Properties: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Liver and Spleen
Extraordinary Vessels: Dai
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Invigorates Blood circulation, dispels Blood Stasis, regulates Qi and alleviates pain
Blood Stasis with abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, abdominal masses and epigastric masses
- Dissolves accumulations and alleviates pain
Food Stagnation with pain, distention, fullness and constriction in the chest and abdomen
Childhood nutritional impairment
- Suppresses Gu parasites
Gu Sydnrome with Blood Stasis (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
Suggested Daily Dosage: 3-15g in decoction.
Cautions: This herb is drastic in property with the disadvantage of consuming qi and impairing blood. Do not overtake long. Prohibited for pregnant women and during menstrual periods.
Due to its ability to increase bile secretion, caution should be used in cases of gallstones and avoided in biliary tract obstruction.
Notable Constituents:
- Curcumin
Anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, hepatoprotective, antifungal and radical scavenger. Also used as a pigment and dye.
- Bisdemethoxycurcumin
Another curcuminoid that acts at various different levels of the arachadonic acid inflammatory cascade and through effects on various enzymes and cytokines.
- Ar-tumerone
Sesquiterpenoid essential oil that acts as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor probably responsible for anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, giving turmeric its reputation preventing dementia. It is also the aspect most likely absorbed by the gut (curcuminoids have poor water solubility and bioavailability).
Appears in 13 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Research Links & References: (click to display)
Research Links:
Reference Notes:
Individual herb information has sourced mainly from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes. Zhou, Xie and Yan (2011): Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Vol. 5, and A+ Medical Encyclopaedia have been used for entries not available from those sources with additional material searched for and filled in where available. Western herbs not appearing in the Chinese literature have used Ross (2010): Combining Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine: A Clinical Materia Medica, White Rabbit Institute of Healing and therapeutika.ch. Choices of which source to use or combine have been my own.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted. Actions and indications are taken from traditional uses and do not necessarily reflect the evidence base which should be researched independently. Dosages are for guidance only and will vary dependening on the potency of the batch and the tolerance of the individual so should be evaluated by a professional based on individual needs.
