BLOOD ACTIVATING HERBS Flashcards
BLOOD ACTIVATING HERBS - GENERAL OVERVIEW
4 CATEGORIES OF BLOOD INVIGORATING HERBS
CHUAN XIONG
CHANNELS: LV, GB, PC
PROPERTIES: ACRID, WARM
INVIGORATES BLOOD AND QI!
KEY:
- # 1 HERB FOR HEADACHES (LOOKS LIKE A SLICE OF BRAIN!) - HEAD IS THE SKY OF THE BODY SO IF NOT CLEAR, CAN GET A HEADACHE!
- GOES TO LV: CONNECTION BETWEEN BLOOD AND QI!
- HYPOCHONDRIAC/FLANK PAIN
- CAN RELEASE EXTERIOR
- BI SYNDROME/WIND
- STROKE PATIENT
6G
C/I: SINCE IT’S WARMING, IT CAN CAUSE MORE HEAT WHERE NOT NEEDED!
RU XIANG
CHANNELS: HEART, LIVER, SPLEEN
PROP: ACRID, BITTER, WARM
3-9G
C/I: WEAK SP/ST, PREGNANCY, ABSENCE OF BLOOD STASIS
NAUSEATING, DO NOT USE IN DECOCTION (POWDER FORM; TOPICALLY OK)
***ALWAYS USED WITH MO YAO***
KEY:
- MOVES QI & BLOOD
- THINK PHYSICAL TRAUMA DUE TO BLOOD STASIS (SWELLING, SPRAINS, STRAINS)
- INTERNAL PAIN (DYSMENNORHEA)
- BI SYNDROME
- MASSES AND PAIN
- REDUCES SWELLING AND GENERATES FLESH
- SKIN INFECTIONS
- SWELLING OF MOUTH/GUMS
MO YAO
CHANNELS: HT, LV, SP (3 MAIN BLOOD MERIDIANS!)
PROP: BITTER, NEUTRAL
3-9G
C/I: PREGNANCY, WEAK SP/ST, NO STASIS
***ALWAYS USE WITH RU XIANG***
KEY:
- SAME AS RU XIANG (FOR TRAUMA, CHRONIC NON HEALING SORES, NEUTRAL)
- DOES NOT INVIGORATE QI
BENSKY: “RU XIANG MORE POWERFULLY INVIGORATES THE BLOOD AND EXTENDS THE SINEWS WHILE MO YAO MORE STRONGLY BREAKS UP THE BLOOD AND DISPERSES STAGNATION”
YAN HU SUO
CHANNELS: HT, LV, ST, (LU, SP)
PROP: ACRID, BITTER, WARM
9-15G; PREPARE WITH VINEGAR TO MAKE STRONGER
C/I: PREGNANCY
KEY:
- STRONGLY MOVES QI & BLOOD
- ALLEVEIATES STRONG PAIN RELATED TO BLOOD STASIS
- CAN BE AS STRONG AS MORPHINE
- GOOD FOR ANY KIND OF PAIN! ***PAIN HERB***
YU JIN
CHANNELS: HT, LU, LV, GB
PROP: ACRID, BITTER, COLD
KEY:
- GOOD FOR DEPRESSION AND CONSTRAINT
- STOPS PAIN RELATED TO LIVER QI (IE DYSMENNORHEA, LOTS OF PMS, CLOTS IN BLOOD, PMS DUE TO HEAT, TOO MUCH BLEEDING)
- EMOTIONAL HEAT (IE MANIA!)
- CLEARS HEAT AND OPENS ORIFICES
- HOT PHLEGM (EMOTIONAL TYPE)
- BENEFITS GB AND REDUCES JAUNDICE
- IN WESTERN MED, USED TO TREAT INFLAMMATION
***COLD HERB…USED TO COOL DOWN SOMETHING (IE HOTHEADED, ANXIETY)***
***FOCUSES ON MENTAL DISEASE***
E ZHU
CHANNELS: LV, SP
PROP: ACRID, BITTER, WARM
3-9G
C/I: PREGNANCY, EXCESSIVE MENSTRUATION
KEY:
- IMAGINE BEAUTIFUL LADY WITH SHARP NEEDLES AROUND HER…YOU CANT TOUCH HER!
