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Yuanhu Zhitong

Purported Benefits, Side Effects, and More

Common Names

  • Yuanhu Zhitong Pian
  • Yuanhu
  • Yuan Hu
  • Yan Hu Suo Zhi Tong Wan
For Patients & Caregivers
For Healthcare Professionals
Last Updated: Monday, December 29, 2025

For Patients & Caregivers

Tell your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you’re taking, such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and natural or home remedies. This will help them manage your care and keep you safe.

What is it?

Yuanhu Zhitong (YhZT)is a traditional Chinese medicine formula. It’s made up of two different herbs.

What are the potential uses and benefits?

Yuanhu Zhitong is used to treat:

  • Stomach pain
  • Headache
  • Dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps)
  • Osteoarthritis (arthritis that affects joints in your knees, hips, hands, and spine)

Talk with your healthcare providers before taking herbal formulas. They can interact with some medications and affect how they work. For more information, read the “What else do I need to know?” section below.

What are the side effects?

Side effects have not been reported.

For Healthcare Professionals

Clinical Summary

Yuanhu Zhitong (YHZT) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula consisting of two herbs: Rhizoma corydalis(Yuanhu) and Radix angelicae dahuricae(Baizhi). It is officially recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as a treatment for stomach pain, hypochondriac pain, headache, dysmenorrhea and osteoarthritis pain (1).

Small studies have shown that YHZT helps alleviate cold-pressor induced pain (2) and osteoarthritic pain (3). Preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease indicate that it may also prevent memory decline (4).

Further research is needed to expand the evidence base.

Purported Uses and Benefits

  • Gastralgia
  • Headache
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Osteoarthritis

Mechanism of Action

The bioactive compounds in YHZT are thought to be alkaloids in Rhizoma corydalis and coumarins from Radix angelicae dahuricae. Studies done in murine models showed that YHZT alleviates arthritis by regulating PKC/ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway (5), relieves neuropathic pain by inhibiting spinal inflammation and neuropeptide signaling pathway (6), and modulates nociceptive behavior (7).

Adverse Reactions

Adverse effects have not been reported.

Herb-Drug Interactions

None known.

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References

  1. Committee CP. Pharmacopoeia of People's Republic of China. Chemical Industry Press, Beijing.; 2010.
  2. Yuan CS, Mehendale SR, Wang CZ, et al. Effects of Corydalis yanhusuo and Angelicae dahuricae on cold pressor-induced pain in humans: a controlled trial. J Clin Pharmacol. Nov 2004;44(11):1323-7. doi:10.1177/0091270004267809
  3. Gu Y, Huang J, Guo H, et al. A randomized controlled study for Yuanhu Zhitong dropping pills in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Medicine (Baltimore). Jun 12 2020;99(24):e20666. doi:10.1097/md.0000000000020666
  4. Iyaswamy A, Krishnamoorthi SK, Liu YW, et al. Yuan-Hu Zhi Tong Prescription Mitigates Tau Pathology and Alleviates Memory Deficiency in the Preclinical Models of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Pharmacol. 2020;11:584770. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.584770
  5. Zhang K, Yin Z, Chen F, et al. Omics-based pharmacological evaluation reveals Yuanhu Zhitong oral liquid ameliorates arthritis by regulating PKC/ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway. J Ethnopharmacol. Sep 15 2024;331:118289. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2024.118289
  6. Wu D, Su J, Wang P, et al. Exploration on pharmacological mechanisms of YZP against neuropathic pain via inhibiting spinal inflammation and the rationality of its compatibility. J Ethnopharmacol. Sep 15 2024;331:118316. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2024.118316
  7. Liu T, Li T, Chen X, et al. A network-based analysis and experimental validation of traditional Chinese medicine Yuanhu Zhitong Formula in treating neuropathic pain. J Ethnopharmacol. Jun 28 2021;274:114037. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114037
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