Anti-Gas (TCM Concentrate-30 caps)

Chinese Anti-Gas combines herbs that strengthen digestive function to relieve stomach stagnation, indigestion and feelings of fullness. The unique blend of herbs in Chinese Anti-Gas stimulate production of digestive fluids and the release of bile, increase circulation, relax muscle spasms, reduce inflammation, protect the liver, and exhibit antibacterial activity.

Chinese Anti-Gas can be used for epigastric (upper-abdominal) and abdominal pain and distention (bloating), belching, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery, dyspepsia (indigestion), flatulence (intestinal gas), food poisoning, headache, joint pain, morning sickness, motion sickness, nausea, poor appetite, sluggish bowels, stomachache, vomiting and weakened digestion.

Agastache (Agastache rugosa) is an effective digestive aid that stimulates production of digestive fluids and relieves stomach stagnation. Agastache also relieves nausea and vomiting and has been used for morning sickness. In addition, agastache promotes perspiration to reduce fever and exhibits antibacterial and antifungal activity. Agastache is recommended for abdominal distention, colds (particularly “summer“ colds), diarrhea, dyspepsia, feelings of fullness, fever, flatulence, influenza (flu), lack of appetite, and stomachache. 1-3

Crataegus (Crataegus pinnatifida) promotes digestion and relieves food stagnation and indigestion. Crataegus is particularly effective for eliminating food stagnation caused by consuming meat or greasy foods, and has also been used to treat fatty liver and lipidemia—abnormally high amounts of fat in the bloodstream. In addition, crataegus enhances energy flow, improves circulation, reduces blood pressure, and exhibits antibacterial activity. Crataegus is commonly used for epigastric and abdominal distention, diarrhea, dysentery and dyspepsia.1-3

Hoelen (Poria cocos) has long been used as a diuretic and sedative in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Hoelen promotes urination and is used to relieve problems resulting from the accumulation of “moisture“ such as diarrhea, lung congestion and swollen joints. Hoelen also tones and strengthens spleen function and acts as an anti-emetic—a substance that alleviates nausea and vomiting—especially where there are congested fluids in the stomach. Hoelen has been shown to have a direct relaxing effect on animal intestine specimens. In addition, hoelen is one of seven medicinal herbs used in a Chinese anti-diarrheal formula with more than 20 year’s of clinical application and proven efficacy in over 96% of cases. Hoelen is indicated for epigastric distention, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. 1,2,4-7

Magnolia (Magnolia liliflora and officinalis) relieves discomfort due to dietary excess and food stagnation and is used for epigastric and abdominal distention and feelings of fullness. The bitter taste of magnolia bark stimulates salivation and secretion of digestive fluids, as well as movement of intestinal muscles. Magnolia is used as a remedy for acid regurgitation, belching, constipation due to food stagnation, cramps, diarrhea, flatulence, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. Research has shown that magnolia extract potently inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori—a bacterium linked to the development of duodenal and gastric ulcers. 1,2,4,8,9

Oryza (Oryza sativa) strengthens the stomach and reduces food stagnation. Oryza helps relieve poor digestion due to the accumulation of undigested “starchy“ foods—oryza owes much of its effectiveness to the presence of amylase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates. Oryza is also beneficial for weak digestion and loss of appetite associated with spleen deficiency. 1,2

Shen-chu (Xanthium stramonium) is a bitter herb that demonstrates antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus—a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. This herb also exhibits analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. 1,2

Citrus peel (Citrus aurantium) is a warming herb that normalizes the flow of energy through the body, moving congested water and phlegm and releasing pathogens (disease-causing organisms) that have become stagnant. Considered a bitter tonic, citrus peel acts as both a carminative—a substance that prevents the formation of and relieves intestinal gas and abdominal bloating—and a choleretic—a substance that stimulates the liver to increase bile production. These actions support citrus peel’s use in breaking up food stagnation and improving food transport through the digestive tract to soothe stomach complaints, including belching, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Citrus peel also demonstrates antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. 2,4,10

Gastrodia (Gastrodia elata) is among the most highly esteemed antispasmodics—substances that relax muscle spasms—known, and is used to relieve intestinal spasms, headaches and pain in the joints stemming from a chronic spasmodic state that often leads to an inflammatory condition. Gastrodia also acts as a sedative, analgesic, anticonvulsant and cholagogue—a substance that stimulates contraction of the gallbladder, thus causing the release of stored bile. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, gastrodia is said to calm the liver and extinguish internal liver wind, and is used in herbal formulas to relieve emotional tensions stored in the liver. 1,2,4

