Active Blood and Regulate Qi Herbs
Active Blood Herbs: These are herbs primarily used to promote blood circulation, enhance blood flow, regulate organ functions, and treat conditions caused by blood stasis. They tend to be dispersing in nature, possessing actions such as moving blood, resolving stasis, unblocking meridians, relieving arthralgia, reducing swelling, and alleviating pain.
Regulate Qi Herbs: These are herbs primarily used to promote the smooth flow of Qi, relieve depression, lower rebellious Qi, regulate organ functions, and treat conditions caused by Qi stagnation or reversal. Most are aromatic and warm in nature, effective in dispersing or descending Qi, but may deplete Qi and injure Yin; thus, they are unsuitable for those with Qi deficiency or Yin deficiency.
① Sanqi
Sanqi is the root of Panax notoginseng (Araliaceae). It contains abundant sanqi saponins—over 12 types of saponin mixtures, some similar to those found in ginseng. Studies show that Sanqi powder or decoction can shorten blood coagulation time in animals, effectively stop bleeding in internal organs like liver and spleen. In various bleeding disorders—hemoptysis, hematuria, ocular bleeding—Sanqi treatment yields significant results. Additionally, Sanqi can dilate coronary arteries, increase coronary blood flow, reduce blood pressure, decrease myocardial oxygen consumption, and enhance tolerance to hypoxia, thereby exerting anti-myocardial ischemic effects.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is warm in nature, sweet and slightly bitter in taste. Its function is to resolve blood stasis and stop bleeding. Used for bruises, external injuries with bleeding, abscesses, and pain. Cooked Sanqi also has blood-nourishing and blood-regulating properties, suitable for blood loss and anemia.
Dosage: Usually taken as powder mixed with warm water or added to decoctions. 0.5–3 grams per dose, twice daily.
② Chuanxiong
Chuanxiong is the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong (Umbelliferae). It contains essential oils, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, lactones, organic acids, etc. It inhibits platelet aggregation, reduces surface activity of platelets, prevents thrombus formation, and can dissolve existing clots. It dilates coronary arteries, increases coronary blood flow, and reduces myocardial oxygen consumption. It improves microcirculation, provides analgesic, sedative, and antihypertensive effects, resists vitamin E deficiency, and inhibits leukemia cells.
According to TCM, it is warm in nature and pungent in taste. Its function is to activate blood, move Qi, expel wind, and relieve pain. Used for headaches due to external wind invasion, rheumatic pain, joint pain, and various conditions caused by blood stasis, such as coronary heart disease, vascular inflammation, hypertension.
Dosage: 1.5–9 grams; avoid in cases of yin deficiency with internal heat.
③ Dan Shen
Dan Shen is the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Lamiaceae), containing flavonoid components such as tanshinone, isotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, etc. It improves microcirculation, enhances tolerance to hypoxia, dilates coronary arteries, increases coronary blood flow, slows heart rate, promotes tissue repair and regeneration, exhibits anticoagulant effects, and has certain antibacterial action. It can be used in both acute and chronic diseases whenever there are signs of blood stasis or poor blood flow.
According to TCM, it is slightly cold in nature and bitter in taste. Its function is to activate blood circulation, generate new blood, cool blood, and calm the spirit. Used for angina pectoris, menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, menorrhagia, masses, accumulations, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, joint pain, palpitations, insomnia, carbuncles, and severe pain.
Dosage: Generally 9–30 grams; use with caution in cases of excessive menstruation, hemoptysis, or hematuria.
④ Hong Hua
Hong Hua is the flower of Carthamus tinctorius (Asteraceae), containing dihydroflavonoids such as carthamin, carthamone, and neocarthamin, plus safflower oil and xylan. Safflower preparations increase blood flow in coronary and femoral arteries, reduce blood pressure, inhibit clotting, prevent thrombosis, restore heart rhythm quickly without fibrillation, and exhibit strong anti-hypoxic effects. It stimulates uterine smooth muscle, significantly increasing the rhythmicity of contractions.
According to TCM, it is warm in nature and pungent in taste. Its function is to activate blood, unblock meridians, remove stasis, and relieve pain. Used for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, retained lochia, abdominal masses, and trauma.
Dosage: Typically 2–9 grams; avoid in cases without blood stasis or in pregnancy.
⑤ Yi Mu Cao
Yi Mu Cao is the entire herb of Leonurus artemisia (Lamiaceae), containing leonurine, plant sterols, and large amounts of potassium chloride. Yi Mu Cao clearly excites intestinal and uterine smooth muscles. It lowers blood pressure, increases coronary blood flow, improves microcirculation, slows heart rate, and inhibits platelet aggregation. Clinical evidence shows that Yi Mu Cao decoction is highly effective in treating menstrual irregularities, postpartum uterine bleeding, incomplete uterine recovery, and excessive menstruation.
According to TCM, it is cool in nature, pungent and bitter in taste. Its function is to regulate menstruation, activate blood, remove stasis, generate new blood, promote urination, and reduce swelling. Used for menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, retained lochia, acute nephritis edema.
Dosage: Generally 6–9 grams.
⑥ Xiang Fu
Xiang Fu is the rhizome of Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae), a perennial herb. It contains essential oils, phenolic substances, glucose, fructose, starch, etc. It inhibits uterine smooth muscle contraction and reduces its tone. The aqueous extract reduces intestinal tension and antagonizes acetylcholine. It inhibits certain fungi and has analgesic effects.
According to TCM, it is neutral in nature, pungent and sweet in taste. Its function is to soothe the liver, regulate Qi, regulate menstruation, and relieve pain. Used for liver-stomach disharmony, Qi stagnation, distension and pain in chest, hypochondrium, abdomen, dysmenorrhea, menstrual irregularities, liver qi stagnation with food accumulation, etc.
Dosage: 6–12 grams.
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