Alternative Names

• Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
• Drive Out Stasis in the Mansion of Blood Decoction
• Hsieh Fu Chu Yu Tang
• Blood-House Blood Stasis-Dispelling Decoction
• XFZY decoction
• Xuefu Zhuyu

Benefits

• supports the cardiovascular system

This highly respected formula is a modification of two other formulas: most of the ingredients from Four-Substance Decoction with Safflower and Peach Pit and Bupleurum and Chih-shih Formula can be found in this formula. Used all together, the goal is to support the cardiovascular health by stimulating the flow of qi and blood.

Qi flow could be thought of as the neurological component of the heart beat, while blood flow should be a familiar concept for modern peoples.

The premise then is to support the flow of qi and blood through the chest. This can have really great benefits for those with benign chest pains, palpitations, or symptoms of the cognitive/psychological functions of the heart such as insomnia, restlessness or ADD. These mental/emotional functions are unique to Chinese medicine, though biomedicine also recognizes cognitive issues that arise from things like heart surgery or heart attacks.

We should note at this point that you don’t know if your chest pains are a problem or not until you have that checked out by an adequately licensed healthcare practitioner in your jurisdiction. Once you’ve ruled out anything that needs immediate attention, we can talk about the best way to help you out, which may be this exact formula.

Ingredients

Tao Ren 桃仁 peach kernel, persica Persicae Semen [don’t use if pregnant]

Hong Hua 紅花 safflower flower, carthamus Carthami Flos [don’t use if pregnant]

• Tao ren is commonly teamed up with Hong Hua. They both assist the blood moving functions of the other four herbs in this formula to support the cardiovascular system.

Shu Di Huang 熟地黄 cooked rehmannia root, prepared Chinese foxglove root Rehmanniae Radix preparata [supports pregnancy]

• Shu di huang is a thick black herb that grows deep into the ground. This root depth suggests that it can nourish very deeply. This is of great benefit to the cardiovascular system because the blood is thought to be a fluid situated deeply in the body, which must be healthy and able to carry oxygen to adequately nourish the heart.

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

• Dang gui’s blood circulation support is of great value in the treatment of any pain that is fixed in location and limited to a small area. There is an ancient saying that says “where there is flow, there is no pain and where there is pain, there is no flow.” So, blood circulation is crucial to this formula.

Chi Shao 赤芍 red peony root Radix Peoniae Rubrae

• Chi Shao is the red colored peony root. Red herbs tend to act on the blood (because blood is red). This herb stimulates movement of blood. It’s also cooling and that can address feelings of frustration or impatience, which is a common outcome of blood stagnation (when it causes heat that gets rises to the Heart).

Chuan Xiong 川芎 Sichuan lovage root, cnidium, chuanxiong root Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong

• This herb is said to move the “qi in the blood” which is to say that it stimulates the flow of the blood. It is unknown if this means “thinning” the blood or regulating the Heart or perhaps helping the blood vessels open up to help more flow through. Could be a little bit of all three, or only those that are needed in a particular case.

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

• This herb help spread and circulate the qi. We say that the “qi moves the blood”. Moving blood is what this formula is all about. By stimulating the movement of qi, the circulation of blood is supported.

Zhi Ke 枳殼 bitter orange Aurantii Fructus [use caution if pregnant]

Jie Geng 桔梗 balloon flower root, platycodon root Radix Platycodi Grandifolii

• Zhi Ke helps guides qi downward. Jie Geng guides qi upward. This is essentially supporting movement of blood in the chest. Remember, the qi pushes the blood, and by stimulating qi movement, the blood will naturally follow. Jie Geng is often used to guide the benefits of a particular formula to the chest. It lifts the effects of the herbs like a balloon. Know what this plant is called in English? “Balloon flower” Is that cool or what?

Chuan Niu Xi 川牛膝 cyathula root Cyathulae Radix [don’t use if pregnant]

• This is another herb has two important functions in this formula. It supports blood circulation, and the blood’s oxygen carrying functions. “Niu Xi” means ox knee, actually. Apparently this herb has nodules that resemble the knee of an ox. I don’t know what an ox knee looks like either, but there you go.

Gan Cao 甘草 licorice root Radix Glycyrrhizae [caution]

• As is common in most Chinese herb formulas, a little gan cao is added to the mix to help the herbs work together well. Gan cao is considered a very sweet herb (“gan cao” translates to “sweet herb”). I think of this herb as being like a very sweet person who can help individuals who are arguing get along better. That’s exactly what it’s doing here, helping all the other herbs work together. The world could use some gan cao, don’t you think? :)

Eagle Herbs is now supplying a 2 gram “little spoon”. (Please wash and dry before using.)

• • An “average dose” is 10 grams per day of the granules. This means 5 “little spoons” or 20 capsules each day. Each capsule is 1/2 gram. 
  • A Big Dosage for Short-lived but intense issues: 3 little spoons (12 capsules) twice a day.
  • A Smaller Dosage for Lingering low-grade concerns: 2 little spoons (8 capsules) twice a day. 
  • If you are very sensitive to medicines: start out low (1/2 little spoon or 2 capsules) once per day, and raise the dosage each day.

  We find that people find the right dosage for themselves. We don’t know your body weight, your sensitivity etc… So take what feels good for you and you get the results you are looking for. Many people get great results with taking less. 

  Your order will last approximately this long:

  • 50 grams powder (100 capsules) : 4 to 14 days.
  • 100 grams powder (200 capsules) : 8 to 28 days