| Bai Shao | White Peony Root | - Nourishes the blood and regulates menstrual problems due to blood deficiency (pale, lusterless complexion and nails) - menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, uterine bleeding - very common herb for gynecological disorders (Si Wu Tang).
- Calms liver yang, alleviates pain from constrained liver qi or disharmony between the liver and the spleen due to liver yang rising - cramping and spasms (limbs and abdomen), abdominal pain from dysentery, headache and dizziness.
- Preserves yin, adjusts ying and wei levels - vaginal discharge and spermatorrhea, exterior wind-cold from deficiency with continuous sweating, spontaneous sweating, night sweats.
| Herbs That Tonify Blood |
| | - Incompatible with Li Lu
- Avoid in cases of yang deficiency and cold in the middle jiao - diarrhea, cold sensation in the stomach.
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| Bai Zhu | Atractylodes (White) Rhizome | - Tonifies the spleen, augments qi, dries dampness - diarrhea, fatigue, lack of appetite, vomiting, edema.
- Stabilizes the exterior and stops sweating - spontaneous sweating due to qi deficiency.
- Calms the fetus - arising from spleen deficiency.
| Herbs That Tonify Qi |
| Chuan Xiong | Szechuan Lovage Root | - Invigorate blood, promote movement of Qi - any blood stasis pattern, important for gynecological issues (amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, difficult labor, lochioschesis).
- Expels wind and alleviates pain - headache (temporal, vertex), dizziness, painful obstructions, skin issues.
- Headache - moves qi upward and alleviates pain; headaches due to wind, heat, cold, blood deficiency.
| Herbs That Invigorate Blood |
| Dang Gui | Chinese Angelica Root | - Tonifies the blood, regulates menses - pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, palpitations, irregular menses, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.
- Invigorates/harmonizes the blood, disperses cold - important herb to stop pain due to blood stasis - abdominal pain, trauma, carbuncles due to blood stasis, chronic bi.
- Moistens dry intestines due to blood deficiency.
- Reduces swellings, expels pus, generates flesh - sores.
| Herbs That Tonify Blood |
| Fu Ling | Poria, China Root | - Promotes urination, drains dampness, transforms phlegm - urinary difficulty, diarrhea, edema, headache, dizziness, greasy tongue coat.
- Strengthens the spleen, harmonizes the middle jiao - diarrhea, loss of appetite.
- Quiets the heart and calms the spirit - palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness.
| Herbs That Drain Dampness |
| | - Avoid Vinegar While Using This Herb.
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| Ren Shen | Ginseng Root | - Strongly tonify yuan qi - extreme collapse of qi, shortness of breath, cold limbs, profuse sweating, weak pulse (often used alone for this condition after severe blood loss).
- Tonify lung qi - wheezing, shortness of breath, w/kidneys failing to grasp the qi.
- Strengthen the middle warmer - lethargy, no appetite, chronic diarrhea, prolapse of organs, distended chest/abdomen.
- Generates fluids, stops thirst - xiao ke, damaged fluid due to high dever and profuse sweating.
- Benefits heart qi, calms the spirit - palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, poor memory, restlessness due to qi and/or blood deficiency.
| Herbs That Tonify Qi |
| | - Avoid tea and turnips while taking ginseng.
- Antagonist with Wu Ling Zhi, Incompatible with Li Lu.
- Avoid with high blood pressure and/or liver yang rising.
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| Shu Di Huang | Rehmannia, Chinese Foxglove Root | - This is the root of Sheng Di Huang (steamed and dried, or soaked in red wine and dried).
- Tonify blood for blood deficiency with dizziness, pallid complexion, palpitations, insomnia, irregular menses, uterine bleeding, post partum bleeding.
- Nourish yin - kidney yin deficiency with nightsweats, xiao ke, steaming bone disorder, nocturnal emissions.
| Herbs That Tonify Blood |
| Zhi Gan Cao | Honey Fried Licorice Root | - This preparation increases the qi tonifying aspects of the heart and spleen along with its general harmonizing function within formulas. See Gan Cao for complete information.
| Herbs That Tonify Qi |
