blood activators Flashcards
chuan xiong (rx. ligusticum wallachi)
“sichuan sky / sichuan lovage root”
LV, GB, PC (SJ)
acrid/warm
*invigorates blood, promotes movement of qi, expels wind, stops pain, esp headaches “Qi herb, blood level,” WD-Bi
- invigorates blood, promotes movement of qi, moves qi and blood for any blood stasis patterns. MANY combos for this herb
- expels wind, alleviates pain: esp HA and externally contracted wind disorder with HA, dizziness, Bi
- expels wind and stops pain for WD painful Bi obstruction
dose: 3-10g, pwd 1-1.5g
c/ci: yin xu heat, xs menstrual bleeding, pregnancy, other bleeding disorders
Ru Xiang (olibanum)
“milk (nipple) fragrance / frankincense”
*invigorates blood, promotes qi movement, stops pain, generates flesh. known for ext. medicinal qualities in Dit Da Jows
enters qi level – more qi focused, invigorates blood powerfully
*extends to sinews
- invigorates blood, moves qi, stops pain, for TRAUMA pain due to blood stasis (often paired with Mo yao)
2. relaxes sinews invigorates channels, alleviates pain. for WD bi, rigidity, spasms
- reduces swellings and generates flesh
i. topical ointment or pwd reduces swelling, generates flesh, promotes healing of sores,
ii. used for skin infections with mo yao for chronic nonhealing ulcerations and sores
dose: 3-9g can be pwdered. less is better as higher dose can make patient feel nauseated, best to use topically, prepare with vinegar for int use
c/ci: weak sp/st, preg, absence on blood stasis
Mo Yao (myrrha)
“non comparable herb / myrrh”
ht, lv, sp
bitter, neutral
*breaks up blood stasis and stops pain (TRAUMA)
enters blood level – more blood focused, more strongly breaks up blood stasis
-used with ru xiang
- invigorates blood, dispels blood stasis, reduces swelling, alleviates pain
- promotes healing topically – chronic nonhealing sores
dose: 3-9g
c/ci: absence of stasis, weak sp/st,
Yan Hu Suo (rz corydalis)
1 for pain (from blood stasis)
“round barbaric rope / corydalis” (poppy-opiate family) “chinese medicinal morpheum”
ht, lv, st (lu/sp)
acrid, bitter, warm
*invigorates blood, strongly stops pain
- stongly moves qi and blood, important herb tp alleviate pain. for pain of many kinds but must be related to blood stasis
dose: 5-10g, 1.5-3g in pwd
ci: preg
alkaloid change greatly with prep of salt, vinegar, wine
Yan Hu Suo (rx corydalis)
“Round barbaric rope” (poppy-opiate family)
Ht, Lv, St
Acrid, bitter, warm
*strongly stops pain
#1 for pain related to blood stasis
- Strongly moves qi and blood, an important herb to relieve pain. For pain of many kinds due to stasis. Especially helpful for stagnation in the blood level and palpable abdominal masses. Also for longtime chronic qi stag and blood stasis and gynecological
(Heavy and firm so it sinks to the blood level of the heart and liver, where bitterness drains stasis and its acrid its disperses stagnation. Yellow in color = stomach. Strong pain reliever)
Dose: 5-10g, 1.5-3 psd
Alkaloid change with prep of salt, vinegar, wine
Yu Jin (rx curcuma)
“Constrained gold / curcuma”
Ht, Lu, LV*
Acrid, bitter, cold
*cools the blood, breaks up stasis, promotes movement of qi, relieves constraint
- Moves blood, stops pain, moves qi for soothing of liver qi stasis and relieves constraint. Used topically or internally for trauma injury/pain, chronic sores. Constrained lv qi and heat patterns. Masses.
