Herbs that Tonify Blood

Shú Dì Huáng

Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (cooked)

 

"Baked Earth Yellow"

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Sl. Warm

Channels:    Heart, Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies the blood; often used for uterine bleeding, menstrual irregularities, amenorrhea, etc.
  
• Nourishes the yin (part of the famous formula Liu Wei Di Huang Wan)
  
• Tonifies the essence (Jing); one of the best herbs for kidney deficiencies
  
• Combine with Sha Ren, Chen Pi or Mu Xiang to counteract its heavy greasy property
  

  
   

  
   

  Dose:    9 – 30 g
  

  Contra:    Cloying; use with caution in spleen deficiency or stagnancy
  

  Modern:     Can lower BP and serum cholesterol and improve cerebral blood flow (like Huang Jing)
  

  Identification:    Gummy and black through and through, as compared to Sheng Di Huang (raw Rehmannia - COLD) which has some brown and black streaks
  

 

Hé Shǒu Wū

Polygoni Multiflori Radix, prepared

 

 

 

"Black Haired Mr. He"

 

Taste:        Bitter, Sweet, astringent

Temp:        Sl Warm

Channels:    Liver, Kidney

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies liver and kidneys, nourishes blood, augments essence; dizziness, weak back, knees
  
• Restrains leakage of essence (Jing); nocturnal emissions
  
• Relieves fire toxicity; pus-filled swellings from damp heat or toxic heat, appendicitis, pulmonary abscess, boils
  
• Moistens intestines for constipation due to blood deficiency
  
• Expels wind rash from skin
  
• Lowers serum cholesterol and benefits arteries
  
• This is such a versatile herb with so many good functions and is not greasy drying, or overly warm – everyone can take this herb, even as a single!
  
• Tastes smoky and rich like coffee – I sometimes recommend it to people who are trying to stop coffee
  
• Treats chronic malaria, and malaria-like disorders
  

 

Dose:        12-30 g in decoction

Contra:    Diarrhea (makes sense, doesn't it?); no steel containers

Modern:     Contains emodin, tannoids, anthraquinones (like rhubarb, Da Huang)

Identification: Reddish brown smoky slices that have been prepared in wine and black bean juice. If unprepared, it has different properties. It is neutral, enters Liver, Heart, Large Intestine, and is mainly used to moisten intestines, relieve fire toxicity, and treat malarial disorders. In raw form, it is not tonifying.

 

Dāng Guī

Angelicae Sinensis Radix

 

 

Taste:        Sweet, pungent, bitter

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Heart, Liver, Spleen

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies blood, regulates menses; dysmenorrhea
  
• Invigorates blood and harmonizes blood, stops pain(Bi pain) due to blood stasis (a mild blood-invigorator)
  
• Moistens intestines; blood deficiency constipation
  
• Reduces swelling, generates flesh, alleviates pain of sores and abscesses
  
• Use the "tails" for more invigorating, and the "heads" for more tonifying (most herbalists do not separate unless using in pregnancy; then, omit the "tails"); but there are some formulas that call for the tails (Dang Gui Wei)
  

 

Dose:        3- 15

Contra:    Diarrhea; abdominal distention due to damp; this is a very moistening, even greasy herb and can cause indigestion

Cooking:    Wine-fried, moves blood and invigorates channels

Modern:     There are conflicting studies on whether or not Dang Gui increases estrogen production in the body. It is known that Dang Gui increases the weight of female sex organs, so it might be wise to avoid Dang Gui in breast cancer patients (and other estrogen-related cancers, fibroid tumors as well)    

Identification: Smell the typical angelica scent (as in Du Huo, Qiang Huo and others); look for yellowish moist slabs with both heads and tails

Interaction Note: Dang Gui can minimize liver damage caused by Tylenol

 

Other Angelicas we have studied: Angelica Dahurica (Bai Zhi), a warming diaphoretic to open the nose and unblock the sinuses; and Angelica Pubescens (Du Huo), an herb to treat painful obstruction (Bi Pain) of the lower back.

 

Bái Sháo (Yào)

Paeoniae Radix Alba

 

Could there be anything more beautiful?

