Stomach Qi

Stomach Qi is a fundamental concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that refers to the functional energy and physiological activity of the stomach rather than a specific molecular entity like a receptor or enzyme [1]. It represents the stomach's capacity to receive, 'rot,' and 'ripen' food, and its primary physiological direction is downward, facilitating the transport of food to the small intestine [2]. In TCM theory, a person's 'Stomach Qi' is often used as a prognostic indicator of overall health and the body's ability to recover from illness [1]. Pathological states involving this concept include 'Stomach Qi Deficiency,' which leads to poor appetite and fatigue, and 'Rebellious Stomach Qi,' which manifests as upward-moving symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or belching [3]. Because it is a holistic functional description and not a protein, gene, or specific biochemical pathway, it does not have a molecular classification or direct interaction with pharmaceutical drugs in the Western pharmacological sense [2, 3]. [1] StatPearls, Traditional Chinese Medicine (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538183/); [2] NIH/NCCIH, Traditional Chinese Medicine: What You Need To Know; [3] World Health Organization (WHO) International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine.

Other names

Wei QiStomach energyGastric QiFunction of the Stomach

Not applicable; Stomach Qi is a traditional functional concept rather than a molecular target with specific pharmacological ligands.