Four Substance Decoction with Safflower and Peach Pit
Chinese Prescription: Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
English Translation: Four Substance Decoction with Safflower and Peach Pit
Formula Type: Tonify the Blood
Actions: Tonifies & invigorates the blood & regulates menstruation.
Indications: For concurrent blood deficiency & blood stasis leading to a shortened menstrual cycle with copious bleeding of dark-purple, sticky blood, with or without clots. Also used when menstruation is accompanied by abdominal pain & distention due to the same mechanism. See: Si Wu Tang
Contraindications: Unknown.
Pinyin | English | Suggested Dosage |
---|---|---|
view: Shu Di Huang |
Prepared Rehmannia | 9-18g |
view: Bai Shao Yao |
White Peony | 9-18g |
view: Dang Gui |
Angelica Sinensis | 9-12g |
view: Chuan Xiong |
Sichuan Lovage Root / Ligusticum Wallichi | 3-6g |
view: Tao Ren |
Peach Kernel | 6g |
view: Hong Hua |
Red Safflower | 3g |
Shu Di Huang / Rehmannia Root, cooked in wine | |||
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood | |||
Dosage9-30g |
Actions1. Tonifies the blood: for blood deficiency with such symptoms as pallid complexion, dizziness, palpitations, & insomnia. Very commonly used when blood deficiency leads to such problems as irregular menstruation, uterine bleeding, & post partum bleeding.2. Nourishes the yin: for Kidney yin deficiency with such symptoms as night sweats, nocturnal emissions, steaming bone disorder, & wasting & thirsting disorder. 3. Nourishes the blood & tonifies the essence: for low back pain, weakness of the lower extremitites, lightheadedness & dizziness, tinnitus, diminished aural acuity, & premature graying of hair due to exhaused blood & essence. |
MeridiansHeart, Kidney, Liver |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of Spleen &/or Stomach deficiency, & in cases of stagnant qi or phlegm. Overuse can lead to abdominal distention & loose stools. Toxicity: Side effects from using shu di huang are mild & include diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, lack of energy, & palpitations. These symptoms usually disappear with continued administration of the herb. |
Bai Shao Yao / Peony (White) | |||
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Taste: Bitter, Sour • Temperature: Cool • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood | |||
Dosage6-15g, very large doses up to 30 g |
Actions1. Nourishes the blood & regulates the menses: for blood deficiency with such symptoms as menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, & uterine bleeding. This is a very commonly used herb for treating women's disorders.2. Calms & curbs the Liver yang & alleviates pain: for such symptoms as flank, chest, or abdominal pain from either constrained Liver qi or disharmony between the Liver & Spleen. In general, this herb is used to "soften & comfort" the Liver, stop painful spasms in the abdomen, stop cramping pain or spasms in the hands & feet, & alleviate abdominal pain associated with dysentric disorders. It is also used for headache & dizziness due to ascendant Liver yang. 3. Preserves the yin & adjusts the nutritive & protective levels: for vaginal discharge & spermatorrhea, as well as exterior wind-cold from deficiency patterns with continuous sweating that does not resolve the problem. It is also used for yin deficiency where the yang floats to the surface causing spontaneous sweating or night sweats. |
MeridiansLiver, Spleen |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of diarrhea due to cold from deficiency, & in patients with weak yang & cold from deficiency. May antagonize shi hu & mang xiao, may counteract with bie jia & xiao ji, & may be incompatible with li lu. |
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. |
Tao Ren / Peach Kernel (Seed) | |||
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Taste: Bitter, Sweet • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage4.5-9g |
Actions1. Breaks up blood stasis: an important herb used in resolving many kinds of problems associated with blood stasis, including menstrual disorders, abdominal pain, traumatic inury, flank pain, Lung abscess, & Intestinal abscess with immobile abdominal mass.2. Moistens the Intestines & unblocks the bowels: for constipation due to dry Intestines. 2. Moistens the Intestines & unblocks the bowels: for constipation due to dry Intestines. |
MeridiansHeart, Large Intestine, Liver, Lung |
Cautions |
Hong Hua / Safflower Flower (Carthamus) | |||
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Taste: Acrid • Temperature: Warm • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood | |||
Dosage3-9g, 0.9-1.5g when harmonizing blood |
Actions1. Invigorates the blood & unblocks menstruation: for blood stasis patterns with amenorrhea, abominal pain, post partum dizziness, lochioschesis, & abdominal masses.2. Dispels blood stasis & alleviates pain: for blood stasis wounds & pain, nonsuppurative sores, carbuncles, & dark purplish erythema. Also for incomplete expression of the rash of measles or painful obstruction of the chest due to blood stasis. |
MeridiansHeart, Liver |
CautionsContraindicated during pregnancy. |