Recommended by holistic veterinarians, Herbsmith Rx Ma Zi Ren San supports bowel comfort through traditional intestinal moistening, Heat drainage, and Qi movement in dogs, cats, and horses. Its six listed ingredients combine Huo Ma Ren and Xing Ren for moistening, Da Huang for purgative Heat-clearing action, Zhi Shi and Hou Po for Qi regulation, and Shao Yao for complementary nourishment. It is selected for a veterinarian-confirmed intestinal Heat-dryness pattern, not for every animal that strains or passes less stool. Available as powder mixed into food; dogs and cats use the Canine Blend, while horses use the Equine/Horse Blend. Dosing varies by species and body weight; your authorizing veterinarian will provide specific guidance.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
What It Supports
- Traditional intestinal moistening: Huo Ma Ren and Xing Ren contribute the moistening layer for hard, dry stools in the appropriate pattern. This does not replace hydration or evaluation of stool retention.
- Heat-dryness pattern support: Da Huang contributes traditional purgation and Heat clearing. The current listing provides no proportions establishing that its action is gentle for every animal.
- Digestive Qi movement: Zhi Shi and Hou Po traditionally regulate Qi and reduce fullness, complementing the moistening and purgative ingredients.
- Nourishing balance: Shao Yao adds a traditional nourishing and softening role. It does not guarantee protection from cramping, dehydration, or electrolyte loss.
TCVM Principles
- Primary action: Moisten the intestines, drain Heat, move Qi, and support bowel passage in a confirmed Heat-dryness pattern.
- Classical framework: The existing listing associates the six-ingredient structure with the Ma Zi Ren tradition from the Shang Han Lun and the pi yue, or Spleen constraint, pattern. This is a traditional interpretation, not proof that intestinal fluids are physically diverted into urine.
- Pattern differentiation: Hard dry stools, straining, tongue and pulse findings, hydration, diet, medications, and the clinical diagnosis must be assessed together. Frequent urination is not required to diagnose every constipation presentation and needs its own evaluation.
- Contraindications and precautions: The existing listing excludes Cold, Qi-deficiency, Blood-deficiency, and Yin-deficiency patterns without active intestinal Heat. Suspected obstruction, significant dehydration, diarrhea, or severe debility requires veterinary assessment rather than unsupervised purgation. Discuss pregnancy, nursing, and all medicines before use.
- Urgent signs: Repeated straining with no output, vomiting, a distended abdomen, marked distress, blood, or worsening weakness needs prompt care. Straining can reflect urinary obstruction rather than constipation; inability to urinate is an emergency, especially in cats. Horse colic, abdominal distension, or reduced or absent manure requires prompt veterinary assessment. Do not force food or oral herbs during suspected obstruction or colic.
Available Forms
- Powder - Canine Blend (dogs and cats): Listed in 75 g, 150 g, 500 g, 900 g, and 1200 g sizes; mix into food using species- and weight-specific directions.
- Powder - Equine/Horse Blend: Listed in 150 g, 500 g, 900 g, and 1200 g sizes; mix into grain only when your veterinarian advises oral administration.
Suggested Use
- Canine Blend Powder - Dogs under 30 lbs: ½ tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian.
- Canine Blend Powder - Dogs 30-80 lbs: 1 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian.
- Canine Blend Powder - Dogs 80-120 lbs: 1½ tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian.
- Canine Blend Powder - Dogs over 120 lbs: 2 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian.
- Canine Blend Powder - Cats: ¼ tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian.
- Equine/Horse Blend - 1,000 lb horse, initial dose: Two tablespoons twice daily in grain, or as directed by your veterinarian. Continue the initial schedule for 20 days, or as directed by your veterinarian.
- Equine/Horse Blend - 1,000 lb horse, subsequent dose: After the initial period, two tablespoons once daily in grain, or as directed by your veterinarian.
Confirm the dog dose at the overlapping 80 lb boundary. If a horse initially refuses the Equine/Horse Blend, introduce a small amount in grain and gradually increase until accustomed to the taste, or as directed by your veterinarian. Numeric doses and the horse schedule are preserved from the existing listing, not independently manufacturer-verified. Your veterinarian must specifically confirm the schedule for this purgative-containing formula; it is not an instruction to continue for 20 days without reassessment or to use indefinitely. Continue only for the prescribed duration, or as directed by your veterinarian. Veterinary authorization is required. Stop administration and contact your veterinarian for diarrhea, persistent cramping, reduced appetite, suspected dehydration, weakness, or other adverse reactions. Do not add other laxatives or alter prescribed medicines yourself.
Ingredients
Active Ingredients: Huo Ma Ren (Semen Cannabis Sativae) - Hemp seed; Xing Ren (Semen Pruni Armeniacae) - Apricot kernel; Shao Yao (Radix Paeoniae) - Peony root, preparation unresolved; Zhi Shi (Fructus Immaturus Citri Aurantii) - Immature Bitter Orange fruit; Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis) - Magnolia bark; Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) - Rhubarb root and rhizome.
Inactive Ingredient: Flaxseed.
