WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

Peach Kernel Purgative Decoction tao he cheng qi tang

[SOURCE]: Treatise on Cold-Attack

[INGREDIENTS]: Peach Kernel 12g,   Rhubarb 12g ,  Cinnamon twig 6g,   Licorice root(roasted) 6g,   Mirabilite 6g

[DIRECTIONS]: Decoct all the herbs in water for oral administration.

[EFFECTS]: Breaking blood stasis

[INDICATIONS]: Syndrome of blood accumulation in the lower-jiao marked by tight sensation of the lower abdomen, maina but normal urination, even poly­dipsia, delirium, fever at the nigth, or amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, dry tongue with yellow coating, deep, forceful or deep, hesitant pulse.

[ANALYSIS OF FORMULA]: It is a common formula to treat syndrome of blood accumulation in the lower-jiao due to stassis of both blood and heat, Peach kernel breaks blood stasis. Rhubarb has the effects of sweeping away heat-evil and purging blood stasis. The combination of these two herbs remove the stasis and heat simultaneously, so they are considered as principal herbs. Cinnamon twig warms meridians and activates vessels and assists peach kernel in promoting blood circulation to remove stasis. Mirabilite softens hardness to resolve lump and as­sists rhubarb in loosening the bowels to purge heat and promoting blood circula­tion to resolve stasis, functioning as assistant herbs. Roasted licorice is used as dispatcher herb with effects of benefiting qi, harmonizing the middle and modera­ting the properties of all other herbs.

In clinical practice this formula is usually used for stasis of both the blood adn heat in the lower-jiao involved in acute pelvitis, retention of placenta, annexitis, adnexitis, intestional obstruction and others.