Herbs that Invigorate the Blood Flashcards
Chuan Xiong
acrid, warm
LV, GB, PC
3-9, 1-1.5 per dose
1. Invigorates the blood and promotes the movement of qi (any blood stasis pattern. Important for GYN and qi/blood stasis in upper burner)
2. Expels wind and alleviate pain (leading herb for externally contracted wind disorder. Important for H/a)
Dan Shen
bitter, sl cold
Ht, PC, LV
6-15
1. Invigorates the blood, dispels stasis (wide variety of blood stasis anywhere in body but esp along chong mai. Important herb for GYN)
2. Clears heat and soothes irritability (for heat entering the nutritive lvl or in patterns of HT and KD yin def)
3. Cools blood and reduces abscesses (adjunctive herb to tx sores or early stage breast abscess)
4. Nourish blood, calm spirit (palp and insomnia dt heat entering nutritive lvl or HT blood def)
Ji Xue Teng
bitter, sweet, warm
HT, LV, SP
9-15
1. Promotes te movement of and tonifies the blood (Blood deficiency patterns esp with GYN)
2. Invigorate the channels and relaxes the sinews (numbness of extremities, etc, from wind damp bi with either blood stasis or deficiency. Also for weakness of extremities in elderly, paralysis and vertigo dt blood stasis, wind stroke)
Yan Hu Suo
acrid, bitter, warm
HT, LV, ST
3-9
1. Invigorates the blood, promotes the movement of qi and alleviates pain (pain of any kind including dt blood stasis/trauma. Esp epigastric pain and dysmenorrhea)
Yu Jin
acrid, bitter, cold
HT, LU, LV
6-12
1. Invigorates the blood and stops pain while promoting the movement of qi and resolving constraint (topically and internally for pain related to traumatic injury and to hasten healing process of chronic sores. Esp for constrained LV qi patterns with heat signs)
2. Clear heat and cools the blood (heat in the blood causing chaotic movement of blood. Especially for nosebleed at beginning of period or instead of period)
3. Clears the heart (strong) and opens the orifices (weak) (hot phlegm obstructs the Heart orifices.)
4. Benefits the gall bladder and reduces jaundice
Jiang Huang
acrid, bitter, warm
SP, ST, LV
3-9
1. Invigorates the blood and unblocks menstruation (blood stasis caused by cold from deficency. Also, pain/swelling dt trauma or early stages of sores and abscess)
2. Promotes movement of qi and alleviates pain (epigastric/ abdominal pain dt stagnant qi)
3. Expels wind and promotes movement of blood (wind damp bi with blood stasis. Esp shoulders)
Yi Mu Cao
acrid, bitter, sl cold
HT, LV, BL
9-15 (up to 30)
1. Invigorate the blood and dispels stasis (Commonly used for GYN and traumatic pain)
2. Promotes urination and reduces swelling (acute systematic edema esp when blood in urine)
3. Clears heat and resolves toxicity (sores, abscesses, toxic swellings. Also, itchy rashes from damp heat collecting and steaming the muscles and subcutaneous tissues)
Ze Lan
bitter, acrid, sl warm LV, SP 9-15 1. Invigorates the blood and dispels stasis (pain dt blood stasis obstructing the menses and postpartum abdominal pain from blood stasis. Also, topically/internally for pain and swelling from traumatic injury or abscess) 2. Promotes urination (rather mild)
Yue Ji Hua
Sweet, warm
LV
3-6
1. Invigorates blood, regulates the menses (patterns of blood stasis)
2. Reduces swellings (auxiliary herb for neck swelling and scrofula)
Hu Zhang
bitter, cold
LV, GB, LU
9-15
1. Invigorates the blood, dispels stasis, unblock the channels, stop pain (amenorrhea, wind damp bi, traumatic injury)
2. Clears heat and resolves dampness (damp heat jaundice, etc)
3. Clears heat and resolves toxicity (fresh ground herb applied locally to burns, carbuncles, skin infections, snake bite)
4. Drains heat downwards, transforms phlegm, stops cough (cough dt LU heat. Also constipation dt clumping of heat)
Chi Shao
sour, bitter, sl cold
LV, SP
6-15
1. Invigorate the blood, dispels blood stasis (lower burner pain. Also swelling/pain dt trauma)
2. Clears heat and cools the blood (heat entering the blood level also GYN issues with hot blood)
Tao Ren
bitter, sweet, neutral
HT, LI, LV, LU
4.5-9
1. Breaks up blood stasis (Important for many kinds of blood stasis)
2. Moistens the intestines and unblocks the bowels (constipation dt dry intestines)
Hong Hua
acrid, warm
HT, LV
3-9
1. Invigorates the blood, dispels stasis, unblocks menstruation (wide variety of blood stasis, but esp effective in unblocking menses)
Fan Hong Hua
sweet, cold
HT, LV
1.5-6
1. Invigorates the blood, dispels stasis, unblocks the menses (wide variety of problems. Very expensive.)
E Zhu
bitter, acrid, warm
LV, SP
3-9
1. Breaks up blood stasis, promote movement of qi, alleviates pain (lower and middle burner issues)
2. Dissolves accumulations and alleviates pain (food stagnation)