Pill, Common Forms of TCM Prescriptions  
It refers to the round solid preparation of drugs obtained by grinding drugs into fine powder or extracting medicinal materials and then mixing with excipient. Compared with decoction, pills have the advantages of slow absorption, lasting potency, small dosage, and are convenient to carry and take because of their small volumes. Therefore they are commonly adopted to treat chronic diseases or diseases with deficiency syndromes, e.g. Liuwei Dihuang Wan, Xiangsha Liujunzi Wan, etc.  Sometimes they are also used for chronic treatment with drugs drasticin properties, e.g. Shizao Wan, Didang Wan, etc. They may also contain drugs aromatic in flavor, and unsuitable to be boiled in water, e.g. Angong Niuhuang Wan, Su-hexiang Wan, etc. The pills or boluses commonly used are listed as follows.

Honeyed Pills or Boluses
They are made by mixing fine powder of drugs with refined honey, inclusive of large and small ones. Since honeyed pills or boluses are soft and moist in property, moderate and lasting in action, they have the actions of rectifying taste, replenishing and nourishing. They are often applied in the treatment of chronic diseases or patients of weak constitution, such as Lizhong Wan, Liuwei Dihuang Wan and so on.


Water-paste Pills  
This refers to the pills prepared by mixing the fine powder of drugs with such excipients as water (cold boiled or distilled water), wine, vinegar, or drug juice. Water-paste pills are easy to be decomposed, absorbed and swallowed, applicable to various diseases, Fangfeng Tongsheng Wan and Zuojin Wan are such examples.

Paste-pills  
They are prepared by mixing up the drug powders and the excipients made of rice, flour, or yeast paste, characterized by strong adhesiveness, solid quality, slow decomposition and dissolution. They can prolong the therapeutic effect and reduce harmful reaction and irritation to the stomach generated from toxic and drastic drugs, e.g. Zhouche Wan, Heixi Dan, etc.

Condensed Pills  
This refers to the pills prepared by decocting drugs until their decoction is concentrated to extract, then mixing the extract with the fine powder of other drugs, drying the mixed material and grinding it into powder, which then is mixed with water or honey or drug juice. It is used to treat various diseases because it has a higher content of active constituents, small volume and dosage. It is also convenient to use.