Herbs That Tonify Blood

Question 1

Name some signs and symptoms of blood deficiency

Answer 1

Pale face and lips, dizziness, vertigo, diminished vision, lethargy, dry skin, menstrual irregularity, pale dry tongue, thready pulse

Question 2

True or False
Liver blood nourishes the skin

Answer 2

True (skin not connected to lung in this case)

Question 3

In herbs that tonify blood, there are various organs associated with the different herbs in this category, but what is the main organ channel that is associated with this category?

Answer 3

Liver

Question 4

As with the herbs that tonify Qi, what is a common property among almost all the herbs that tonify blood?

Answer 4

Sweet

Question 5

What herb that is in the category of tonifying blood also nourishes the yin?

Answer 5

Shu di huang

Question 6

What organ channels does the herb Shu di huang enter?

Answer 6

Heart, kidney and of course liver

Question 7

What #2 herb turns grey hair black?

Answer 7

He shou wu

Question 8

If He shou wu is a blood tonifying herb, and it turns grey hair black, then what two organ channels can you say it enters?

Answer 8

Liver and Kidney

Question 9

There is a blood tonifying herb that regulates the menses AND invigorates and harmonizes the blood. What herb is this?

Answer 9

Dang gui

Question 10

There are three organ channels associated with Dang gui. It is a blood tonic so we can safely say liver is one organ. What are the other two?

Answer 10

Heart and Spleen
(Think of the heart as invigorating and the Spleen as earth so harmonizes everything)

Question 11

What three herbs that tonify the blood also benefit the spleen?

Answer 11

Dang gui, bai shao, long yan rou

Question 12

The dang gui herb has two parts to its plant; the head of the herb, and the root of the herb. What function does the head have? What function does the root have?

Answer 12

Head: tonifies blood
Herb: invigorate or move blood
(Therefore treat blood deficiency + stagnation)

Question 13

List five functions of dang gui

Answer 13

Tonify blood
Regulate menses
Invigorates blood
Harmonizes blood
Disperse cold

Question 14

List three functions of Bai shao

Answer 14

Tonify or nourish blood
Regulate the menses
Preserves Yin

Question 15

Of the herbs that tonify the blood, name three that benefit the heart

Answer 15

Shu di Huang
Dang gui
Long yan rou

Question 16

What is the common property among the herbs that tonify blood?

Answer 16

Sweet

Question 17

What major herb in the herbs that tonify blood does not have a sweet property? What property does it have?

Answer 17

Bai shao, bitter/sour, cool

Question 18

What herb in the herbs that tonify blood has a function that benefits essence and the brightness of the eyes?

Answer 18

Gou qi zi (Goji berries)

Question 19

Since gou qi zi benefits the essence, then what channel can we say it affects?

Answer 19

Kidney

Question 20

There is one herb in the herbs that tonify blood that also enriches yin and moistens the lung. What herb?

Answer 20

Gou qi zi (Goji berry)

Question 21

Which herb is the best herb to tonify HEART blood?

Answer 21

Long yan rou

Question 22

What herb in the herbs that tonify blood also calms the spirit?

Answer 22

Long yan rou

Question 23

Name two herbs that regulates mensus

Answer 23

1. Dang gui
2. Bai shao

Question 24

Name all three #1 herbs in the herbs that tonify blood

Answer 24

1. Shu di Huang
2. Dang gui
3. Bai shao

Question 25

Name all three #2 herbs in herbs that tonify blood

Answer 25

1. He shou wu
2. Gou qi zi
3. Long yang rou

Question 26

Name theee herbs that tonify blood that also benefit the kidneys

Answer 26

1. Shu di Huang
2. He shou wu
3. Gou qi zi