Alternative Names

• xiao yao san
• hsiao yao san
• syoyo san
• Free and Easy Wanderer
• Rambling Powder

This is probably the most used formula after its cousin, Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan. It is for stress and in particular “liver qi stagnation” in Chinese Medicine terms. This type of stagnation is for getting angry at little things that shouldn’t matter that much. You can feel great and then….you hit a red light… NOOO! You are angry!

Ingredients

(Chai Hu 柴胡 hare’s ear root, thorowax root, bupleurum Radix Bupleuri [caution])

Mei Gui Hua – American Rose Pedals (Mei Gui – literally Beautiful Country is the Chinese name for America. Isn’t that nice. And Hua is a flower.)

Dang Gui 當歸 tangkuei, Chinese angelica root Radix Angelicae Sinensis [supports pregnancy]

Bai Shao 白芍 white peony root, peony Paeoniae Radix alba [supports pregnancy]

• The two herbs above serve to nourish the blood and yin-fluids that keep the Liver lubricated and functioning harmoniously. When the Liver gets dry, the qi can stagnate, and that’s what this formula is treating, “Liver qi stagnation”.
• Also, Chai hu is a drying herb which can damage the yin-fluids of the Liver, so Bai Shao is commonly used with Chai hu just to moderate this effect

Bo He

Zhi Gan Cao 甘草 licorice root Radix Glycyrrhizae prep. [caution]

• Gan cao is commonly added to formulas to harmonize all the ingredients so they work gently without side-effects. The fact that this sweet herb (the literal translation of gan cao) is honey fried, it is mostly focused then on the functions of the Stomach.

Fu Ling 茯苓 sclerotium of tuckahoe, China root, hoelen, Indian bread Poria Cocos

Bai Zhu 白术 , bai shu ovate atractylodes, (white) atractylodes rhizome [supports pregnancy]

Sheng Jiang ginger rhizome Zingiberis Rhizoma

• These three herbs (along with the gan cao above) are used to prevent the Liver problems from spreading into the digestive functions which they commonly do. This formula strengthens the digestion while it prevents the Liver (nervous system) from causing problems in the digestive tract. Ginger prevents nausea too, which is a common effect of stress-induced Liver qi stagnation such as you might find with a migraine or excessive emotion.