WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

[SOURCE]: Formulae of Peaceful Benevolent Dispensary

[INGREDIENTS]:

Chinese angelica root (prepared by soaking in wine and stir-frying) 12g,   Chuanxiong rhizome 9g,  White peony root 12g,  Prepared rehmannia rhizome 12g, 

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

[EFFECTS]: Nourishing and regulating blood

[INDICATIONS]: It is used for syndrome of blood deficiency complicated by blood stasis with symptoms such as palpitation, dizziness, blurring of vision, tinni­tus, pale lips and nails, scanty menstruation amenorrhea for women, pain in th ab­domen and around umbilicus, pale tongue, a string-taut and thread pulse, or a thread and hesitant pulse.

[ANALYSIS OF FORMULA]: It is common formula for tonifying blood. Pre­pared rehmannia rhizome being sweat in flavor and warm in property acts as a principal herb for tonifying the liver-blood and kidney-yin. Chinese angelica root is a key herb for regulating menstruation of women, and it has functions of promo­ting blood circulation, tonifying blood, and regulating menstruation to alleviate pain, being an assistant herb. White peony root is an adjuvant herb to tonify the blood and preserve yin, and to harmonize the nutrient-qi to nourish the liver, or it can assist prepared rehmannia rhizome in regulating and tonifying the liver and kidney. Chuanxiong rhizome being pungent in flavor and warm in property, is for regulating qi among the herbs for activating the blood, and it is used to improve blood circulation and relieve stagnation to relieve pain. When it is combined with white peony root, tonifying the blood will not have side effects of stagnation, so is called dispatcher herb. The four ingredients in combination may have such advan­tages as tonification without stick, warm without drying, purgation within tonifi­cation thereby the formula is an example of harmonization.

This formula can be modified flexibly in clinical practice. If it is used for reg­ulating menstruation, Chinese angelica root should be principal herb. If it is used for activating blood flow and removing blood stasis, combination of Chinese angel­ica root and chuanxiong rhizome are principal herbs, and red peony root is used to replace white peony root. If the spleen and stomach are in deficiency and failure of transportation and transformation with symptom of poor appetite, prepared reh­mannia rhizome can be used with care.