Herbs that invigorate the blood Flashcards
Herbs that invigorate blood
characteristics
Spicy/warm in nature
Bitter/descending/clearing and cleaning
Some cold/neutral
Herbs that invigorate blood
functions
Open up blood vessels and channels
Open up blood circulation
Disperse and beak up blood stasis
Also several for:
Gyno, Bi Zheng and muscle pain
Causes of blood stasis
Trauma-> Obstructs qi & blood flow
Qi stasis-> leads to blood stag (gen’ly (LV Qi stag)
Deficiency -> reduces resources slow the blood
Blood coldness -> cold blood stagnation
Blood heat-> thickens and coagulates the blood
Phlegm/damp stagnation-> stagnates the blood
Types of pain assoc w/ blood stasis (Bi Zheng/muscle pain
Sharp
Localized
Deep
Colicky (uncomfortable)
Sxs of Blood Stag
Pain: sharp/stabbing/fixed, deep, colicky
Cardiovascular: chest pain, angina
Lumps tumors, cysts
Numbness or tingling in extremities
Injuries w/ swelling, bleeding, bruising
Menses: clotting, painful, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis
Skin: purpura, macula, bruising, ropey veins, acne, melasma, dusky skin tone
Cautions/contras
Hypermenorrhea
Pregnancy
Pts taking blood moving medications: Plavix, Coumadin, Warfarin, Eliquis
Pts taking analgesics
Pts taking antihypertensives (herbs that dilate the blood vessels can potentiate the medications
*discontinue blood movers 1 week before surgery
Chuan Xiong
Herbs that invigorate blood
Szechuan loveage root, Ligustum Chuanxiong
LV, GB PC
Spicy warm
Can use as essential oil
Related: Osha Bear root.
-
Moves qi (30%) and blood (70%) together. Brings qi back to the blood: belly; gynecological Sxs: dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea (tx before menses) , trauma
Skin: sores/carbuncles - Dispels wind, reduces pain: headaches, body pain, arthritis, numbness
- Guides to head: headaches
MR: coronary HT disease; angina
Caution: Yin def w/ heat
Menses
Blood def
pregnancy
Ru Xiang
Herbs that invigorate blood
Frankincense, Boswellia Carterii
HT. LV, SP
Bitter, spicy, warm
Works best for pain when has been vinegar processed; given to Mary
- Moves qi and blood, relieves pain, used as analgesic: gyno stuff, arthritis (bi Zheng), chest/abdominal pain, trauma.
- Reduce swelling, promote healing externally: helps pass sores to surface: mouth, gums, throat, ext sores, abscesses, gynecology
MR: cancer cell apoptosis (cell death) = anti cancer
Caution: sensitive stomach= N/V
Pregnancy/ miscarriage
Sp Qi Def
Mo Yao
Herbs that invigorate blood
Myrrh, commiphora myrrha
Given to Mary
HT SP, LV
Bitter, neutral
- Moves blood (a bit mote than Ru Xiang) : same as frankincense
- Reduces swelling, promotes healing: same as frankincense
MR: cancer cell apoptosis- when theres blood stasis (not generally) ex: fibroids that turn cancerous
Caution: can irritate stomach
Pregnancy
Yan Hu Suo
Herbs that invigorate blood
Extended barbarian rope, crydalis tuber, crydalis yanhusuo
HT, LV, ST, LU
Spicy, bitter, warm
Asian aspirin/35-40% strength of morphine
- moves blood & qi/reduces pain: slower onset than heroin so no “high”, no dependency created: any pain d/t stasis: injuries, epigastric, hypochondriac, stomach, hernia, gynecological, angina
caution: pregnancy
sedative effect
Yu Jin
Herbs that invigorate blood
Turmeric (not cooking kind) tubor, curcuma aromatica
HT, LV, GB, LU
Spicy, bitter, cool
Very good w/ wood element issues and upper jiao
LV heat/stag
- moves blood & qi, breaks up blood stasis w/ heat (clots); LV Qi Stag->blood stasis= breast cysts, PMS, dysmenorrhea, clots/fibroids, pain in chest, epigastrium, abd pain, trauma
T: red, yellow coat/P: rapid
- clears HT heat/cools blood T: red tip, insomnia, agitation, anxiety, blood heat, nose bleed, menses
- Benefits LV/GB function, goes to LV/GB to reduce dampheat, cholagogic effect: galls stones, jaundice, hepatitis (cleans LV)
T: dusky, red, P: rapid
Jiang Huang
Herbs that invigorate blood
Turmeric rhizome (cooking turmeric), curcuma longa
LV, SP, ST
Spicy, bitter, warm
Like ST 36
- Moves blood & Qi, promotes menses, reduces pain: amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, traums, cut, burns= awesome (used powdered on injury)
- Expels wind damp: arthritis, shoulder/arm pain
MR: anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer
Cautions: blood def w/o stasis
pregnancy
The three tumerics
Yu Jin
Jiang Huang
E Zhu
E Zhu
Herbs that invigorate blood
Curcuma rhizome (not cooking turmeric/strongest of all), curcuma phaeocaulis
LV, SP
Spicy, bitter, warm
SOMETIMES TOO STRONG/moves QI more
- Breaks up (severe) blood stasis, moves qi, reduces pain: amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, fibroid tumors
- Dissolves food stagnation & reduces pain, “herbal draino”, pain distention, fullness, constriction of chest or abdomen, fats in digestion
Dui Yao=paired herbs: E Zhu + San Leng (stronger)
Cautions: pregnancy, bleeding, qi and blood deficiency
San Leng
Herbs that invigorate blood
Burr reed rhizome, sparganiu stoloniferum
SP, LV
Bitter, spicy, neutral
MOVES BLOOD more
- Forcefully breaks up blood stasis, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, fibroid tumors, breast cysts
- Moves qi, dissolves food stag, reduces pain “draino for the belly” (+ shan zha)