- BREAKS UP BLOOD STASIS
- MASSES…SOMETHING HARD! (FIBROIDS, ENDOMETRIOSIS)
- HELPS WITH PAIN BECAUSE MOVES BLOOD
- REDUCES FOOD STAGNATION
- SEVERE BLOOD STASIS
- “BLOOD BREAKER”
***PAIRS WITH SAN LENG***
SAN LENG
CHANNELS: LV,SP
PROP: ACRID, BITTER, NEUTRAL
3-10G
C/I: PREGNANCY, EXCESSIVE MENSTRUATION, DEFICIENCIES
KEY:
- BLOOD BREAKER!!! FORCEFULLY BREAKS UP BLOOD STASIS
- CAN ALSO MOVE QI!
- AMENNORHEA, DYSMENNORHEA
- DISSOLVES ACCUMULATIONS
- SIGNIFICANT PALPABLE BLOOD STASIS
***PAIRS WITH E ZHU***
JIANG HUANG
CHANNELS: SP, ST, LV
PROPERTIES: ACRID, BITTER, WARM
3-9G
C/I: PREGNANCY, BLOOD XU W/O BLOOD AND QI STASIS
KEY:
- # 1 HERB FOR SHOULDER AND ARM PAIN!
- INVIGORATES BLOOD AND QI
- UNBLOCKS MENSTRUAL ISSUES
- TRAUMA/PAIN (BI SYNDROME WITH UPPER BODY/SHOULDER PAIN)
- FOR PAIN AND COLD BECAUSE IT’S WARMING
DAN SHEN
ONLY HERB THAT MOVES THE BLOOD, COOLS THE BLOOD, NOURISHES THE BLOOD AND DOES ALL 3!
CHANNELS: HT, PC, LV
PROPERTIES: BITTER, SLIGHTLY COLD
6-15G
C/I: PREGNANCY
***VERY IMPORTANT HERB***
KEY:
- # 1 for chest/angina/CAD (chest pain due to blood stasis)
- gynecology! (masses, fibroids, irreg menstruation, pain, cramping, endometriosis)
- heart focus
- invigorates blood
- also tonifies!
- good for emotional heart (shen disturbance, irritability)
- clears heat, cools blood
YI MU CAO
CHANNELS: HT, LV, UB
PROPERTIES: ACRID, BITTER, SLIGHTLY COLD
9-15G
C/I: PREGNANCY, YIN/BLOOD XU
KEY:
- WOMENS GYNECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS (HAS HORMONAL PROPERTIES, AFTER DELIVERY, WHEN PERIOD IS NOT COMING BUT FEELS READY, CAUSES UTERINE CONTRACTIONS, AFTERBIRTH, POSTPARTUM PAIN, HEAVY PERIOD WITH CLOTS)
- URINATION AND EDEMA (VERY BITTER SO DRAINS DOWN!)
- CLEARS HEAT & RESOLVES TOXICITY
CHONG WEI ZI
ADDENDUM TO YI MU CAO
CHANNELS: LV, SP
PROPERTIES: SWEET, SLIGHTLY COLD
3-9g
c/i: PREGNANCY
KEY:
- JING + MENSTRUATION + FERTILITY
- INFERTILITY!!
- INVIGORATES BLOOD, REGULATES MENSES (WHEN YOU WANT EGG TO GET UNSTUCK AND POP DURING OVULATION!)
- BENEFITS THE EYES
TAO REN
CHANNELS: HT, LV, LU, LI
PROPERTIES: BITTER, SWEET, NEUTRAL
4.5-9G
C/I: PREGNANCY AND BLOOD DEFICIENCY; HAS SOME TOXICITY
***PAIRS WITH HONG HUA***
KEY:
- BLOOD STASIS! RESOLVES ANY KIND! (MENSTRUAL DISORDERS, ABDOMINAL PAIN, TRAUMATIC INJURY, FLANK PAIN, LUNG ABCESS, FIXED ABDOMINAL MASSES, ENDOMETRIOSIS)
- MOISTENS INTESTINES, UNBLOCKS BOWELS
HONG HUA
***USED WITH TAO REN***
CHANNELS: HT, LV
PROPERTIES: ACRID, WARM
DOSAGE: HOW MUCH IS GIVEN CHANGES ITS USE!!! (3-9 G; START WITH 4-6G, MORE THAN 10G BREAKS UP BLOOD STASIS)
C/I: PREGNANCY (‘IT CAN DRIVE A DEAD FETUS DOWNWARD’), OR ANY OTHER BLEEDING ISSUE (IE PEPTIC ULCERS, HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE)
KEY:
- STOPS PAIN!
