Mantis Cradle – Sang Piao Xiao Wan Teapills – 200 Pills – Plum Flower
Sang Piao Xiao Wan (桑螵蛸丸), sold by Plum Flower as Mantis Cradle Teapills, is a traditional eight-ingredient Chinese herbal formula traditionally used for a TCM pattern involving Kidney and Heart deficiency with instability of the lower system.
Also known as Sang Piao Xiao San and Mantis Egg Case Powder Pills, this unusual classical formula combines Sang Piao Xiao with Long Gu, Gui Ban, Ren Shen, Fu Ling, Shi Chang Pu, Dang Gui, and Yuan Zhi.
Rather than simply being a single-herb urinary formula, Sang Piao Xiao Wan combines traditionally securing ingredients with herbs used to support Qi, Blood, the Kidneys, Heart, and Shen according to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory.
What Is Sang Piao Xiao Wan?
Sang Piao Xiao Wan (桑螵蛸丸) is a prepared form of the traditional Chinese formula also known as Sang Piao Xiao San.
The formula is traditionally associated with patterns involving Kidney deficiency, insufficient securing of the lower system, and disharmony between the Heart and Kidneys.
In TCM, the Kidneys are traditionally understood to play an important role in regulating and securing urinary function. When this traditional system is considered weak or insufficiently secured, a practitioner may look for a broader pattern rather than focusing on a single symptom.
Sang Piao Xiao Wan is particularly interesting because its eight ingredients address several parts of that traditional pattern simultaneously.
Product Details at a Glance
Traditional Name: Sang Piao Xiao Wan (桑螵蛸丸)
Also Known As: Sang Piao Xiao San; Mantis Egg Case Powder Pills
English Product Name: Mantis Cradle
Brand: Plum Flower
Form: Prepared Chinese herbal teapills
Bottle Size: 200 teapills
Formula Size: 8 traditional ingredients
Label Directions: 8 teapills, 3 times daily
Approximate Supply: Approximately 8 days when taking 24 teapills per day
Origin: China
Preparation Required: None — swallow the prepared teapills with water
Manufacturer Contraindication: Contraindicated during pregnancy
What Ingredients Are in Sang Piao Xiao Wan?
The current Plum Flower formula contains eight traditional ingredients. Several are unusual from a Western herbal perspective, so the ingredient identities are listed clearly below using the current manufacturer's information.
| Pin Yin | Ingredient | Traditional Role |
|---|---|---|
| Long Gu (Duan) | Os draconis mineral (toasted) | Traditionally used to anchor and secure while calming the Shen. |
| Gui Ban (Cu) | Mauremys reevesii shell (vinegar-fried) | Traditionally nourishes Yin and supports the Kidney aspect of the formula. |
| Sang Piao Xiao (Zheng) | Tenodera sinensis egg-case (steamed) | A principal ingredient traditionally used to support the Kidneys and secure the lower system. |
| Ren Shen | Panax ginseng root | Traditionally tonifies Yuan Qi and supports deficiency patterns. |
| Fu Ling | Poria cocos sclerotium | Traditionally supports the Spleen, promotes appropriate fluid metabolism, and calms the Shen. |
| Shi Chang Pu | Acorus tatarinowii rhizome | Traditionally opens the sensory orifices, transforms Phlegm, and supports communication between the Heart and Kidneys. |
| Dang Gui | Angelica sinensis root | Traditionally nourishes Blood and contributes to the nourishing aspect of the formula. |
| Yuan Zhi | Polygala tenuifolia root | Traditionally calms the Shen and supports communication between the Heart and Kidneys. |
Other Ingredients
Maltose, hydrated magnesium silicate, activated carbon, China wax.
Why These Eight Ingredients?
Sang Piao Xiao Wan is more sophisticated than its unusual English alternate name, Mantis Egg Case Powder Pills, might suggest.
Sang Piao Xiao, Long Gu, and Gui Ban form an important securing and Kidney-focused portion of the traditional formula.
Ren Shen and Fu Ling provide traditional Qi-supporting actions, while Dang Gui contributes Blood nourishment.
Shi Chang Pu and Yuan Zhi give the formula another distinctive dimension. Both have traditional relationships with the Heart, Shen, and communication between the Heart and Kidneys.
This creates an eight-ingredient formula that traditionally combines securing, nourishing, tonifying, and Shen-supporting strategies rather than focusing on only one function.
