🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Raynaud’s disease, also known as Raynaud’s syndrome, is a primary disorder characterized by episodic vasospasm of the extremities. Cold exposure significantly increases incidence in northern China compared to southern regions. The condition predominantly affects females, and the exact cause of arterial spasm remains unclear. Typical manifestations include transient pallor, cyanosis, and flushing of fingers (toes) following cold exposure or emotional stress, accompanied by coldness and numbness in the extremities. With prolonged untreated disease, small arteries narrow and eventually occlude, leading to hard skin changes, ulcers, or ischemic gangrene at the fingertips/toes. TCM categorizes this condition under the syndrome of "cold limbs." The *Zhu Bing Yuan Hou Lun* (Causes and Symptoms of Various Diseases) describes "Deficiency Labor with Cold Limbs": "All meridians originate from hands and feet. Deficiency labor leads to depletion of qi and blood, unable to warm the limbs, hence cold limbs." Dr. Jiang Yanzhong, director of the Vascular Disease Center at Taizihe Hospital in Liaoyang, after years of research, concluded that this disease arises from spleen-kidney yang deficiency combined with external cold invasion, resulting in insufficient yang qi failing to warm the limbs. Their treatment principle is "warming the channels to dispel cold, activating blood and unblocking collaterals." They developed a series of oral decoctions using over 60 herbal medicines, applying syndrome differentiation and individualized treatment. According to TCM, Raynaud’s disease is classified into two main syndromes:
Qi Deficiency Type: Coldness, cyanosis, and pain in the extremities, general aversion to cold, fatigue, thin white tongue coating, string-like fine pulse. Syndrome belongs to spleen-kidney deficiency with cold congealing in the collaterals. Treatment: Tonify spleen and kidney, warm channels, and unblock collaterals. Formula includes: Astragalus (Sheng Huang Qi), Codonopsis (Dang Shen), Gentiana (Qin Jiao), Cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi), Water Leech (Shui Zhi), Black Fly (Mang Chong), Thunder God Vine (Wei Ling Xian), Stir-fried White Mustard Seed (Chao Bai Jie Zi), Eucommia (Niu Xi), Fine-leaf Ginger (Xi Xin), Cinnamon (Rou Gui), Licorice (Gan Cao), Sappanwood (Su Mu), Deer Antler Gelatin (Lu Jiao Jiao), Atractylodes (Bai Zhu), Dodder Seed (Tu Si Zi), Ligustrum (Nü Zhen Zi), White Peony (Bai Shao), Corydalis (Yuan Hu),升Ma (Sheng Ma), and Roasted Ginger (Pao Jiang).
Blood Deficiency Type: Coldness, cyanosis in extremities, fingertip thinning, stiffness, swelling, even ulceration and oozing, severe pain, pale complexion, general weakness, shortness of breath, pale tongue, thin white coating, deep fine weak pulse. Syndrome belongs to blood deficiency with cold invasion and collateral obstruction. Treatment: Nourish blood, tonify qi, unblock blood vessels. Formula includes: Astragalus (Sheng Huang Qi), Peach Kernel (Tao Ren), Scrophularia (Yuan Shen), Eucommia (Niu Xi), Licorice (Gan Cao), White芷 (Bai Zhi), Angelica (Dang Gui), Rehmannia (Shu Di), White Peony (Bai Shao), Licorice (Gan Cao), Cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi), Fine-leaf Ginger (Xi Xin), Chicken Blood Vine (Ji Xue Teng), Lu Lu Tong, Frankincense (Ru Xiang), Honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), Litchi Fruit (Liu Ji Nu), Fang Feng, Soapberry Spine (Zao Ci), Fritillary Bulb (Bei Mu), and Trichosanthes Root (Hua Fen).
Since Raynaud’s disease is often triggered by cold, warming and dispelling cold is a common therapeutic approach clinically. For blood deficiency predominant cases, emphasize using blood-activating and stasis-resolving herbs to relax vascular smooth muscle and reduce blood viscosity.