- INVIGORATES BLOOD
- DERMATOLOGICAL USES (IE RASHES!)
- PROMOTES MENSES (AMENNORHEA, DYSMENNORHEA, LOCHIA)
- CHEST PAIN
- SPRAIN/STRAINS
CHUAN NIU XI
CHANNELS: LV, KD
PROPERTIES: SWEET, BITTER, NEUTRAL
6-15G
C/I: PREGNANCY, EXCESSIVE MENSES
KEY:
- # 1 FOR DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF BLOOD AND FIRE
- GOOD GYNECOLOGICAL HERB! (MENSES, AMENNORHEA)
- GOOD FOR INJURIES IN LOWER BACK, LEGS, KNEES
- INVIGORATES. BLOOD (OF COURSE!)
- DRAINS DAMPNESS; CLEARS DAMP HEAT=> BI SYNDROME
- STRONGLY MOVES
- LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE BECAUSE CALMS LIVER YANG RISING
- ***ANYTHING WITH BLOOD STASIS PROBLEMS AND PROBLEMS WITH LOWER JIAO***
HUAI NIU XI
CHANNELS: LV, KD
PROPERTIES: BITTER, SOUR, NEUTRAL
6-15G
C/I: PREGNANCY AND BLEEDING ISSUES
KEY:
- USED ALL THE TIME! MORE TONIFYING AND ABOUT LIVER/KIDNEY/BONES THAN CHUAN NIU XI
- BENEFITS JOINTS
- PAIN AND SORENESS
- DON’T USE IN PREGNANCY BUT MAYBE DURING DELIVERY!
CHUAN SHAN JIA
CHANNELS: LV, ST
PROPERTIES: SALTY, COOL
3-9G, 1-1.5G POWDER
C/I: PREGNANCY, OPEN SORES/CARBUNCLES
KEY:
- STRONG BLOOD MOVER!
- GOOD FOR PROMOTING LACTATION (BECAUSE OF BLOOD STASIS)
- UNBLOCKS MENSES
- MASSES
- PUS THAT HAS NOT YET PUSTULATED
- CAN EXPEL WIND DAMP FROM CHANNELS (SPASMS, PAIN, BI SYNDROME)
- ANTI BACTERIAL QUALITIES
WU LING ZHI
CHANNELS: LV
PROPERTIES: BITTER, SWEET, WARM
3-10G; COFFEE FILTER
C/I: PREGNANCY; INCOMPATIBLE WITH REN SHEN
KEY:
- MENSTRUAL CRAMPING
- PAIN (ABDOMINAL)
- DARK CLOTS
- BLOOD STASIS
- GYNECOLOGICAL (AMENNORHEA, DYSMENNORHEA,
WANG BU LIU XING
CHANNELS: LV, ST
PROPERTIES: BITTER, NEUTRAL
4.5-9 G
C/I: PREGNANCY
KEY:
- INVIGORATES BLOOD (SEEDS MOVE THINGS!)
- LACTATION (UPPER BODY) IE MASTISIS (BLOOD STASIS WHERE YOU NEED TO DETOXIFY)
- GYNECOLOGY
- MALE REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEMS
- LOWER BODY (PROMOTES MENSES)
- SHARP & PAINFUL
- SPECIFIC FOR BREAST IN UPPER BODY!
SU MU
CHANNELS: HT, LV, SP
PROPERTIES: SWEET, SALTY, ACRID, NEUTRAL
3-9G
C/I: PREGNANCY; EXCESS MENSTRUAL BLEEDING
KEY:
- ORTHOPEDICS!
- INJURIES/TRAUMA (MILD)
- REDUCES SWELLING; ALLEVIATES PAIN
- NOT A STRONG MOVER!
