Click on the “Shennong Hundred Herbs Formula” above…
Disease inquiry, health guidance, classic wellness, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal medicine, no need to seek help when ill
Alias: Shan Ju Qiong, Xiong Yao, Xiang Guo, Hu Yao, Ma Xian, Qiong Yao, Que Nao Qiong, Jing Qiong, Guan Qiong, Fu Qiong, Tai Qiong, Xi Qiong
Source: The rhizome of the plant Ligusticum chuanxiong, belonging to the Umbelliferae family. Cultivators in plains harvest it 4-5 days after the “Xiaoman” solar term, while mountain cultivators usually harvest in August to September. The rhizome is dug out, cleaned of leaves and soil, washed, dried in the sun or baked, and then the fibrous roots are removed.
Original Form: A perennial herb. The underground rhizome is irregularly knobby and bulbous. The stem is erect, cylindrical, hollow, with longitudinal grooves on the surface. Leaves are alternate, 2-3 times pinnate compound, with 3-5 pairs of leaflets, the edges either irregularly serrated or deeply lobed, with pointed tips, glabrous on both sides except for short soft hairs on the veins; petioles are 9-17 cm long, sheathing the stem at the base. The compound umbel inflorescence is at the tips of branches, with short soft hairs; the involucral bracts and small involucral bracts are linear; flowers are small and white; there are 5 linear sepals with short soft hairs; 5 petals are oval, with entire edges and a short pointed protrusion in the center, bending inward; there are 5 stamens alternating with the petals, the anthers are oval, bilocular, longitudinally dehiscent, and the filaments are fine and soft, extending beyond the petals; the ovary is inferior, bilocular, with 2 styles. The double achenes are oval.
Habitat Distribution: Distributed in Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, mostly cultivated. The main production area is Sichuan (Guangxian, Chongqing). Yunnan also produces it, known as “Yun Qiong”.
Characteristics: The rhizome is irregularly knobby and bulbous, 4-8 cm long, 4-6 cm in diameter. The surface is deep yellow-brown, with prominent knobby undulations, many round or oval stem scars on the upper side, 5-15 mm in diameter, forming depressions; the lower side and nodes have numerous root scars, forming small tuberous protrusions. The texture is firm, the cross-section is yellowish, with a distinct ring of cambium, scattered with small yellow oil spots. It has a distinctive aromatic and bitter taste.
Preparation: Chuanxiong: Remove impurities, separate large and small pieces, soak in water, dry in the sun, moisten, then slice and dry. Wine Chuanxiong: Take Chuanxiong slices, spray evenly with yellow wine, slightly moisten, and stir-fry in a pot until slightly charred (12.8 kg of yellow wine for every 100 kg of Chuanxiong slices).
Taste and Properties: Pungent, warm.
Meridian Affinity: Enters the Liver and Gallbladder meridians.
Functions: Invigorates blood and dispels stasis; promotes qi and relieves stagnation; dispels wind and alleviates pain.
Indications: Treats wind-cold headache and dizziness, lateral pain and abdominal pain, cold bi syndrome with muscle spasms, amenorrhea, difficult labor, postpartum stasis and pain, carbuncles and ulcers. Used for menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea, abdominal pain, stabbing pain in the chest and flanks, pain from falls and sprains, headaches, and rheumatic pain.
Pharmacological Effects:
1. Effects on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems:
(1) Effects on the heart: The extract of Chuanxiong, ligustrazine, has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on isolated guinea pig hearts, but has little effect on heart rate. Before and during hypoxia, ligustrazine weakens myocardial contractility, decreases diastolic function, and slows heart rate. It has a strong cardiac effect on whole animals.
(2) Effects on blood vessels and blood pressure: Ligustrazine, administered via different routes (intravenous, drip, or duodenal), produces varying degrees of hypotensive effects in various animals (cats, rabbits, and rats).
(3) Effects on coronary flow: Both Chuanxiong and ligustrazine significantly increase coronary flow in isolated aged rats or guinea pig hearts.
(4) Effects on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury: Ligustrazine administered intraperitoneally and Chuanxiong administered by gastric lavage can prolong the survival time of mice in low-pressure hypoxic environments and counteract acute myocardial ischemia and hypoxia induced by posterior pituitary extract in rabbits.
(5) Effects on cerebral circulation and ischemia: Ligustrazine at 4 mg/kg intravenously can dilate cerebral blood vessels, reduce vascular resistance, and significantly increase cerebral blood flow. Chuanxiong can counteract experimental atherosclerosis, improving average blood flow, average flow velocity, and peripheral resistance in cerebral blood vessels, thus protecting cerebral vascular function.
