WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

It is the dried flower of Carthamus tinctorius L., family Compositae. The medicinal material is picked in summer, when the flower changs from yellow to red. It is then dried in shade, or in the sunshine. In its raw from it can be utilized as a medicine.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Pungent, warm; relate to heart and liver meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Promote blood circulatin to promote menstruation; remove blood stasis and alleviate pain.

[ Clinical Applications ]: 1. Blood-stasis syndromes    To treat blood-stasis syndromes with amenorrhea, dysmenorrheal, postpartum abdominal pain, it is usually used combined with Taoren, Chuanxiong, Chishao.

2. Chest and hypochondriac pain and mass      For angina pectoris, it is used combined with Guizhi, Gualou, Danshen; for abdominal pain due to blood stasis, with Taoren, Chuanxiong, Niuxi; for stabbing pain in hypochondrium, with Taoren, Chaihu and Dahuang, such as, in the Fuyuanhuoxue Decoction.

3. Trauma pian and pains in joints     To treat trauma pain due to blood stasis, and pains in joints, it is usually combined with Muxiang and Ruxiang.

4. Stagnation of heat and blood stasis      In cases of darkish skin macula, due to stagnation of heat and blood-stasis, it can be combined with Danggui, zicao ad Daqignye, such as in the Dangguihonghua Decoction.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 3-9g.

[ Precautions ]: It is contraindicated in pregnant women. It is not suitable to use excessively in cases with tendency of bleeding.

[ Anotation]: Danhonghua          The medicinal material of Fanhonghua is fro the dried flower chapiter of Crocus astivus L., family irides. Produced in Europe and middle Asia, it was once imported from India and Iran, through Tibet or Hong Kong to the mainland. Now it is produced in China. It is sweet in flavor and slightly cold in nature, and enters heart and liver meridians. It has the same functions of activating the blood, dispelling stasis and regulating menstruation as Honghua. However, its functions are a bit stronger. It can also cool the blood and remove toxins , for which it is especially used for purpura caused by heat enterig the nutrient and blood levels of warming disease, and dark macula due to heat stagnancy ad blood-stasis. 1.5-3g to be taken decocted. It is contraindicated in pregnant women.

红花为菊科植物红花Carthamus tinctorius L.的筒状花冠。全国各地多有栽培，主产于河南、湖北、四川、云南、浙江等地。夏收开花，花色由黄转为鲜红时采摘。阴干或微火烘干。