Nowadays, there are more and more people with a stagnation of blood (yuxue) constitution, it can be said that “nine out of ten people have blood stasis.”If you don’t believe it, take a look at your tongue for any stasis spots, and see if the two veins under your tongue are abnormally twisted.Do you have a fixed point of stabbing pain on your body, or do you bruise easily when touched?If so, you are likely to have a blood stasis constitution.
In the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is a very classic Chinese patent medicine—Xuefu Zhuyu Wan, specifically used to activate blood and resolve stasis.
It is very important for those who are prone to nodules, cysts, and fibroids, and it is often seen in the treatment of resolving masses and tumors.
Xuefu Zhuyu Wan is a very classic Chinese patent medicine in TCM, derived from a classic formula called Xuefu Zhuyu Tang, which was established by Wang Qingren in the Qing Dynasty and recorded in the Yilin Gai Cuo. TCM has been using it for hundreds of years, and it still plays an important role today.
Xuefu Zhuyu Tang consists of eleven herbs: Tao Ren (Peach Kernel), Hong Hua (Safflower), Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis), Chuan Xiong (Szechuan Lovage Root), Chi Shao (Red Peony Root), Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia Root), Chai Hu (Bupleurum), Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange), Niuxi (Achyranthes), Jiegeng (Platycodon Root), and Gan Cao (Licorice) (Tao Hong Si Wu Tang + Si Ni San + Jiegeng, Niuxi).
In this formula, Tao Ren breaks blood stasis and moistens dryness, while Hong Hua activates blood and resolves stasis to relieve pain, together serving as the monarch herbs. Chi Shao and Chuan Xiong assist the monarch herbs in activating blood and resolving stasis; Niuxi excels at dispelling stasis and unblocking the meridians, guiding blood downward, serving as minister herbs. Dang Gui nourishes blood and activates blood, dispelling stasis and generating new blood; Sheng Di Huang clears heat, cools blood, and eliminates stasis heat, working with Dang Gui to nourish blood and moisten dryness, ensuring that dispelling stasis does not harm the righteous qi; Zhi Ke smooths the stagnation of qi in the chest; Jiegeng opens the lungs and benefits qi, working with Zhi Ke to promote the flow of qi and blood; Chai Hu soothes the liver and regulates qi, serving as an assistant herb. Gan Cao harmonizes the various herbs, serving as a guiding herb.
This formula has the effects of activating blood, resolving stasis, promoting qi, and relieving pain. It is used for chest obstruction, chronic headaches, stabbing pain in fixed locations, internal heat and irritability, palpitations and insomnia, irritability, and anger caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis.
The 10 Major Uses of Xuefu Zhuyu WanPART.01
1. Blood Stasis Headaches
This type of headache feels like being pricked by needles, with an unpredictable location, but as long as you take Xuefu Zhuyu Wan, the blood stasis will be resolved and the pain will disappear.
2. Hair Loss and Premature Graying
There are many causes of hair loss. Hair is the excess of blood; blood deficiency can lead to hair loss. Hair is the essence of the kidneys; kidney deficiency can also cause hair loss. The liver governs hair growth; liver qi stagnation can also lead to hair loss. Stagnation of blood in the scalp can block hair follicles, leading to hair loss.
Xuefu Zhuyu Wan is suitable for most women’s hair loss, except for seborrheic alopecia. It is particularly effective in regulating hair loss caused by emotional stress leading to qi stagnation and blood stasis.
3. Blood Stasis Type Hypertension
Blood stasis can lead to declining organ function, exacerbating the disorder of qi and blood circulation, and the degree of blood stasis can become increasingly severe. Therefore, using Xuefu Zhuyu Wan can clear the blockages in the blood vessels, providing excellent efficacy in treating blood stasis type hypertension.
4. Coronary Heart Disease
What Western medicine diagnoses as coronary heart disease, TCM diagnoses as heart pain. The heart is the largest blood reservoir. If there is blood stasis in the heart, it will cause pain. Blood stasis arises from qi stagnation; everyone knows that when qi flows, blood flows, and when qi stagnates, blood stasis occurs. TCM regulates this by promoting qi and activating blood, using Xuefu Zhuyu Wan to improve symptoms.
5. Mammary Gland Hyperplasia
Mammary gland hyperplasia is caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis. Therefore, it is necessary to soothe the liver and regulate qi. Xuefu Zhuyu Wan contains Chai Hu to soothe the liver and regulate qi, and Jiegeng and Zhi Ke to adjust the qi mechanism, along with Tao Ren and Hong Hua to activate blood and resolve stasis, making it effective for regulating mammary gland hyperplasia.
6. Insomnia
General insomnia can be resolved with blood-nourishing and calming formulas, possibly with some phlegm-transforming herbs. The most difficult to treat is insomnia due to blood stasis, which can cause unexplained irritability and restlessness. Tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep, sitting up for a while, then lying down again, unable to sleep, repeating this cycle. This is due to blood stasis causing disturbance, leading to irritability and heat. At this time, Xuefu Zhuyu Wan can be tried.
7. Lantern Disease
Inside the lantern is very hot, while the outside is cool. Some people feel very hot inside but have cold hands and feet; this is lantern disease. Blood stasis in the heart causes heat that cannot be released, leading to irritability. Blood stasis blocks the heart meridians, weakening the heart’s ability to deliver blood to the extremities, resulting in cold hands and feet. Xuefu Zhuyu Wan can open the heart meridians, resolving blood stasis and dissipating heat, allowing warmth to reach the extremities.
8. Lower Limb Varicose Veins
Lower limb varicose veins are a serious condition of blood stasis. We can imagine blood vessels as a river; blood stasis is like garbage suddenly appearing in a clean riverbed. Using Xuefu Zhuyu Wan to clear out old blood is like removing garbage from the riverbed, making the water clean again.
9. Gynecological Diseases
If women experience liver qi stagnation and blood stasis, various gynecological diseases can occur, leading to symptoms such as amenorrhea, scanty menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and pelvic inflammatory disease, all of which can be treated with Xuefu Zhuyu Wan as a foundational therapy.
10. Sudden Deafness
Suddenly, one cannot hear sounds. In such cases, one should first consider whether they have been very angry or frequently upset recently, as emotional fluctuations can easily affect the liver, which governs emotions, leading to liver qi rebellion and blocking the ears.
If so, one can take some Chai Hu Shu Gan Wan. However, if after taking it, there is little effect, it indicates that the condition has progressed from qi stagnation to blood stasis. At this point, what is blocking the ears is not only qi but also blood stasis, making Xuefu Zhuyu Wan more appropriate.
Contraindications for UsePART.02
1. Pregnant women should avoid using it.
2. Use with caution in those without blood stasis.
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