Source and preparation details: All six ingredient designations are retained from the existing listing. Confirm complete botanical identities, plant parts, proportions, and processing against the manufacturer label. Radix Paeoniae does not resolve red versus white Shao Yao or its processing; the prior White Peony label requires confirmation. Xing Ren processing and quality controls require manufacturer confirmation; do not substitute raw apricot kernels. Da Huang's species, processing, and amount are not supplied, so comparative purgative strength is not established. Huo Ma Ren is the listed seed ingredient, not evidence of added CBD, THC, or other cannabinoid content or absence. Comparisons with Apricot Seed and Linum Formula or Hemp Seed Powder do not establish equivalent ingredients, concentrations, or dosing.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Active Ingredient TCVM Actions
The six ingredients combine moistening, purgative Heat clearing, Qi movement, and complementary nourishment. These traditional roles do not establish that the preparation clears a mechanical obstruction or guarantees gentle action.
- Huo Ma Ren (Semen Cannabis Sativae) - Hemp Seed: Traditionally moistens the intestines and supports bowel passage, forming the formula's defining moistening layer. The current listing does not establish its proportion.
- Xing Ren (Semen Pruni Armeniacae) - Apricot Kernel: Traditionally descends Lung Qi and moistens the intestines, complementing Huo Ma Ren. Confirm processing and quality controls; individual respiratory actions do not make this a respiratory-support listing.
- Shao Yao (Radix Paeoniae) - Peony Root: The existing formula explanation assigns nourishment, softening, and cramp-related support. Red versus white preparation remains unresolved and materially affects the detailed traditional action profile; confirm before assigning a definitive subtype.
- Zhi Shi (Fructus Immaturus Citri Aurantii) - Immature Bitter Orange Fruit: Traditionally breaks Qi stagnation, reduces accumulation, and addresses fullness in the selected pattern.
- Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis) - Magnolia Bark: Traditionally moves and descends Qi, dries Dampness, and reduces fullness, complementing Zhi Shi.
- Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) - Rhubarb Root and Rhizome: Traditionally purges accumulation, drains Heat, and moves Blood. Its purgative role requires attention to stool response, hydration, and electrolytes; a smaller dose or gentler effect than another formula cannot be assumed without quantities.
Potential Drug Interactions
Herbsmith Rx Ma Zi Ren San contains purgative Rhubarb, moistening seeds, Qi-regulating Bitter Orange and Magnolia, and Peony of unresolved preparation. Pets taking prescription medications should use the formula under veterinary supervision because herb-drug interaction research in dogs and cats is limited. Horses receiving prescriptions also require review. Changes in bowel transit or fluid and electrolyte balance can matter clinically; traditional Blood movement or ingredient research does not establish a quantified anticoagulant effect for this finished preparation.
Medication categories warranting extra caution include other laxatives and bowel-motility medicines, diuretics, cardiac medicines including digoxin, anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines, sedatives, and oral medicines with narrow therapeutic windows. Your veterinarian should determine whether dosing separation or monitoring is needed rather than relying on a generic timing rule. Stop administration and contact your veterinarian for diarrhea, persistent cramping, dehydration, weakness, or suspected adverse reactions. Suspected obstruction, worsening colic, or inability to urinate needs urgent care. Your veterinarian can determine appropriateness based on your animal's condition, medications, and laboratory results.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ma Zi Ren San used for in TCVM?
It supports a confirmed intestinal Heat-dryness pattern with hard, dry stools through traditional moistening, Heat drainage, and Qi movement. The pi yue framework describes traditional Spleen constraint, not proof that urine physically draws moisture away from the bowel. Straining or infrequent stool alone does not establish this pattern; obstruction, dehydration, medication effects, and other medical causes must be assessed.
How is Ma Zi Ren San administered to dogs, cats, and horses?
Dogs and cats use the Canine Blend mixed into food. Dogs under 30 lbs receive ½ tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian. Dogs 30-80 lbs receive 1 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian. Dogs 80-120 lbs receive 1½ tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian. Dogs over 120 lbs receive 2 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian. Cats receive ¼ tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian. Confirm the dose at the overlapping 80 lb dog boundary.
For a 1,000 lb horse using the Equine/Horse Blend, give two tablespoons twice daily in grain, or as directed by your veterinarian. Continue the initial schedule for 20 days, or as directed by your veterinarian. Then give two tablespoons once daily in grain, or as directed by your veterinarian. If initially refused, introduce a small amount in grain and gradually increase until accustomed to the taste, or as directed by your veterinarian. These existing numeric directions require individual confirmation for a purgative-containing formula; they do not establish safe indefinite maintenance. Continue only for the prescribed duration, or as directed by your veterinarian. Do not force oral herbs during suspected obstruction or colic.
How should bowel response and safety be monitored?
Your veterinarian monitors stool passage and consistency, hydration, appetite, abdominal comfort, energy, and electrolytes when indicated. Fixed 1-to-2-week or 2-to-4-week normalization timelines are not established, and an animal failing to pass stool should not wait weeks for reassessment. Stop and seek advice for diarrhea, persistent cramping, weakness, or dehydration. Horse colic or absent manure needs prompt assessment. In cats and dogs, repeated straining may be urinary rather than intestinal; inability to urinate is an emergency.
How does its moistening strategy differ from other bowel formulas?
Ma Zi Ren San combines moistening seeds with Rhubarb purgation and Qi movement, rather than relying on purgation alone. Traditional bowel formulas differ according to Heat, Cold, dryness, deficiency, and accumulation patterns. Those distinctions do not justify selecting a stronger purgative for suspected acute obstruction at home or assuming this formula is always gentle. The veterinarian selects the actual preparation after examining the animal and reviewing its ingredients and concentration; similarly named commercial products should not be dose-converted without verification.