Drive Out Blood Stasis in the Lower Abdomen Decoction
Chinese Prescription: Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang
English Translation: Drive Out Blood Stasis in the Lower Abdomen Decoction
Formula Type: Invigorate the Blood and Dispel Blood Stasis
Actions: Invigorates the blood, dispels blood stasis, warms the menses, & alleviates pain.
Indications: For blood stasis accumulating in the lower abdomen caused by cold characterized by palpable masses that may or may not be painful, or lower abdominal pain without palpable masses, or lower abdominal distention, or lower back pain & lower abdominal distention during menstruation, or frequent menstruation (3-5 times per month) with dark or purple menstrual blood (usually with clots), or abnormal uterine bleeding accompanied by lower abdominal soreness & pain.
Contraindications: Unknown.
Pinyin | English | Suggested Dosage |
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view: Xiao Hui Xiang |
Fennel | 1.5g |
view: Gan Jiang |
Ginger | 0.6g |
view: Yan Hu Suo |
Corydalis | 3g |
view: Dang Gui |
Angelica Sinensis | 9g |
view: Chuan Xiong |
Sichuan Lovage Rhizome / Ligusticum Wallichi | 3g |
view: Mo Yao |
Myrrh | 3 |
view: Rou Gui |
Cinnamon Bark | 3g |
view: Chi Shao |
Red Peony | 6g |
view: Pu Huang |
Cattail Pollen | 9g |
view: Wu Ling Zhi |
Flying Squirrel Feces | 6g |
Xiao Hui Xiang / Fennel Fruit (Seed) | |||
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Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Warm Interior & Expel Cold • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage3-9g, can use locally as compress (dry-fry until hot, then wrap in cloth) |
Actions1. Spreads the Liver qi, warms the Kidneys, expels cold, & alleviates pain: used to warm & encourage movement in the Liver channel or the lower burner as in cold hernial disorders, or any kind of lower abdominal pain due to cold.2. Regualtes the qi & harmonizes the Stomach: for Stomach cold with such symptoms as abdominal pain, indigestion, reduced appetite, & vomiting. |
MeridiansLiver, Kidney, Spleen, Stomach |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs. |
Gan Jiang / Ginger Root, dried | |||
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Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Hot • Category: Warm Interior & Expel Cold • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage3-12g |
Actions1. Warms the middle & expels cold: for warming the Spleen & Stomach both in conditions of excess due to externally contracted cold, as well as cold from deficiency due to insufficiency of the yang qi.2. Rescues devastated yang & expels interior cold: for devastated yang with such signs as a very weak pulse & cold limbs. 3. Warms the Lungs & transforms phlegm: for Lung cold with expectoration of thin, watery, or white sputum. 4. Warms the channels & stops bleeding: for cold from deficiency that may present with hemorrhage of various types, especially uterine bleeding. It is used in treating hemorrhage only if the bleeding is chronic & pale in color, & is accompanied by cold limbs, ashen white face, & a soggy, thin pulse. |
MeridiansHeart, Lung, Spleen, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, or the reckless movement of hot blood. Use with caution during pregnancy. |
Yan Hu Suo / Corydalis Rhizome | |||
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Taste: Acrid, Bitter • Temperature: Warm • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage4.5-12g |
Actions1. Invigorates the blood & alleviates pain: for pain due to blood stasis & traumatic injury. Especially useful for dysmenorrhea.2. Promotes the movement of qi & alleviated pain: for stagnant qi that manifests with such symptoms as chest pain, abdominal pain, menstrual pain, hernial disorders, & especially epigastric pain. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver, Lung, Stomach |
CautionsContraindicated during pregnancy. |
Dang Gui / Angelica (Chinese) Root | |||
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Taste: Sweet, Acrid, Bitter • Temperature: Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood | |||
Dosage3-15g |
Actions1. Tonifies the blood & regulates the meses: for patterns of blood deficiency with such symptoms as a pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, & palpitations. Also very commonly used fro blood deficiency associated with menstrual disorders such as irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, etc.2. Invigorates & harmonizes the blood & disperses cold: an important herb for stopping pain due to blood stasis. Commonly used for abdominal pain, traumatic injury, & carbuncles due to blood stasis, especially when there is also cold from deficiency. Also used in the treatment of blood deficiency with chronic wind-damp painful obstruction. 3. Moistens the Intestiones & unblocks the bowels: for dry Intestines due to blood deficiency. 4. Reduces swelling, expels pus, generates flesh, & alleviates pain: used in treating sores & abscesses where its ability to both tonify & invigorate the blood leads to improvement. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of diarrhea or abdominal distention due to damp obstruction. Contraindicated for yin deficiency with heat signs. |
Chuan Xiong / Lovage Root (Ligusticum) | |||
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Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage3-6g, up to 9g for irregular menstruation |
Actions1. Invigorates the blood & promotes the movement of qi: for any blood stasis pattern. This is an important herb in gynecology & is used for such problems as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, difficult labor, or lochioschesis. It is also indicated for patterns of stagnant qi & blood stasis with pain & soreness in the chest, flanks, & hypochondria.2. Expels wind & alleviates pain: a leading herb for any externally contracted wind disorder characterized by headache, dizziness, or painful obsstruction. Also used for a variety of skin problems caused by wind. 3. Headaches: moves the qi upward & alleviates pain. Depending with which other herbs it is combined, it can be used for headaches due to wind, heat, cold, or blood deficiency. |
