finished ChinaHerb product.

Dry Eczema Formula and Clear Skin Heat – What Is the Difference?

ChinaHerb also offers Clear Skin Heat (Xiao Feng San), another traditional formula associated with skin patterns.

Although both formulas involve concepts such as Wind and Heat, their traditional emphasis differs.

Dry Eczema Formula (Si Wu Xiao Feng San) places greater emphasis on nourishing Blood while dispersing Wind. Therefore, its traditional pattern more closely corresponds with chronic skin presentations involving dryness, roughness, scaling and persistent itching.

In contrast, Clear Skin Heat (Xiao Feng San) places stronger emphasis on dispersing Wind, clearing Heat and removing Dampness.

Interestingly, Xiao Feng San is also the related formula for which we have some of the more direct clinical research in atopic dermatitis. (PubMed)

This comparison demonstrates an important principle of TCM: two people may have the same modern diagnosis, such as eczema, while a TCM practitioner identifies different underlying patterns.

Did You Know?

Si Wu Xiao Feng San demonstrates how Chinese herbal formulae can combine different therapeutic strategies within one traditional formulation.

The name itself offers clues to its purpose.

Si Wu refers to the tradition of using a combination of herbs to nourish and regulate Blood, while Xiao Feng means to disperse or eliminate Wind.

The formula therefore brings together two important traditional ideas: nourishing the skin through Blood while addressing the Wind associated with itching.

Dry Eczema Formula is associated with Chinese medical literature from the Qing Dynasty and reflects a longstanding TCM understanding that chronic skin presentations may involve more than what appears on the surface.

Blood-focused ingredients such as Dang Gui, Di Huang and Chi Shao sit alongside Wind-dispersing herbs such as Jing Jie and Fang Feng. Meanwhile, Bai Xian Pi and Bo He contribute additional traditional actions relating to Heat, Dampness and Wind.

This combination illustrates one of the broader principles behind Traditional Chinese Medicine: rather than looking only at the visible skin symptoms, the practitioner considers the overall pattern that may accompany them.

Disclaimer: This unregistered medicine has not been evaluated by the SAHPRA for its quality, safety or intended use.