What is Xie Bai San?

Xie Bai San is an old Chinese herb mix. Its name is often put into English as "Drain the White Powder". In Chinese medicine, white stands for the lungs.

It is used for a dry, hacking cough with a hot, tight feeling in the chest. We list it as a single drug (TCM formula), because the herbs are always taken as one blend. The blend is mulberry root bark, wolfberry root bark, licorice and a little rice.

The short verdict: it has a long record in one tradition, but we found no good human trials. Long use is not proof that a herb works, so treat its effects in people as unproven.

How does Xie Bai San work?

The honest answer is that no one has shown how this mix works in the body.

In Chinese medicine, the idea is simple. The lungs are said to hold too much heat, which dries them and drives a harsh cough. The mix is meant to cool that heat gently, without chilling the rest of the body.

Lab work gives a few hints, not proof. Mulberry root bark and wolfberry root bark hold plant compounds that calm swelling in test tubes and in animals. Licorice soothes the throat and helps the other herbs taste better.

None of this has been tested well in people taking the whole mix. So any story about how it works stays a theory for now.

What forms does Xie Bai San come in?

Most people meet it as a tea brewed from loose dried herbs. A trained herbalist weighs the herbs, and you simmer them in water and drink the strained liquid.

Granules are the common modern form. These are dried water extracts that you stir into hot water.

It also comes as pills, tablets and, for children, sweet syrups.

The original text called for the herbs to be ground to a powder and boiled with rice. Ready-made products differ a lot in strength, so follow the label on the box you have.

Where it comes from:

The mix comes from a children's medicine book by Qian Yi, written in China around 1119, in the Song era.

It was made for children with a hot, dry cough and a flushed face. It is still taught in Chinese medicine schools and still sold today, which makes it a long-standing staple of that one tradition.

What does Xie Bai San help with?

• Dry, harsh cough with a hot feeling in the chest: This is the main old use, and the one you will see most often. We found no good human trial that tested the mix against a dummy treatment for cough. So this rests on long use by herbalists, not on proof.
• Cough in children: The mix was written down for children, and the licorice and rice were added to make it gentle. There are no modern trials in children that we can point to. Never give it to a child without advice from a doctor or a trained herbalist.
• Wheezing and fast breathing: Chinese medicine uses it when breathing feels hot and tight rather than cold and wet. Wheezing can be a sign of asthma or a chest infection, which need real medical care. There is no trial evidence that this mix helps breathing problems.
• Low fever in the late afternoon: Wolfberry root bark is used in this tradition for a slow, low fever that rises later in the day. This is a traditional pattern, not a tested use. A fever that keeps coming back needs a doctor, not a herb.
• Hot, dry skin: Old texts list warm, dry skin as one sign that points to this mix. This is a way of choosing the formula, not a proven skin treatment. No human studies support it.

Which foods are rich in Xie Bai San?

1. Licorice sweets and licorice tea: they add to the same licorice load
2. Salty foods: salt plus licorice can push blood pressure higher
3. Bananas, potatoes and beans: useful potassium (a salt your heart and muscles need) while you take licorice
4. Goji berries: the fruit of the same plant as wolfberry root bark, though a different part

Practical Tips:

This is a herb mix, not a nutrient, so no food supplies it.

What are the side effects of Xie Bai San?

• Upset stomach or loose stools
• Puffy ankles, hands or face from holding water
• Raised blood pressure
• Low potassium, which can bring muscle weakness, cramps or an odd heartbeat
• Headache
• Low blood sugar signs such as shakiness, if you take diabetes medicine
• Rash or itching from an allergy to one of the herbs

Good to know:

Most short courses pass without trouble, and stomach upset is the usual complaint.

The real worry is the licorice. Taken in large amounts, or for weeks on end, it can make your body hold salt and water while losing potassium. That can raise blood pressure and upset your heart rhythm, which is why this page sits at the caution level.

How much Xie Bai San should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been set by trials, so all numbers below come from herbal practice. A common tea uses about 9 to 15 g of mulberry root bark, 9 to 15 g of wolfberry root bark and 3 to 6 g of licorice, simmered with a spoon of rice. That makes one day's drink, split into two. Granules are often taken at 3 to 6 g, twice a day. Doses for children are smaller and should be set by a trained herbalist. Follow your product label, and do not take extra licorice on top.
• Best time of day: Usually twice a day, in the morning and the early evening. Warm, not hot.
• With or without food: Take it between meals, or after food if it upsets your stomach.
• Time to effect: Herbalists expect some easing within a few days. There is no trial data to back any time frame.
• How long to take it: Use it for short spells only. Most herbalists give it for a few days up to about two weeks. Stop and see a doctor if your cough has not eased after 7 days. Long runs raise the risk from licorice, which can push up blood pressure and drop your potassium (a salt your heart and muscles need).