What are the best traditional Chinese patent medicines for removing dampness and heat?

Generally speaking, there is no such thing as "the best Chinese patent medicines for removing damp-heat." Damp-heat accumulation in the body can easily cause various discomforts, with common symptoms including heavy limbs, bitter taste, and sticky mouth. Patients may use medications such as Qingre Qushi Granules, Simiao Pills, Huoxiang Zhengqi Soft Capsules, Er Miao Pills, and Shenling Baizhu Powder under a doctor's guidance. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Qingre Qushi Granules

Composed of ingredients like Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen), Capillary Wormwood Herb (Yin Chen),岗梅根 (Gangmeigen), Astragalus Root (Huang Qi), and others, Qingre Qushi Granules clear heat, remove dampness, benefit qi, and promote body fluid production. Yin Chen clears damp-heat, Gangmeigen clears heat, detoxifies, generates fluids, and relieves thirst, while Dang Shen and Huang Qi nourish qi and strengthen the spleen. These granules are suitable for symptoms such as limb fatigue, poor appetite, fever, and dry mouth caused by damp-heat combined with qi deficiency, helping to restore the body's healthy qi while eliminating damp-heat.

2. Simiao Pills

Composed of Phellodendron Bark (Huang Bai), Atractylodes Rhizome (Cang Zhu), Coix Seed (Yi Yi Ren), and Achyranthes Root (Niu Xi), Simiao Pills have the function of clearing heat and removing dampness. Huang Bai clears heat, dries dampness, reduces fire, and detoxifies; Cang Zhu dries dampness and strengthens the spleen; Yi Yi Ren strengthens the spleen, removes dampness, clears heat, and promotes abscess drainage; Niu Xi promotes joint circulation. These pills are suitable for symptoms such as redness, swelling, and pain in the feet and knees, and dark yellow urine caused by downward accumulation of damp-heat, particularly effective for damp-heat issues in the lower limbs.

3. Huoxiang Zhengqi Soft Capsules

Mainly composed of Agastache Herb (Huoxiang), Perilla Leaf (Zi Su Ye), Angelica Root (Bai Zhi), Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu), and other ingredients, Huoxiang Zhengqi Soft Capsules resolve exterior syndromes, transform dampness, regulate qi, and harmonize the middle jiao. Huoxiang aromatically transforms dampness and harmonizes the stomach to stop vomiting; Zi Su Ye resolves exterior cold; Bai Zhu strengthens the spleen and removes dampness. These capsules are suitable for colds caused by external contraction of wind-cold and internal injury from damp stagnation or summerheat-damp, alleviating symptoms such as heavy headache, distending abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, helping to eliminate damp-heat from the body.

4. Er Miao Pills

Composed of Phellodendron Bark (Huang Bai) and Atractylodes Rhizome (Cang Zhu), Er Miao Pills clear heat and dry dampness. Huang Bai strongly clears heat and dries dampness, while Cang Zhu dries dampness and strengthens the spleen. Together, they enhance the effect of removing damp-heat and are suitable for symptoms such as redness, swelling, and pain in the feet and knees, short and dark urine, and damp itching of the scrotum caused by downward accumulation of damp-heat. These pills are commonly used foundational Chinese patent medicines for treating damp-heat conditions.

5. Shenling Baizhu Powder

Containing ingredients such as Ginseng (Ren Shen), Poria (Fu Ling), Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu), and Dioscorea Root (Shan Yao), Shenling Baizhu Powder strengthens the spleen and stomach, benefits lung qi, and expels pathogenic dampness. Fu Ling and Bai Zhu strengthen the spleen and remove dampness, while Ren Shen and Shan Yao nourish qi and strengthen the spleen. This powder is suitable for symptoms such as reduced appetite with loose stools, shortness of breath with cough, and limb fatigue caused by spleen deficiency with excessive dampness. By improving spleen and stomach function, it helps eliminate damp-heat from the body.

In daily life, it is important to develop good living habits, avoid staying in damp environments for long periods, and reduce consumption of sweet, greasy, spicy, and oily foods such as cakes, chili peppers, and fried chicken, which may worsen internal damp-heat and hinder recovery from illness.