Ban Xia Xie Xin Wan is a commonly prescribed TCM herbal formula for a range of digestive issues. In Chinese Medicine it falls into the "harmonize the stomach and intestines" category and with the right underlying diagnosis in TCM terms it has been shown to be effective for ulcerative colitis (UC). Besides the designations for the use of this formula in TCM terms, researchers often explore formulas that are known well to work through various studies and clinical outcomes to better understand their mechanisms in biochemical terms.
The researchers found, in a mouse UC model, that "treatment mitigated colonic inflammation, as evidenced by reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), repaired intestinal barrier integrity, and restored metabolic homeostasis via regulation of tryptophan and nitrogen metabolism". In general terms this means that it reduced inflammation and improved levels of "good" bacteria in the gut thus improving the symptoms of ulcerative colitis.