(6) Effects on microcirculation: Chuanxiong and ligustrazine can relieve norepinephrine-induced spasms of microvessels, veins, and capillaries in golden hamsters, accelerating slowed blood flow and increasing reduced blood volume. Chuanxiong significantly delays the occurrence of microcirculatory disorders caused by norepinephrine-induced cessation or slowing of microarterial blood flow and has a dilating effect on microarteries.
2. Effects on the blood system: Chuanxiong and ligustrazine significantly inhibit platelet aggregation induced by ADP, collagen, and thrombin in rabbits in vitro and can rapidly disaggregate already aggregated platelets. They also inhibit the production of platelet malondialdehyde but have no inhibitory effect on exogenous arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation.
3. Effects on the urinary system: Ligustrazine can significantly increase renal blood flow, with a dose-dependent effect, and has a significant diuretic effect.
4. Effects on the immune system: Ligustrazine can enhance the phagocytic function of mouse mononuclear macrophages, increase the transformation rate of rat lymphocytes, and the positive percentage of acid α-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) detection. It can also promote the formation of antibodies against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice. Ligustrazine can improve the T lymphocyte transformation function in normal mice and those with lymphocyte serum (ALS)-induced immune dysfunction, normalizing the elevated inhibitory T cell (Ts) function and enhancing the activity of interleukin-3 (IL-3) in ALS-induced mice.
5. Effects on the respiratory system: Ligustrazine has a certain inhibitory effect on contractions of isolated guinea pig trachea induced by leukotrienes C4, D4, histamine, and prostaglandin F2α, acting as a non-competitive antagonist, but cannot counteract acetylcholine-induced tracheal contractions. Ligustrazine significantly inhibits elastase in vitro and has preventive and therapeutic effects on guinea pig emphysema models.
6. Prevention and treatment of pancreatitis: After inducing acute hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis (AHNP) in rats with sodium taurocholate, ligustrazine can increase relative pancreatic blood flow and perfusion, reduce pathological damage to the pancreas, stabilize TxA2/PGI2 at normal levels, lower serum lipid peroxide levels, inhibit elastase, and improve animal survival rates, effectively preventing and treating pancreatitis.
7. Antitumor and radioprotective effects: Ligustrazine at a daily dose of 20 mg/kg for 18 days can significantly inhibit artificial lung metastasis of B16-F10 melanoma.
8. Other effects: Methanol and hexane extracts of Chuanxiong can improve or partially improve memory acquisition deficits caused by scopolamine, but have no significant effect on memory consolidation deficits caused by sodium nitrite or memory recall deficits caused by 40% ethanol.
Dosage and Administration: Oral: Decoction, 3-10 g; powdered, 1-1.5 g per dose; or in pills or powders. External use: appropriate amount, powdered for sprinkling; or decoction for gargling.
Precautions: Avoid in cases of headache due to yin deficiency and yang excess; also not suitable for excessive menstruation and hemorrhagic diseases. Allergic reactions may include skin itching. Wine Chuanxiong enhances blood-activating and pain-relieving effects, is stronger in promoting blood circulation, and is often used for qi and blood stasis, women’s menstrual irregularities, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, difficult labor, and retained placenta, often combined with Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis), Bai Shao (White Peony), and Di Huang (Rehmannia).
Storage: Store in a cool, dry place, protected from pests.
Formulas:
① For treating various wind attacks, heavy head and eyes, unilateral and bilateral headaches, nasal congestion, heavy voice, wind-cold with fever, body aches, muscle twitching, heat phlegm in the diaphragm, women’s blood wind attacks, temple pain, and wind qi: 8 liang of mint leaves (not heated), 4 liang each of Chuanxiong and Jing Jie (remove stems), 8 liang of Xiang Fu (fried) (some texts substitute with 1 liang of Xi Xin), 1.5 liang of Fang Feng (remove stems), 2 liang each of Bai Zhi, Qiang Huo, and Gan Cao (fried); grind the above herbs into a fine powder, take 1 qian after meals with warm tea, and take regularly for clear head and eyes. (From “Jufang” Chuanxiong Tea Tiao San)
② For treating migraines: Finely chop Jing Qiong, soak in wine and take. (From “Doumen Fang”)
③ For treating wind-cold dizziness, sudden dizziness, external invasion of yang qi, wind-cold colliding, stomach phlegm and drink, unilateral and bilateral headaches, and body fatigue: 1 jin of Chuanxiong, 4 liang of Tian Ma. Grind into powder, mix with honey to form pills, 10 pills per 2 liang. Take 1 pill, chew well, and take with tea or wine after meals. (From “Xuanming Lun Fang” Chuanxiong Wan)
