Maiwei Dihuang Wan () is a blackish-brown pill used in Traditional Chinese medicine to "nourish the kidney to receive qi".State Pharmacopoeia Commission of the PRC (2005). "Pharmacopoeia of The People's Republic of China (Volume I)". Chemical Industry Press. . It tastes slightly sweet and sour.
It is "contraindicated in children under 13 years old, pregnant women, weak persons and patients with heart disease, severe tracheitis and hypertension".Long Zhixian, Li Qingye, Liu Zhanwen. "Formulas of Traditional Chinese Medicine" (方剂学 fāngjì xué), Academy Press (学苑出版社 xuéyuàn chūbǎnshè), Beijing University of Traditional Medicine. 2005. . In addition, this pill is "unsuitable for long term use", and "overdosage is strongly discouraged". Each pill weighs about 0.6 grams.
Patients taking this pill should "abstain from eating uncooked and cool foods".Zuo Yanfu, Zhu Zhongbao, Huang Yuezhong, Tao Jinweng, Li Zhaoguo. "Science of Prescriptions", Publishing House of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 2002. .
Mai Wei Di Huang Wan is erroneously described as being contraindicated for pregnant women. There are no herbs in it which are contraindicated for pregnancy.Chinese Herbal Medicine, Bensky, Claver, and Stoger, Eastland Press It is safe and can be useful for pregnant or nursing women.
A combination of soy isoflavones (types of plant-derived phytoestrogens) and Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (from which Maiwei Dihuang Wan is derived) is potentially effective for postmenopausal women with severe vasomotor episodes (often referred to as "hot flashes") as an alternative to hormonal therapy.
Chinese classic herbal formula NameChinese (S)GramsRadix Ophiopogonis麦冬 60 Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis seu Fructus Schisandrae Sphenantherae五味子 40 Radix Rehmanniae Preparata熟地黄 160 Fructus Corni (processed)山茱萸(炙) 80 Cortex Moutan牡丹皮 60 Rhizoma Dioscoreae山药 80 Poria茯苓 60 Rhizoma Alismatis泽泻 60
See also Chinese classic herbal formula Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan
References