BLACK PEARL BP006 CHAI HU SHU GAN WAN BUPLEURUM & CYPERUS

CHAI HU SHU GAN WAN
柴胡疏肝丸
Bupleurum & Cyperus Combination
Product Code: BP006

TCM Actions
Soothes the Liver, activates the Blood and dispels stasis, alleviates pain.

Indications
Dysmenorrhoea, premenstrual tension, stress-related mood disorders, bruxism, intercostal neuralgia, cholecystitis, mastitis, chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer (peptic ulcer disease), duodenal ulcer, chronic hepatitis.

Dosage & Course Of Treatment
8 pills, 3 times daily, half to one hour away from food.

Course of treatment: 1 – 3 months

Signs and Syndromes
Liver Qi constraint Qi stagnation and Blood stasis

Physical symptoms that are worsened by stress or emotional strain

Stress related mood disturbance

Pain (or discomfort) with a sense of distension in the flanks, chest and/or breasts

Menstrual pain

Intercostal pain

Epigastric pain

Pain in the hypochondrium

Tongue is normal or slightly purple, with a thin white coat

Wiry pulse

Cautions & Contraindications
Caution for those on anti-coagulant medications (i.e. heparin, warfarin or aspirin).

Caution for those on any type of sedative drug.

Contraindicated for patients taking interferon.

Contraindicated during pregnancy.

Comments
This formula was devised by Zhang Jie-bin (a.k.a. Zhang Jing-yue) and first published in ‘Jing-yue’s Complete Works’ (jing-yue quan shu), 1624. It is a variant on Zhang Zhong-jing’s ‘Si Ni San’ (Formula for Frigid Extremities) from the ‘Treatise on Cold-induced Diseases’ (shang han lun). The latter formula was originally designed to treat the effects of exogenous pathogenic Cold as it penetrated the Interior, transformed into Heat and trapped the Yang Qi on the Interior, leading to cold extremities. As with many of Zhang Zhong-jing’s formulas from the Shang Han Lun, this one was so ingeniously designed that its use has been expanded over subsequent centuries to include a broad range of disorders – in this case, those due to Liver Qi constraint with the development of Blood stasis. In order to focus the formula’s actions in this way, Zhang Jing-yue substituted mature Citrus fruit (zhi ke), for the immature fruit (zhi shi) and added Cyperus (xiang fu), Citrus peel (chen pi) and Ligusticum (chuan xiong). The Black Pearl variant has additional herbs: Corydalis rhiz. (yan hu suo) and Curcuma root (yu jin), which enhance the action of activating the Blood to dispel stasis and alleviate pain. Citrus peel (chen pi) has been omitted because it is redundant, due to the presence of immature Cirtus fruit (zhi shi). This formula has a broad range of applications for disorders due to stagnation of the Liver Qi leading to Blood stasis resulting in pain. This includes gynecological and psychological disorders as well as those involving the liver, gallbladder or stomach, and also various types of neuralgia. The synergistic actions of the herbs are as follows:

• Bupleurum root (chai hu), Citrus fruit (zhi ke), Cyperus rhiz. (xiang fu), Curcuma root (yu jin): soothe the Liver and resolve constraint, regulate the Qi

• Corydalis rhiz. (yan hu suo), Curcuma root (yu jin), Ligusticum root (chuan xiong): regulate the Qi and activate the Blood to dispel stasis and alleviate pain

• Paeonia root (bai shao), Ligusticum root (chuan xiong): regulate and harmonise the Blood

• Paeonia root (bai shao), Glycyrrhiza root (gan cao): soothe the Liver and preserve the Liver Yin from injury by the other herbs. In addition, this combination relaxes spasmodic muscle contractions.

Ingredients
BUPLEURUM FALCATUM, ROOT (chai hu) – 柴胡 – 43.8 mg
PAEONIA LACTIFLORA, ROOT (bai shao) – 白芍 – 58.5 mg
CYPERUS ROTUNDUS, RHIZ. (xiang fu) – 香附 – 58.4 mg
CITRUS AURANTIUM, FRUIT (zhi ke) – 枳殼 – 58.4 mg
LIGUSTICUM STRIATUM, ROOT (chuan xiong) – 川芎 – 43.8 mg
CURCUMA LONGA, ROOT (yu jin) – 鬱金 – 43.8 mg
CORYDALIS TURTSCHANINOVII, RHIZ. (yan hu suo) – 延胡索 – 43.8 mg
GLYCYRRHIZA URALENSIS, ROOT (gan cao) – 甘草 – 24.3 mg