④ For treating wind-heat headache: 1 qian of Chuanxiong, 2 qian of tea leaves. Boil with 1 cup of water for 5 minutes, take hot before meals. (From “Simple and Convenient Prescriptions”)
⑤ For treating abdominal pain during pregnancy (placental obstruction): 2 liang of Chuanxiong, 2 liang of Ejiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin), 2 liang of Gan Cao, 3 liang of Ai Ye (Mugwort), 3 liang of Dang Gui, 4 liang of Bai Shao, and 6 liang of Gan Di Huang. Combine the seven herbs with 5 liters of water and 3 liters of clear wine, boil to obtain 3 liters, remove the dregs, and dissolve the gelatin completely, take 1 liter warm, three times a day until healed. (From “Jin Kui Yao Lue” Jiao Ai Tang)
⑥ For women in pregnancy 5-7 months, if there is a bump or trauma to the fetus, or if the fetus dies in utero, with continuous pain and a closed mouth, use this medicine to probe; if there is no damage, the pain will stop, and both mother and child will be safe; if the fetus is damaged, it will be expelled immediately: 6 liang of Dang Gui (washed, peeled, cut, and dried), 4 liang of Chuanxiong (washed). Grind into coarse powder, take 2 qian with a small cup of water, boil until dry, add a large cup of wine, bring to a boil, remove the dregs, and take warm, forcing it down the closed mouth, as if walking 5-7 li, repeat no more than three doses to give birth. (From “Ben Shi Fang” Fo Shou Ge)
⑦ For treating postpartum blood fainting: 1 liang of Dang Gui, 5 qian of Chuanxiong, and 2 qian of Jing Jie (fried black). Boil in water and take. (From “Qi Fang Lei Bian”)
⑧ For treating postpartum abdominal pain: 1 liang each of Chuanxiong (washed, chopped), Gui Xin (not heated, chopped), Mu Xiang (chopped, dried), Dang Gui (remove hairs, washed, chopped, dried), and Tao Ren (peeled, tips and double kernels removed, fried yellow). Grind into fine powder. Take 1 qian with hot wine, or if unwilling to drink wine, use 1 cup of water with 2 qian of powdered medicine, boil to 70% and take hot. (From “Wei Sheng Jia Bao Fang” Chuanxiong San)
⑨ For treating postpartum stasis pain: 8 qian of Dang Gui, 3 qian of Chuanxiong, 14 pieces of Tao Ren (peeled, tips removed, ground), 5 fen of black ginger, and 5 fen of fried licorice. Boil with equal parts of yellow wine and children’s urine. (From “Fu Qing Zhu Nan Ke” Sheng Hua Tang)
⑩ For treating children’s brain heat, favoring closed eyes, with pain in the temples or red swollen eyes: 2 qian each of Chuanxiong, mint, and Puhuang, ground into powder, and a small amount blown into the nose. (From “Quan You Xin Jian”)
Clinical Applications:
For treating angina pectoris: Take equal parts of Chuanxiong and Honghua (Carthamus tinctorius), make into tablets (each 12 tablets containing 5 qian of each herb), take 4 tablets, three times a day. A treatment course of 4-6 weeks. In a study of 84 cases (including 10 cases that added Gegen Huangfen tablets, 20 mg three times a day; 2 cases started adding Myrrh tablets after 2 weeks), results showed significant effects in 9 cases, improvement in 57 cases, basic ineffectiveness in 17 cases, and worsening in 1 case. Observation indicated no significant relationship between the severity of the condition and efficacy; adding Gegen Huangfen and Myrrh tablets did not show improved efficacy; the impact on blood lipids was minimal. Among 60 patients using nitroglycerin during treatment, 20 stopped using it, and 15 reduced the dosage, with some cases showing improvement in ECG.
Note: This article is for reference only; please follow medical advice for specific treatment and medication!This public account is for academic exchange only.
To learn more about TCM, herbal medicine, herbal formulas, and folk remedies, ▼ Click the card below ▼ to inquire!
For example: back pain, gynecology, lumbar disc herniation, leg pain, knee pain, stomach disease, constipation, frequent urination, diarrhea, abdominal protrusion, dysmenorrhea, breast hyperplasia, postpartum care, acne, white hair, skin diseases, age spots, aging, yin deficiency, cold, cough, fever, insomnia, stones, pharyngitis, sore throat, headache, toothache, snoring, oral ulcers, bad breath, rhinitis, tinnitus, eye diseases, dandruff, athlete's foot, hemorrhoids, cold hands and feet, rheumatism, night sweats, hypertension, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, gout, dementia, varicose veins, qi deficiency, blood deficiency, calcium deficiency, weakness, obesity, pediatric diseases, slim waist, dampness, strengthen spleen, hiccups, body odor, cramps, smoking cessation, meridians, Chinese patent medicines, foot baths... and more.
Thank you for sharing and clicking to see, may good fortune continue!