Bie Jia Jian Wan
Quick Facts
- What it is: An old Chinese pill of turtle shell plus more than twenty other herbs, used today mostly for a scarred liver.
- Main uses: Liver scarring (fibrosis), as an add-on, Enlarged spleen or a lump under the ribs (traditional)
- Best for: People already under a liver doctor who want a traditional add-on
- Active ingredients: Turtle shell (bie jia), Chai hu, Huang qin (holds baicalin), Da huang (rhubarb root), Tao ren (peach kernel), E jiao (glue from donkey hide), Zhe chong (a ground beetle)
- Forms: Small round pills, Granules or powder, Tablets, Capsules
- Time to effect: Weeks to a few months, if at all.
- Side effects: Mostly loose stools and belly upset; rash and easy bruising are less common.
Track this remedy in the app
Track Bie Jia Jian Wan with reminders and record whether it helped, in the app.
What is Bie Jia Jian Wan?
Bie Jia Jian Wan is an old Chinese herb pill. The name means turtle shell pill. Turtle shell is the lead herb, mixed with more than twenty others.
Long ago it was used for a hard lump felt under the ribs after long fevers. Today it is mostly given in China for a scarred, stiff liver. It is used as an add-on, not in place of proper liver care.
This is a multi-herb pill, so it has many ways to clash with drugs. Do not take it while pregnant. Human trial proof is thin, and long use is not proof that it works.
How does Bie Jia Jian Wan work?
No one has shown how this pill works in the body.
In Chinese theory it is said to soften a hard mass and move stuck blood. That is a way of talking about the body. It is not a lab finding.
Lab and animal work has looked at the liver. In rats, turtle shell and some of the other herbs seem to slow scar build-up. We do not know if the same thing happens in people.
What forms does Bie Jia Jian Wan come in?
You will most often see small round pills. Powders, granules, tablets and capsules are also sold.
In China it is a named shop medicine. Strength and herb list can change from brand to brand. Read the label of the exact product in your hand.
A newer product called compound turtle shell tablets is sold for the liver too. It is not the same mix. Do not swap one for the other.
Where it comes from:
The recipe comes from the Jin Gui Yao Lue, a Chinese medical text from about 200 CE. It is linked to the doctor Zhang Zhongjing.
It was written for a lump under the ribs left behind by long, repeating fevers. Later Chinese writers kept it in their books. In modern China it is used mostly for the liver.
Who should avoid Bie Jia Jian Wan?
- Do not use if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, as this mix holds herbs that move blood and loosen the bowels
- Do not use if you are breastfeeding
- Do not use if you are giving it to a child
- Do not use if you take warfarin or another blood thinner, unless your doctor says it is fine
- Do not use if you have a bleeding problem, or surgery booked in the next two weeks
- Do not use if you have loose stools now, or a gut that upsets easily
- Do not use if you have a stomach ulcer (a sore in the stomach lining)
- Do not use if you take digoxin (a heart drug) or water pills, unless your doctor checks your potassium (a body salt)
- Do not use if you have had a rash or swelling from herb or insect based medicines
- Do not use if you have sudden or worsening liver trouble, until a doctor has checked you
When should you see a doctor?
Stop the pill and call a doctor if your skin or eyes turn yellow. Dark urine, pale stools or a swollen belly also mean you need care that day.
Get help fast if you vomit blood, pass black tarry stools, or bruise for no clear reason. Go to the emergency room for a rash with swelling of the face, lips or throat.
Book a normal visit if loose stools last more than two days, or if you feel sick each time you take it.
Evidence grades and traditional-use labels are explained in our methodology. Nothing here is medical advice.
4.8