- cools blood clears heat - any bleeding, esp nosebleed at start of menses
- Clears heart, opens orifices — hot phlegm obstructing the heart orifices
4. Benefits GB and reduces jaundice (due to DH) and gallstones* (one of three ‘jins’
Dose: 6-12g
C/ci: incompatible with ding Xiang
E Zhu (rz curcuma)
“Art of a beautiful lady / Japanese turmeric”
Lv/sp
Acrid, bitter, warm
*breaks up blood stasis, resolves accumulations, reduces food stagnation
pair = e Zhu and sang leng
- Breaks up blood stasis, moves qi, alleviates pain (abd pain, dysmenorrhea/amennorhea, abd masses, epi masses)
- Dissolves accumulations, alleviates pain —due to food stagnation (pain, distention, fullness, chest, abdomen constriction)
Dose: 3-9g
San Leng (rx sparganii)
“Three edges / burr reed rhizome”
lv, sp
Acrid, bitter, neutral
*breaks up qi stag and stasis, disperses food stag, stops pain. **one of strongest blood stasis herbs with e Zhu
- Forcefully breaks up blood stasis
- Dissolves accumulations — food stag
Dose: 3-10g
C/i: preg, xs menses, other xu’s
*more for blood, e Zhu is more for qi and is warm
Jiang Huang (curcuma longa rx)
“Ginger yellow / turmeric rhizome”
Sp, st, lv
Acrid, bitter, warm
*invigorates blood, breaks up blood stasis, drives qi downwards, treats WD bi (—w pain in upper body and arms/shoulders)
- Invigorates blood, unblocks menstruation, unblocks blood stasis caused by cold from deficiency (yang xu), for pain from cold induced bu stasis or WC bi. Shoulder pain
- Pain and swelling due to trauma or early stage sores/abscesses
- Moves qi alleviates pain
- Expels wind, moves blood. Esp in WD bi with blood stasis and in the shoulders
Dose: 3-9g
- Dan Shen (rz. Salvia miltiorrhizhae)
“Cinnabar root / salvia root”
ht, pc , lv
Bitter, sl. Cold
*invigorates blood, TONIFIES blood, calms irritability due to heat in blood (cools)
- Invigorates blood dispels stasis (enters blood level of ht, lv, pc) . Varied uses, often with lower abdomen, chest, hypochondria, gynecology
**very important for chest pain (angina/CAD)
-bleeding from heat in blood injuring the nutritive level in a warm heat pathogen dz - Clears heat, soothes irritability, Shen calming due to heat in ying (nutritive) level. Patters of ht and kd yin xu (disharmony)
- cools blood reduces abscesses —early stage breast absences, sores
- nourishes blood, calms spirit
Dose: 6-15g
Do not use with li Lu (shens/bai shao/xi xin)
Yi Mu Cao (leonuris herba (cardiaca))
“Benefit the mother / mother wort”
Ht, lv, UB
Acrid, bitter, sl cold
*invigorates blood, regulates menses, facilitates urination, resolve toxicity. Special for gynecology and childbirth
-**paired with Ze Lan*
- Invigorates blood, dispels blood stasis
Commonly used for gynecology—irregular menstruation, premenstrual abdominal pain, heavy menstruation with clots, fixed abd masses, infertility, PP abd pain w retained lochia. Trauma . Difficult passage of stool and urine - promotes URINATION reduces swelling, difficult urination, skin infections, heaviness, fullness, fatigue, chronic nephritis, kd stones, blood in urine
- Clears heat, resolves toxicity, for sores abscesses lesions ulcers stones eczema rashes (DH internal of topical)
Dose: 9-15g
Ci: preg, yin/blood xu
Chong Wei Zi (leonuris herba semen)
Lv/sp
Sweet, sl cold
*invigorates blood, clears liver, brightens eyes
- Invigorates blood, regulates menses
- Some say it goes to lv/kd and can benefit lv/kd essence for xu and blood stasis to regulate menses
- Clears heat, benefits the eyes (from lv heat) red painful eyes, blurry vision
Dose: 3-9g
Traditionally not used in patients with dilated pupils
Tao REN (semen persica)
“Peach seed”
Ht, lv, LU, LI
Bitter, sweet, neutral
*invigorates blood, dispels stasis, moistens ints, stops cough and wheezing
*lowers and descends!