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a warming herb that acts as a stomachic—a substance that strengthens the stomach and stimulates its action. Thus, ginseng is used in both Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine for weak digestion and associated symptoms such as lack of appetite, chronic diarrhea, or in severe cases, prolapse of the stomach. Ginseng is often combined with atractylodes and hoelen (Poria cocos) for abdominal distention and fatigue, anorexia, diarrhea and vomiting. Ginseng has been shown to reduce total serum cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in humans. In addition, patients suffering from atrophic gastritis—chronic inflammation of the stomach that causes the breakdown of stomach cells—with little or no hydrochloric acid secretion found that by taking ginseng they were able to increase food intake and experienced an improvement in symptoms. Atrophic gastritis is likely to be the result of Helicobacter pylori infection, as research has shown that H. pylori infection is directly associated with an increased risk of gastritis. Fortunately, ginseng polysaccharides have been shown to inhibit the binding of Helicobacter pylori to host cells. 1-4,11-14

Typhonium (Typhonium flagelliforme) is closely related to Pinellia ternata and is often used by Chinese herbalists in the United States in place of Pinellia. Thus, typhonium is used to soothe the stomach, combat nausea and vomiting, and reduce epigastric and abdominal distention. In addition, typhonium relieves pain and inflammation and relaxes spasms. Typhonium is also used for lymphatic swellings. Furthermore, research has identified a substance in typhonium with significant antihepatotoxic (protecting the liver from toxins) activity. 1,15-19

Atractylodes (Atractylodes lancea) strengthens digestion, reduces intestinal gas, relieves pain and acts as a mild diuretic. Atractylodes is commonly used either alone or in combination with magnolia bark to treat symptoms such as lack of appetite, diarrhea, edema (fluid retention), epigastric distention, fatigue, feelings of fullness, nausea and vomiting and sore swollen joints. Recent animal research has confirmed that atractylodes improves delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis)—a disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents, often occurring in type 1 or type 2 diabetics. 1-4,20

Cardamom (Amomum villosum) is said to dispel stagnation and normalize energy flow through the center of the body. Cardamom acts as a stomachic to strengthen the stomach and aid digestion to relieve stomach stagnation and intestinal gas, as well as abdominal distention and pain, constipation, epigastric discomfort, diarrhea, dyspepsia, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting and stomachache. Cardamom is combined with atractylodes to treat dysenteric disorders. 1,2,4

Platycodon (Platycodon grandiflorum) is one of the most important Chinese herbal medicines and has been used since ancient times as an antiphlogistic (a substance that counteracts inflammation and fever), an antitussive (a substance that relieves or prevents cough), and an expectorant. However, modern animal research has shown that platycodon significantly decreased plasma triglycerides in both lean and obese rats, as well as markedly decreased plasma cholesterol levels. In addition, platycodon has demonstrated protective effects against chemically-induced liver damage in mice. 1,2,4,21-24

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is recognized as one of the best remedies for nausea associated with motion sickness. Ginger is also used as an antiemetic (prevents or alleviates vomiting) for cancer chemotherapy and may help improve gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting and inhibition of gastric emptying. Ginger aids digestion and assimilation and has been shown to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices, as well as lipase activity in animal studies. Ginger is widely used for the treatment of gastrointestinal problems, including abdominal discomfort and bloating, dyspepsia, diarrhea, and nausea stemming from motion sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum (morning sickness). In addition, ginger root extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori in vitro and prevent the occurrence of gastric ulcers induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in rats. 1,2,4,25-30

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) is a cholagogue that tonifies the digestive tract and relieves diarrhea. Licorice also acts as an anti-inflammatory with action similar to that of cortisone (a potent anti-inflammatory drug). In addition, licorice tones the spleen, promotes energy, strengthens stomach weakness, protects the liver, reduces fever, relieves pain, and alleviate spasms, particularly in the abdomen. Licorice contains the active ingredient glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid), which demonstrates a wide range of pharmacological properties (anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-viral, hepatoprotective (liver-protecting), etc.) and is one of the leading natural compounds used in clinical trials of chronic active viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). Licorice also contains the flavonoids licoricidin and licoisoflavone B, which exhibit inhibitory activity against the growth of Helicobacter pylori in vitro. Furthermore, licorice has been shown to induce apoptosis (cell death) in human gastric cancer cells. 1-4,31-34