Herbs that Invigorate the Blood

General Information

• Purpose: Treat blood stagnation/stasis
• Terms: Blood stagnation vs. blood stasis
  • Stagnation: Chi not moving
  • Stasis: Blood not moving or moving sluggishly
  • Similar to different expressions like “Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy New Year”
• Causes of Blood Stasis:
  • Cold
  • Heat
  • Chi stagnation
  • Qi deficiency
  • Injury and trauma
• Main Symptoms Treated:
  • Pain conditions (pain where there is stagnation)
  • Menstruation issues (painful menses, amenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding)
  • Lumps, accumulations, abdominal masses
• Herb Properties:
  • Usually warm (warm is moving)
  • Some can be cold
  • Most are acrid (acrid flavor moves and disperses)
  • Enter the Liver Channel (liver stores blood)
  • Some enter the Heart Channel (heart governs/moves blood)
• Contraindications:
  • Contraindicated during pregnancy (depending on how strongly they move blood)
  • Herbs that gently move blood are generally okay
  • Herbs that strongly move blood or break the blood are definitely contraindicated

Herb Classification

• Wiseman and Brand: Group herbs for relieving pain, regulating menses, breaking up masses, treating injury and trauma
• Benz Key Order: This lecture will follow Benz Key Order

Specific Herbs

Chuan Shong

• Functions:
  • Moves both Chi and blood
  • Relieves pain
  • Specializes in headache relief (any type of headache)
• Common Use: Blood stagnation conditions
  • Frequently used in formula modifications for headaches

Red Peony (Chi Shao)

• Functions:
  • Invigorates blood
  • Cools blood
• Comparison: Similar to Mudan Pi (Which cools blood and also invigorates blood)

Dan Shen

• Temperature: Cool
• Functions:
  • Invigorates blood
  • Treats chest and heart pain caused by stagnation
  • Clears heat
  • Calms Shen
• Etymology: 'Dan' means Cinnabar (color)

Ji Xue Teng

• Functions:
  • Invigorates blood
  • Tonifies blood
  • Unblocks channels
  • Relaxes sinews
• Use Case: Especially useful for wind in the channels or B syndrome
• Etymology: 'Ji Xue Teng' means Chicken Blood Vine (refers to color and flexibility)

Yan Hu Suo

• Functions:
  • Invigorates blood
  • Stops pain
• Use Case: Treats pain from various causes, depending on the combination
• Family: Poppy family (Note: Not as strong as opium; no habit-forming addiction)