Description

This is a special formula for “flooding and spotting” – or bleeding between periods. This is not that uncommon but it can be a serious disorder and any woman who has this problem is strongly suggested to see a doctor just to make sure.

This formula is inspired and adapted from a book called the Miscellaneous Records of a Female Doctor by Tan Yunxian.

After the bleeding has stopped it is best to take a restorative formula such as Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang. This is important especially after there has been heavy bleeding.

Ingredients:

the three additions from the book are:

Huang Qin – 黄芩 – Radix Scutellariae – cools blood

Xiang Fu – 香附 – Rhizoma Cyperi – this is an interesting herb that is often added to formulas for women. It is used for gynecological disorders such as dysmenorrhea or irregular menstruation especially when stress (liver qi stagnation) is a component.

Da Ji – 大薊 – Herba seu Radix Cirsii Japonici – a straight up stop bleeding herb.

and I have added:

Ce Bai Ye -侧柏叶 – Biota Leaves – this is my go-to herb for stopping bleeding. It cools the blood and astringes. It is indicated for all types of hematemesis, bleeding gums, hemafecia, hematuria, bloody dysenteric disorders and uterine bleeding

the bulk of the formula is Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang:

Huang Qi 黃耆 astragalus root, milk-vetch root, milkvetch root Astragali Radix

This is the herb that does all the heavy-lifting in this formula. In fact, “lifting” is a key term that applies to the function of this formula. The “Spleen” is said to help transform food into energy (think of this as digestive processes), but then this nutrition needs to be lifted to the lungs where they are then distributed elsewhere in the body. When the digestion is weak, the nutrition (or “grain qi”) cannot rise from the abdomen to be distributed through the body. This “spleen qi not lifting” then causes fatigue, bloating, dizziness upon rising, that sort of thing.

Bai Zhu 白术 , bai shu ovate atractylodes, (white) atractylodes rhizome [supports pregnancy]

This Bai Zhu (pronounced “buy chew” or “by Jew”) helps huang qi above support the digestive functions.

Zhi Gan Cao 炙甘草 licorice root Radix Glycyrrhizae prep. [caution]

Another herb that supports digestion. Of course licorice root is added to most Chinese formulas because it helps all the ingredients play together well, however in this formula we use the licorice root that has been honey-fried. This process helps this herb strengthen the stomach functions in support of the digestive processes.

Ren Shen 人蔘 ginseng root Radix Panax Ginseng

Another heavy-weight in the world of herbs that provide digestive support. This is ginseng, famed world-wide as an energy tonic. In this formula, the energy arises directly from improved digestive functions.

Chen Pi 陳皮 aged tangerine peel, citrus Citri reticulatae Pericarpium

When the digestion is weak, one outcome is gurgling and bloating. This dried tangerine peel addresses those symptoms of “dampness”.

Dang Gui 當歸 tangkuei, Chinese angelica root Radix Angelicae Sinensis [supports pregnancy]

This is an herb that is added to prevent side-effects. Because Spleen qi deficiency (the underlying issue addressed by this formula) can lead to the production of dampness in the stomach and intestines, we use a lot of drying herbs in this formula. The overuse of drying herbs can cause new problems. The addition of this single moistening herb prevents that from taking place. This formula does it all!

Chai Hu 柴胡 hare’s ear root, thorowax root, bupleurum Radix Bupleuri [caution]

Sheng Ma 升麻 bugbane rhizome, cimicifuga, black cohosh rhizome Rhizoma Cimicifugae

These last two herbs both help the Huang Qi direct qi upward from the digestive organs to the lungs where it is then distributed body-wide.