 

 

Taste:        Bitter, sour

Temp:        Mildly Cold (Cool)

Channels:    Liver, Spleen

 

Actions:    

 

• Nourishes blood and regulates menses
  
• Calms liver yang and alleviates pain; chest, abdomen and flank pain due to liver qi stagnation and liver/spleen disharmony; softens the liver
  
• Preserves the yin (the sour flavor helps with this); abnormal sweating
  
• With Gan Cao, can relieve muscle spasms
  
• Used for thoracic, lateral costal, abdominal pain, diarrhea with abdominal pain, night sweating, yin-deficient heat, menstrual irregularities
  

  
   

  Dose:    6-15 g (up to 30 g is safe)
  

  Contra:    See Bensky for various interactions with other herbs
  

  Modern:     Contains tannoids
  

  Identification:    White heavy slabs, not powdery like Shan Yao, more "clattery" sounding when you knock them together, and they can be less than white, greyish in fact if not sulfured. Check for the sour smell, like Mu Dan Pi
  

 

Ē Jiāo

Asini Corii Colla

L

 

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Neutral

Channels:    Kidney, Liver, Lung

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies the blood – very gooey and rich
  
• Nourishes the blood and stops bleeding for bleeding from deficiency, prolonged menstrual period or bleeding post-partum; quiets fetus if threatened due to spotting during pregnancy
  
• Moistens the yin – for lung chronic dryness or coughing of blood; qi-taxation cough, pulmonary TB
  

 

 

Dose:        3-15 g

Contra:    Caution in spleen deficiency – hard to digest

Cooking:    Dissolve into finished decoction; turns into gummy mess if cooked

Identification: Comes in black, shiny, translucent blocks, and needs to be ground up into powder

Gǒu Qǐ Zǐ

Lycii Fructus

 

Chinese Matrimony Vine

 

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Neutral

Channels:    Lung, Liver, Kidney

 

Actions:    

 

• Nourishes and tonifies liver and kidneys, for yin and blood deficiency
  
• Benefits essence and eyes (blurred vision, dizziness, blood not nourishing the eyes)
  
• Enriches yin to moisten lungs; chronic cough, deficiency heat
  
• Empresses drank this with Wu Wei Zi as a tea to preserve youth and beauty; delicious together!
  
• Very popular today, called "Go Ji Berries" and sold [overpriced] at whole foods stores and natural pharmacies – touted as a powerful antioxidant
  

 

Dose:        6-18 g

Contra:    Spleen dampness and loose stools

Cooking:    A great food herb for cereal, congee, or just snacking

Modern:    This herb has the ability to protect the liver and regenerate liver cells

Identification:     Untreated with chemicals, it should be dark red and fresh. If bright neon-orange-red, it is probably treated. It should not be black and dull or small and overly dry.

Formula:    Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan + Gou Qi Zi + Ju Hua) – this formula is focused on eye problems

 

 

Sāng Shèn

Mori Fructus

Mulberries!

 

 

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Cold

Channels:    Heart, liver, kidney

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies blood and enriches yin; supplements kidney and liver for dim vision, wasting thirst, tinnitus
  
• Yet another way to use the versatile Mulberry    
  

 

 

Dose:        6-15 g

Contra:    Diarrhea

Other parts:    Sang Bai Pi (the root cortex) for hot cough

Sang Zhi, the branch, for shoulder Bi pain

Sang Ji Sheng, the mistletoe parasite, for Bi pain and as a yin tonic

Sang Ye, the leaf, as a cooling diaphoretic and to stop cough

Most Mulberry parts are cold or cool

    

Identification: Dried mulberry fruits, should be moist, the texture of raisins

 

Lóng Yǎn Ròu

Longan Arillus

Euphoria Longana

 

 

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Heart, Spleen

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies the heart and spleen, nourishes blood and qi and calms shen
  
• Part of the famous "Julie's Energy Tonic": Huang Qi, Dang Shen, Long Yan Rou and Da Zao – tastes great!
  
• Very expensive these days (over $25/lb)
  
• General weakness, debility, emaciation, insomnia, memory loss, palpitations, racing heart
  

 

 

Dose:        6-15 g, up to 30 g

Contra:    Dampness in middle jiao; this is very sticky

Cooking:    Good food herb

Modern:     Contains 25% glucose, 5.6% protein

Identification:     Yellowish brown dried fruit, very sticky and sweet; strong, sweet flavor

Formula:    This herb is contained in the formula Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction), which is for heart blood deficiency and spleen qi deficiency