- FOR MILD DISEASE
- MUST BE COMBINED
ZE LAN
CHANNELS: LV, SP
PROPERTIES: BITTER, ACRID, SLIGHTLY WARM
10-15G
C/I: PREGNANCY
KEY:
- GYNECOLOGICAL HERB
- INVIGORATE BLOOD, DISPEL BLOOD STASIS
- IRRITATED, PMS-Y, BREAST DISTENTION (ALL EXCESS CONDITIONS!)
- EXCESS WITH UNDERLYING DEFICIENCY!
- PROMOTES URINATION
- LIKE YI MU CAO BUT WEAKER
SHUI ZHI
CHANNELS: LV, UB
PROPERTIES: SALTY, BITTER, NEUTRAL, SLIGHTLY TOXIC
.3-.6G (TINY AMOUNT IS USED!)
C/I: PREGNANCY (TERATOGENIC BIRTH DEFECTS!)
KEY:
- ***VERY STRONGLY BREAKS UP BLOOD STASIS***
- ENDOMETRIOSIS
- FIXED MASSES, TUMORS (STOMACH CANCER, ABDOMINAL MASSES)
- BLOOD BREAKER!
- QUICKLY GOES TO BLOOD LEVEL
- TRAUMATIC INJURY
CHI SHAO
CHANNELS: LV, SP
PROPERTIES: SOUR, BITTER, SLIGHTLY COLD
6-15G
C/I: COLD FROM DEFICIENCY
KEY:
- SOUNDBITE: GYNECOLOGY AND DERMATOLOGY!
- CLEARS HEAT AND COOLS BLOOD (LIVER FIRE!)
- SKIN DISEASES OR INFECTIONS WITH RED/PURPLE RASHES OR RED EYES
- MASSES
- TRAUMATIC INJURY
- GYNECOLOGICAL ISSUES ESPECIALLY WITH PREMATURE START OF PERIOD (BECAUSE HEAT IS MAKING THE BLOOD RUN RECKLESS!)
HU ZHANG
CHANNELS: LV, GB, LU
PROPERTIES: BITTER, COLD
9-15G
C/I: PREGNANCY
KEY:
- BLOOD MOVING HERB
- POPULAR COVID HERB! (DRAINS DAMP AND HEAT DOWNWARD…PHLEGM, COUGH, LUNG HEAT)
- CLEARS HEAT AND DRAINS DAMP
- TOXIC CONDITIONS (INTERNALLY: COVID, EXTERNALLY: SNAKEBITE)
- TRAUMATIC INJURY (BI SYNDROME)
- CAN DETOXIFY LIVER (HEPATITIS)
- COUGH!
LU LU TONG
CHANNELS: LV, ST
PROPERTIES: BITTER, NEUTRAL
6-12G
C/I: PREGNANCY, HEAVY PERIOD
KEY:
- ACTIVATES AND MOVES BLOOD AND QI
- GYNECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WITH OVARY! (INFERTILITY, CYSTIC OVARIES, SCANTY PERIOD, STASIS)
- UNBLOCKS CHANNELS (BLOCKAGE IN ARTERIES, WATER METABOLISM/URINARY, BI SYNDROME PAINFUL OBSTRUCTIONS)
- GOES TO ALL 12 CHANNELS
- NASAL ALLERGIES
- SPERM MOTILITY PROBLEMS
JI XUE TENG
CHANNELS: HT, LV, SP (BLOOD!!)
PROPERTIES: BITTER, SWEET, WARM
10-15G (CAN GO AS HIGH AS 30G IN SOME CASES)
C/I: PROFUSE MENSES
KEY:
- ACTIVATES AND PROMOTES MOVEMENT OF BLOOD
- TONIFIES BLOOD (SO USED FOR DEFICIENCY WHEN THERE’S BLOOD STAGNATION/DEFICIENCY)
- OPENS CHANNELS AND COLLATERALS (IT’S A VINE!!)
- RELAXES SINEWS (GOOD FOR NUMBNESS, MUSCULOSKELETAL BI SYNDROME, WIND DAMP, WEI SYNDROME, PARALYSIS OF LIMBS)
- HELPS TO PRODUCE BLOOD
- GYNECOLOGICAL (MENSTRUAL CRAMPS)
CHUAN NIU XI VS HUAI NIU XI
BLOOD ACTIVATING HERBS
