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Dispelling stasis and quickening the blood

祛瘀活血 〔袪瘀活血〕qū yū huó xuè

Also quickening the blood and transforming stasis; quickening the blood and dispelling stasis; transforming stasis and moving the blood; eliminating stasis and engendering the new; quickening the blood and engendering the new; dispersing blood. A method of treatment used to restore normal movement of the blood by eliminating blood stasis. On the basis of the power of action, distinction can be made between quickening the blood, transforming stasis, and breaking blood.

Quickening the blood is the mildest action and is performed with medicinals such as salvia (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, 丹参 dān shēn), red peony (Paeoniae Radix Rubra, 赤芍药 chì sháo yào), chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma, 川芎 chuān xiōng), moutan (Moutan Radicis Cortex, 牡丹皮 mǔ dān pí), and spatholobus (Spatholobi Caulis, 鸡血藤 jī xuè téng).

Transforming stasis is a stronger action performed with medicinals such as peach kernel (Persicae Semen, 桃仁 táo rén), carthamus (Carthami Flos, 红花 hóng huā), and myrrh (Myrrha, 没药 mò yào). Among stasis-transforming medicinals, lycopus (Lycopi Herba, 泽兰 zé lán), leonurus (Leonuri Herba, 益母草 yì mǔ cǎo), typha pollen (Typhae Pollen, 蒲黄 pú huáng), and flying squirrel’s droppings (Trogopteri Faeces, 五灵脂 wǔ líng zhī) are especially effective for women’s problems; corydalis (Corydalis Rhizoma, 延胡索 yán hú suǒ), frankincense (Olibanum, 乳香 rǔ xiāng), myrrh (Myrrha, 没药 mò yào), and notoginseng (Notoginseng Radix, 三七 sān qī) are effective in relieving pain; and pangolin scales (Manitis Squama, 穿山甲 chuān shān jiǎ), typha pollen (Typhae Pollen, 蒲黄 pú huáng), flying squirrel’s droppings (Trogopteri Faeces, 五灵脂 wǔ líng zhī), anomalous artemisia (Artemisiae Anomalae Herba, 刘寄奴 liú jì nú), and erythrina (Erythrinae Cortex, 海桐皮 hǎi tóng pí) are effective for dispersing swelling in the treatment of knocks and falls.

Breaking blood is the most drastic of all stasis dispelling medicinals used to treat enduring amenorrhea and abdominal massesand is performed with medicinals such as leech (Hirudo, 水蛭 shuǐ zhì), tabanus (Tabanus, 虻虫 méng chóng), ground beetle (Eupolyphaga seu Steleophaga, 蟅虫 zhè chóng), sparganium (Sparganii Rhizoma, 三棱 sān léng), zedoary (Curcumae Rhizoma, 莪朮 é zhú), and dung beetle (Catharsius, 蜣螂 qiāng láng). Agents in this latter category are contraindicated in bleeding and pregnancy.

Blood-quickening stasis-transforming medicinals belonging to the category of chong products (worms, insects, reptiles) are often used for enduring pain entering the network vessels.

Formulas have different applications:

Specific forms of dispelling stasis and quickening the blood include dispelling stasis and dispersing swelling; warming and transforming static blood; dispersing concretions, conglomerations, accumulations, and gatherings; and dispelling stasis and stanching bleeding.

Acumoxatherapy: Select points such as BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), and Glomus Root (痞根 pǐ gēn) as main points.

Point selection according to affected area: On the upper limbs, add LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ) joined with SI-3 (Back Ravine, 后溪 hòu xī), TB-5 (Outer Pass, 外关 wài guān) joined to PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), and LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí) joined to HT-3 (Lesser Sea, 少海 shào hǎi). On the lower limbs, add GB-34 (Yáng Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán) joined to SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), GB-39 (Suspended Bell, 悬钟 xuán zhōng) joined to SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo). Needle with even supplementation and drainage or with drainage, or bleed with a three-edged needle.

Stasis-Dispelling Blood-Quickening Medicinals

  • 川芎 (chuān xiōng) chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma)
  • 乳香 (rǔ xiāng) frankincense (Olibanum)
  • 没药 (mò yào) myrrh (Myrrha)
  • 生没药 (shēng mò yào) raw myrrh (Myrrha Cruda)
  • 延胡索 (yán hú suǒ) corydalis (Corydalis Rhizoma)
  • 郁金 (yù jīn) curcuma (Curcumae Radix)
  • 姜黄 (jiāng huáng) turmeric (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma)
  • 莪朮 (é zhú) zedoary (Curcumae Rhizoma)
  • 三棱 (sān léng) sparganium (Sparganii Rhizoma)
  • 丹参 (dān shēn) salvia (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix)
  • 虎杖 (hǔ zhàng) bushy knotweed (Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma)
  • 益母草 (yì mǔ cǎo) leonurus (Leonuri Herba)
  • 茺蔚子 (chōng wèi zǐ) leonurus fruit (Leonuri Fructus)
  • 鸡血藤 (jī xuè téng) spatholobus (Spatholobi Caulis)
  • 桃仁 (táo rén) peach kernel (Persicae Semen)
  • 红花 (hóng huā) carthamus (Carthami Flos)
  • 藏红花 (zàng hóng huā) saffron (Croci Stigma)
  • 五灵脂 (wǔ líng zhī) flying squirrel’s droppings (Trogopteri Faeces)
  • 牛膝 (niú xī) achyranthes (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix)
  • 土牛膝 (tǔ niú xī) native achyranthes (Achyranthis Radix)
  • 穿山甲 (chuān shān jiǎ) pangolin scales (Manitis Squama)
  • 蟅虫 (zhè chóng) ground beetle (Eupolyphaga seu Steleophaga)
  • 水蛭 (shuǐ zhì) leech (Hirudo)
  • 虻虫 (méng chóng) tabanus(Tabanus)
  • 降真香 (jiàng zhēn xiāng) dalbergia (Dalbergiae Odiferae Lignum)
  • 泽兰 (zélán) lycopus (Lycopi Herba)
  • 月季花 (yuè jì huā) Chinatea rose (Rosae Chinensis Flos)
  • 凌霄花 (líng xiāo huā) campsisflower (Campsis Flos)
  • 自然铜 (zì rán tóng) pyrite (Pyritum)
  • 王不留行 (wáng bù liú xíng) vaccaria (Vaccariae Semen)
  • 刘寄奴 (liú jì nú) anomalous artemisia (Artemisiae Anomalae Herba)
  • 苏木 (sū mù) sappan (Sappan Lignum)
  • 干漆 (gān qī) lacquer (Toxicodendri Resina)
  • 毛冬青 (máo dōng qīng) hairy holly root (Ilicis Pubescentis Radix)
  • 马鞭草 (mǎ biān cǎo) verbena (Verbenae Herba (cumRadice))
  • 积雪草 (jī xuě cǎo) centella (Centellae Herba)
  • 石见穿 (shí jiàn chuān) Chinese sage (Salviae Chinensis Herba)
  • 夜明砂 (yè míng shā) bat’s droppings (Verspertilionis Faeces)
  • 鬼箭羽 (guǐ jiàn yǔ) spindle tree wings (Euonymi Ramulus)
  • 蜣螂 (qiāng láng) dung beetle (Catharsius)

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