What Does “Mantis Cradle” Mean?
Mantis Cradle is the English product name used for this Plum Flower formula. It refers to one of the formula's most distinctive ingredients: Sang Piao Xiao.
Sang Piao Xiao is the prepared egg case of the Chinese mantis, Tenodera sinensis. The manufacturer identifies the ingredient in this formula as steamed Tenodera sinensis egg-case.
Animal-derived substances have a long history of use within the traditional Chinese materia medica. They can seem unusual to customers accustomed primarily to Western botanical products, which is why it is important to understand that this formula is not vegetarian or vegan.
What Does “Securing the Lower System” Mean in TCM?
Traditional Chinese Medicine uses the concept of securing to describe the body's traditional ability to appropriately retain substances and maintain normal functional control.
The Kidneys are traditionally associated with aspects of urinary and reproductive function. In certain deficiency patterns, practitioners may describe the lower system as inadequately secured.
Sang Piao Xiao is one of the ingredients traditionally associated with securing this system.
This terminology describes a Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern concept and should not be interpreted as a Western medical diagnosis.
What Does Heart-Kidney Disharmony Mean?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Heart and Kidneys have an important traditional relationship.
The concept does not mean that a person necessarily has heart disease or kidney disease. Instead, it describes relationships between functional systems within traditional Chinese medical theory.
Sang Piao Xiao Wan contains ingredients such as Yuan Zhi and Shi Chang Pu that have traditionally been used in formulas concerned with communication between the Heart and Kidneys, while other ingredients nourish, tonify, secure, or calm the Shen.
Why Is Sang Piao Xiao Important?
Sang Piao Xiao is so important to this formula that it gives Sang Piao Xiao Wan its name.
The ingredient is traditionally associated with the Kidney channel and is used within Chinese herbal theory to tonify and secure aspects of the lower system.
However, Sang Piao Xiao Wan should not be viewed simply as Sang Piao Xiao by itself. The complete formula combines it with seven additional ingredients to address the broader traditional pattern.
Why Teapills & How Do I Use Them?
Sang Piao Xiao Wan is supplied as small prepared herbal teapills that can be swallowed with water according to the product directions.
Manufacturer's standard dosage: 8 teapills, 3 times per day.
At 24 teapills per day, a 200-count bottle provides approximately 8 days of use.
Follow the directions on the product you receive unless your qualified healthcare practitioner has provided different instructions.
Is Sang Piao Xiao Wan the Right Traditional Formula?
Sang Piao Xiao Wan is traditionally associated with a relatively specific deficiency pattern rather than being a general formula for every urinary concern.
Traditional Chinese Medicine distinguishes between patterns involving deficiency, Heat, Damp-Heat, Cold, Qi deficiency, Kidney deficiency, and other underlying factors.
This distinction matters because symptoms that appear similar can have very different causes.
New, persistent, painful, or unexplained changes in urination should receive appropriate medical evaluation, particularly when accompanied by pain, fever, blood in the urine, excessive thirst, weakness, or other concerning symptoms.
Sang Piao Xiao Wan vs. Sang Piao Xiao as a Single Ingredient
| Product Type | What It Contains | Traditional Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Sang Piao Xiao Wan | Eight-ingredient traditional formula | Combines securing and Kidney-focused ingredients with Qi and Blood nourishment and traditional Heart/Shen support. |
| Sang Piao Xiao | Tenodera sinensis egg-case | A single traditional materia medica ingredient used in formulas involving Kidney deficiency and securing the lower system. |
Research on Sang Piao Xiao Wan & Its Ingredients
Research is available on several of the individual ingredients found in Sang Piao Xiao Wan. The following PubMed searches provide convenient access to published scientific literature.
- Ren Shen (Panax ginseng) Research – PubMed
- Fu Ling (Poria cocos) Research – PubMed
- Shi Chang Pu (Acorus tatarinowii) Research – PubMed
- Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis) Research – PubMed
- Yuan Zhi (Polygala tenuifolia) Research – PubMed
- Mauremys reevesii Research – PubMed
Research note: Studies of individual ingredients, extracts, isolated compounds, traditional decoctions, animal models, or modified formulas should not be interpreted as clinical proof for this specific Plum Flower teapill product. Research links are provided for educational purposes.
Safety & Important Considerations
Pregnancy: The manufacturer states that this product is contraindicated during pregnancy.
