Author: Chen Nianzu, 陳念祖
Year: 1801
Source: Compendium of Songs on Modern Formulas (Shi Fang Ge Kuo, 時方歌括)
Category: Formulas that Regulate Blood
Pattern: Blood stasis and Qi stagnation in middle Jiao
Key Symptoms: Abdominal or epigastric pain that may radiate upward
Secondary Symptoms: Dysmenorrhoea, flank pain, signs and symptoms of Blood stasis
Tongue: Purplish body, stasis spots, visible sublingual capillaries and/or veins
Pulse: Wiry, rough
Abdomen: Tenderness in epigastrium, especially with deep pressure
Ingredients
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Dan Shen
| 30g | |
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Pinyin: Dan Shen
Chinese: 丹參
Pharmaceutical: Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae
Taxonomy: Salvia miltiorrhiza
English: Red Sage Root / Salvia Root / Zi Dan Shen 紫丹參 (Purple Cinnabar Ginseng) / Xue Shen 血參 (Blood Ginseng) |
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Tastes: Bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver |
Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat and soothes irritability
Ying Stage Heat with restlessness, irritability, palpitations and insomnia
Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency
- Cools the Blood and reduces abscesses
Adjunctive to treat sores or early-stage breast abscesses
- Nourishes the Blood and calms the Spirit
Palpitations and insomnia due to Ying and Xue Stage Heat or Heart Blood Deficiency
Agitation due to Gu Parasites / chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
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Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with caution for pregnant women. Contraindicated to Li Lu. |
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Tan Xiang
| 3g | |
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Pinyin: Tan Xiang
Chinese: 檀香
Pharmaceutical: Lignum Santali Albi
English: Sandalwood |
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Lung |
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes movement of Qi, harmonizes the Middle Jiao and alleviates pain
Pain associated with Qi Stagnation in the chest and abdomen
- Dispels Cold and improves digestion
Stomach Cold
- Removes Blood Stagnation
Blood Stagnation
- Treats coronary artery disease
Coronary artery disease
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Standard Dosage: 1-3g as powder. Should be added to decoctions at end.
Cautions: Used with cautions for the case of yin deficiency and effulgent fire or hemorrhage due to excess heat. |
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Sha Ren
| 3g | | |
Pinyin: Sha Ren
Chinese: 砂仁
Pharmaceutical: Fructus villosi
Taxonomy: Amomum villosum syn. Wurfbainia villosa
English: Villous Cardamom |
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Kidney |
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes the movement of Qi, aromatically transforms Dampness, strengthens the Spleen and stops vomiting
Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation or Dampness Distressing the Spleen/ Stomach with distention and pain, in the epigastrium and abdomen, anorexia, vomiting and diarrhoea
- Warms the Middle and stops diarrhoea
Diarrhoea from Spleen Cold
- Calms the fetus and prevents miscarriage
Restless fetus or morning sickness
- Prevents Stagnation from tonic herbs
Middle Jiao Stagnation due to herbal tonification
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Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction, added near end.
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Preparation: Decoction.
Actions: Invigorates Blood, dispels Blood stasis, promotes the movement of Qi, alleviates pain
Contraindications: Deficency patterns
Research Links:
Reference Notes: (click to display)
Most formulas are found in Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet (2009): Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies and Chen & Chen (2015) Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications. Others are from translations of primary sources. It is recommended that the original material is cross-referenced for mistakes and additional information.
Substitutions have been taken from Ken Lloyd & Prof. Leung (2004): Mayway UK Substitution List or the above publications and are intended as suggestions to help navigate the tight restrictions in the UK quickly. More applicable substitutions may be appropriate in specific situations.
Individual herb information has initially been sourced from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.
