A staple in Chinese medicine cabinets could be your next hangover cure.
The headache relieving remedy is said to be an herbal formula developed more than 100 years ago. Originally meant for gastrointestinal issues, a business is pitching the pills as a hangover treatment on TikTok — and to the tune of just $6 for a half box.
Po Chai Pills, as they’re called, use several herbs to reduce upset stomachs and nausea plus alleviate the crippling hangover effects of headaches and drowsiness, according to the business’s website, The Eastern Philosophy.
In the TikTok clip, the expert details the maroon-colored pills on a plate, noting they’re easy to carry while traveling. The miracle morsels allegedly help to alleviate headaches, motion sickness, vomiting, diarrhea and indigestion, among other unsettling symptoms, according to PoChaiPills.com.
Li Shiu-kei developed the pint-sized pills in 1896 in Foshan, a city in the Guangdong Province, and they were manufactured there until 1949, according to the South China Morning Post. Due to the Communist revolution, the family left and moved to Hong Kong, according to the outlet, where they became a household name.
The miracle pill hit a wave of controversy in 2010, however, when the company reportedly revealed some of the pills were contaminated with chemicals said to allegedly raise blood pressure and even cause cancer, the South China Morning Post said.
Flash forward to today, however, and the pills seem to be making a comeback with a number of TikTok users familiar with them and even boasting about their benefits.
“Used this growing up and in college, everyone thought I was crazy until they tried it,” one user commented on TikTok.
Another commenter chimed in, “I tried these after eating a meal that would KILL my stomach & it helped out.”