Animal-Derived Ingredients: This formula contains Tenodera sinensis egg-case and Mauremys reevesii shell. It is therefore not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
Prescription Medications: If you take prescription medications or have a chronic medical condition, discuss herbal supplements with your physician, pharmacist, or qualified practitioner before use.
Urinary Symptoms: Frequent urination, urinary leakage, difficulty urinating, pain, blood in the urine, or significant changes in urinary habits can have medical causes. Persistent or unexplained symptoms should receive appropriate medical evaluation.
Important: Kidney deficiency, Heart-Kidney disharmony, Shen, Qi, Blood, and securing the lower system are Traditional Chinese Medicine concepts and are not Western medical diagnoses.
California Proposition 65 Warning
Why Buy Plum Flower Sang Piao Xiao Wan?
Sang Piao Xiao Wan is a distinctive traditional formula that combines eight carefully selected ingredients rather than relying on a single herb or traditional substance.
The formula includes Sang Piao Xiao, Long Gu, Gui Ban, Ren Shen, Fu Ling, Shi Chang Pu, Dang Gui, and Yuan Zhi, providing the complete traditional formula in prepared teapill form.
The product is supplied in a 200-count bottle with manufacturer directions of 8 teapills, 3 times daily.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sang Piao Xiao Wan
What is Sang Piao Xiao Wan?
Sang Piao Xiao Wan (桑螵蛸丸) is an eight-ingredient traditional Chinese herbal formula sold by Plum Flower as Mantis Cradle Teapills. It is traditionally associated with Kidney deficiency and insufficient securing of the lower system, together with Heart-Kidney disharmony.
Is Sang Piao Xiao Wan the same as Sang Piao Xiao San?
Sang Piao Xiao San is a traditional alternate name associated with this formula. The Plum Flower prepared pill product is sold as Sang Piao Xiao Wan.
What is Sang Piao Xiao?
Sang Piao Xiao is a traditional Chinese materia medica ingredient. The manufacturer identifies the ingredient in this product as steamed Tenodera sinensis egg-case.
Does Mantis Cradle actually contain mantis egg case?
Yes. According to the manufacturer's current ingredient list, the formula contains steamed Tenodera sinensis egg-case, known traditionally as Sang Piao Xiao.
Is Sang Piao Xiao Wan vegetarian?
No. This formula contains mantis egg case and Mauremys reevesii shell and therefore is not vegetarian or vegan.
What ingredients are in Sang Piao Xiao Wan?
The current Plum Flower formula contains Long Gu, Gui Ban, Sang Piao Xiao, Ren Shen, Fu Ling, Shi Chang Pu, Dang Gui, and Yuan Zhi.
Does Sang Piao Xiao Wan contain ginseng?
Yes. The current manufacturer formula contains Ren Shen, identified as Panax ginseng root.
Does Sang Piao Xiao Wan contain Dang Gui?
Yes. Dang Gui, Angelica sinensis root, is one of the eight ingredients.
Can Sang Piao Xiao Wan be taken during pregnancy?
No. The manufacturer states that this product is contraindicated during pregnancy.
How do I take Sang Piao Xiao Wan Teapills?
The manufacturer's standard dosage is 8 teapills, 3 times per day. Follow the product label or instructions from your qualified healthcare practitioner.
How long does a 200-count bottle last?
At the manufacturer's standard dosage of 24 teapills per day, a 200-count bottle provides approximately 8 days of use.
What other ingredients are in the teapills?
The manufacturer lists maltose, hydrated magnesium silicate, activated carbon, and China wax.
Sang Piao Xiao Wan — An Unusual but Carefully Structured Traditional Formula
Sang Piao Xiao Wan stands apart from many Chinese herbal formulas because it combines botanical, mineral, and animal-derived traditional materia medica ingredients.
Sang Piao Xiao, Long Gu, and Gui Ban contribute to its traditional securing and Kidney-focused strategy. Ren Shen, Fu Ling, and Dang Gui provide traditional nourishing and tonifying support, while Shi Chang Pu and Yuan Zhi contribute to the formula's traditional Heart and Shen relationships.
Understanding those eight ingredients makes the unusual name Mantis Cradle much easier to understand and helps distinguish Sang Piao Xiao Wan from general-purpose herbal products.
Important Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Traditional uses and patterns described on this page refer to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and are provided for educational purposes.