- Invigorates blood, removes blood stasis. very important herb to resolve many types os stasis for menstrual, abd pain, trauma, flank pain etc
- moisten intestines unblock bowels
Dose: 4.5-9g crush before using, this herb can be toxic (amygdalin content)
Hong Hua (flos carthami)
“Red flower / safflower”
Ht, lv
Acrid, warm
*invigorates blood, stops pain
*low dose=blood harmonizer
- Invigorates blood, dispels stasis, stops pain - rashes, chest pain, dermatology
- Promotes menses - unblocks. Blood stasis patterns
- expression of rashes measles, rashes, trauma, nonsuppurative sores, carbuncles, dark purplish erythema
Dose: 3-9g start with 4-6g. More than 10g breaks up blood stasis. Dosing of herb changes usage
Hong Hua (flos carthami)
“Red flower / safflower”
Ht, lv
Acrid, warm
*invigorates blood, stops pain
*low dose=blood harmonizer
- Invigorates blood, dispels stasis, stops pain - rashes, chest pain, dermatology
- Promotes menses - unblocks. Blood stasis patterns
- expression of rashes measles, rashes, trauma, nonsuppurative sores, carbuncles, dark purplish erythema
Dose: 3-9g start with 4-6g. More than 10g breaks up blood stasis. Dosing of herb changes usage
Chuan Niu Xi (rx. Cyathula) **
“Ox knee from sichuan / cyathula root”
Lv, kd
Sweet, bitter, neutral
*guides towards knees /down
*invigorates blood, unblocks menses, expels wind, drains damp, important guiding herb to lower body/knees, low back pain, guides downwards as it descends
- Invigorates blood, dispels blood stasis - menstrual pain and trauma
- expels wind, drains damp - for WD esp in lower back and body atrophy, and spasms of lower extremities
Dose: 6-15g q
Huai Niu Xi (achyranthes bidentatae)
“Ox knee from Huai”
Lv, kd
Bitter, sour neutral
*prepared form: tonifies the lv and kd, strengthens sinews and bones. Huai=sound—fills UP! Tonifies
- Invigorates blood, dispels blood stasis / menstrual (lv) and trauma
- tonifies lv and kd strengthens sinews and bones, benefits joints for pain and soreness, affecting low back and knees due to DEFICIENCY
- Induces downwards movements of blood and fire — reckless bleeding due to heat
- Clears DH in the lower jiao —DH pouring downwards, knee pain/low back pain, damp Bi, vaginal discharge, urinary dribbling (stones/bloody lin)
Chuan Shan Jia (manitis squama)
“Penetrate/cross mountain scale” “pangolin scales”
Lv, st
salty cold
*invigorates blood, unblocks menses, promotes lactation, eliminates sores, expels pus
- Removes blood stasis, unblocks menses
- promotes lactation
- Reduces swellings, promotes discharge of pus best for pus that has not yet matured
- Expels WD from the channels, pain due to painful bi obstruction, stiffness, spasms of limbs, pain that prevents bending and stretching
Dose: 3-9g 1-1.5g pwd
Ci: preg, open sores/carbuncles
Wu Ling Zhi (trogopterori feces)
“Five spirit feces” “flying squirrel feces”
LV
Bitter, sweet, warm
*invigorates blood, stops pain —important herb for variety of pain due to blood stasis
- Disperses blood stasis, alleviates pain (amen/dysmen/PP abd pain, stabbing pain)
- Moves blood stasis and stops bleeding —use with vinegar
Dose: 3-10g *coffee filter
incompatible with ren Shen
Wang Bu Liu Xing (semen vaccariea)
“King not stop going / vaccaria seeds”
Lv, st
Bitter, neutral
*powerfully and rapidly invigorates the blood and disperses clumping and stasis. Used for ear seeds
- Invigorates blood, promotes movement of blood in channels (general body pain)
- Upper body: promotes lactation due to blood stasis
- Lower body: promotes menstruation
- Reduces swellings for painful swellings, especially of the breasts and testicles
Dose: 4.5-9g
-goes to blood level, promotes movement, for delayed labor/lactation
Su Mu (Sappan lignum)
“Su (matra) wood / sappan wood”
Ht, lv, sp
Sweet, salty, acrid, neutral
*invigorates blood, expels stagnation, stops pain
*harmonizes blood in low doses (like hong hua, which is warming while su mu is cooling)
- Invigorates blood, reduces swelling, alleviates pain — often for mild injury trauma/sprains/contusions/bruises
Dose: 3-9g
Ci: preg, shi menstrual bleeding
Ze Lan (hb. Lycopi)
“Marsh orchid”
Lv, sp
Bitter, acrid, sl warm
*gently invigorates blood without injuring qi, promotes urination, very gentle herb
*paired with Yi Mu Cao (stronger, releases tox heat)
- Invigorates blood, dispels blood stasis—topical or internal for swelling/pain due to trauma
- promotes urination (MILD, adjunct)
Dose: 10-15g
Shui Zhi (hirudo)
“Water leech”
Lv, ub
salty, bitter, neutral, sl toxic
*breaks up blood stasis, disperses stagnation
Historical herb, better modern choices
- Breaks up and drives out blood stasis and reduces fixed masses, mainly for amenorrhea due to excess (blood stasis), abd/uterine masses, pain from stagnation due to trauma
-moves to blood level of liver, things that swim in water travel in yin collaterals,
Dose: pwd/pills 0.3-0.6
Ci: pregnancy — teratogenic birth defects
Chi Shao (paeoniae radix rubra)
“Red peony root”
Lv, Sp
sour bitter, sl cold
(Same family as bai shao — blood tonic, sour/sweet)
*invigorates blood, transforms blood stasis, stops pain, cools heat in blood
- Invigorates blood, dispels blood stasis. Gynecological, trauma, early stage abscesses.
- clears heat, cools blood for heat entering the blood level with fever, purple tongue, maculae, bleeding due to chaotic movement of hot blood. Gynecological problems associated with hot blood. Red painful eyes due to liver fire
Dose: 6-15g
Caution: cold from xu
Incompatible with Li Lu