MeridiansLiver, Gallbladder, Pericardium |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, headaches due to ascendant Liver yang, qi deficiency, or excessive menstrual bleeding. Vomiting & dizziness may occur from overdosage. May antagonize shan zhu yu & huang qi, may counteract hua shi & huang lian, & may be incompatible with li lu. |
Mo Yao / Myrrh | |||
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Taste: Bitter • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage3-12g |
Actions1. Invigorates the blood & dispels blood stasis, reduces swelling & alleviates pain: for problems due to blood stasis, including pain from trauma, sores, carbuncles, swellings, immobile abdominal masses, painful obstruction, chest pain, abdominal pain, & amenorrhea.2. Promotes healing: used topically to promote the healing of chronic nonhealing sores. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver, Spleen |
CautionsContraindicated during pregnancy & in cases of excessive uterine bleeding. |
Rou Gui / Cinnamon, (inner bark) | |||
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Taste: Acrid, Sweet • Temperature: Hot • Category: Warm Interior & Expel Cold • Sub Category: | |||
Dosage1.5-4.5g, crush into small pieces before using, usually taken as powder, pill or tincture to avoid loss of volatile oils |
Actions1. Warms the Kidneys & fortifies the yang: for a wide variety of problems due to insufficiency of Kidney yang & waning of the gate of vitality. Common manifestations include aversion to cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence, frequent urination. Also for waning of the Spleen & Kidney yang with abdominal pain & cold, reduced appetite, & diarrhea. Also important for wheezing due to the failure of the Kidneys to grasp the qi.2. Leads the fire back to its source: the principal herb for treating the upward-floating of the deficient yang. Manifestations include flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (when the sweat pours out like oil), weak & cold lower extremities, & a deficient & rootless pulse. This patterns is called illusionary heat & true cold, or heat above/cold below. Also used for other conditions where the upper part of the body is hot (e.g., dry mouth, sore throat, or toothache that become worse at night) & the lower part is cold (e.g., lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhea, weakness in the proximal position of the pulse). 3. Disperses deep cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels & vessels, & alleviates pain: for deep cold causing qi stagnation or blood stasis. Associated problems include cold in the blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, damp-cold painful obstruction, yin type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave & ooze a clear fluid), & abcesses or sores that do not heal. 4. Encourages the generation of qi & blood: with qi & blood tonics as an auxiliary herb for chronic deficiency of qi & blood. |
MeridiansHeart, Kidney, Liver, Spleen |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, interior excess heat, & the reckless movement of hot blood. Use with caution during pregnancy. |
Chi Shao / Peony (Red) Root | |||
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Taste: Sour, Bitter • Temperature: Slightly Cold • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage4.5-9g |
Actions1. Invigorate the blood & dispels blood stasis: for dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, abdominal pain & immobile abdominal masses. Also for the swelling & pain associated with traumatic injury, & the early stages of abscesses & boils.2. Clears heat & cools the blood: for heat entering the blood level with fever, purple tongue, skin blotches, & bleeding due to the reckless movement of hot blood. Also for gynecological problems associated with hot blood. 3. Clears Liver fire: for red, swollen, painful eyes. |
MeridiansLiver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of blood deficiency. |
Pu Huang / Cattail Pollen, Bulrush Pollen | |||
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Taste: Sweet, Acrid • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Stop Bleeding | |||
Dosage4.5-12g |
Actions1. Stops bleeding: for external bleeding associated with traumatic injury, & various forms of internal bleeding such as uterine bleeding, vomiting blood, nosebleed, coughing of blood, blood in the urine, blood in the stool, or subcutaneous bleeding. This herb has an astringent nature & is quite effective in stopping bleeding.2. Invigorates the blood & dispels blood stasis: for chest pain, post partum abdominal pain, & menstrual pain due to blood stasis. |
MeridiansLiver, Heart, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution during pregnancy. |
Wu Ling Zhi / Flying Squirrel Feces | |||
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Taste: Bitter, Sweet • Temperature: Warm • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage3-9g |
Actions1. Disperses blood stasis & alleviates pain: for a variety of disorders caused by blood stasis, including amenorrhea, post partum abdominal pain, & epigastric pain.2. Transforms stasis & stops bleeding: for uterine bleeding & lochioschesis due to blood stasis. 3. Also used for childhood nutritional impairment with focal distention. |
MeridiansLiver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution during pregnancy & in cases with weak Spleen & Stomach qi. This herb was traditionally considered to be antagonized by ren shen. |