BLACK PEARL BP009 DU HUO JI SHENG WAN DU HUO & LORANTHUS

DU HUO JI SHENG WAN
獨活寄生丸
Du huo & Loranthus Formula
Product Code: BP009

TCM Actions
Dispels Wind-Cold-Damp to relieve pain, tonifies the Qi and nourishes the Blood, tonifies the Liver and Kidney

Indications
Chronic osteoarthritis, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, chronic lower back pain, sequelae of poliomyelitis, psoriatic arthritis.

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

Course of treatment: 3 – 6 months, or ongoing

Safe to use long term

Signs and Syndromes
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Qi-Blood dual deficiency Liver-Kidney deficiency

Chronic arthralgia

Reduced range of motion of affected joints

Swelling of the affected joints

Symptoms worse in cold and wet weather

Fatigue

Muscular weakness

Deformity of the affected joints

Shortness of breath on mild exertion (exertional dyspnoea)

Reduced tolerance to cold temperature

Paraesthesia or numbness in the extremities

Pale tongue with a white coat

Weak and thready pulse

Cautions & Contraindications
Avoid foods that may aggravate arthritis (e.g. sugar, caffeine, citrus, salt, red meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, nightshades, white potatoes), smoking, saturated fats and hydrogenated fats.

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

Caution during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Comments
This formula was first recorded in ‘Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces for Emergencies’ (bei ji qian jin yao fang), by Sun Si-miao (end 7th Century), a 30 volume work that, together with an additional 30 volume supplement, is a compilation of medical knowledge to that date. The original formula was designed to treat chronic painful obstruction (bi) syndromes, in which the health Qi (zheng qi) has become deficient. In order to accomplish this, it contains both tonifying and pathogen dispelling (i.e. Wind-Cold –Damp dispelling) medicinals in balanced proportions. Thus, it is designed for long term or ongoing use in arthritic and rheumatic disorders. In addition, this formula is also effective in some conditions with muscular weakness and flaccidity, e.g. the sequelae of stroke, with Liver-Kidney deficiency and Wind obstructing the Channels and Collaterals. Although originally intended to treat the lower body, it has been shown in clinical studies to be equally effective for disorders of the upper limbs and neck. The key clinical features are: chronic condition, cold (joints are not red, nor hot to the touch), muscular weakness, wasting and possibly also flaccidity. The Sun Herbal variant has been enhanced with the addition of Cynanchum root (xu chang qing) and Corydalis rhizome (yan hu suo), which serve as effective substitutes for Asarum herb (xi xin). The latter herb generally contains a variable amount of aristolochic acid, which is toxic. The synergistic actions of the herbs are as follows:

• Angelica pubescens, root (du huo), Saposhnikovia root (fang feng), Gentiana macrophylla, root (qin jiao), Cynanchum root (xu chang qing), Ligusticum root (chuan xiong): dispel Wind-Damp from the Channels, muscles, sinews and bones to relive pain.

Ingredients
LORANTHUS PARASITICUS, STEM (sang ji sheng) – 桑寄生 – 35 mg
CORYDALIS TURTSCHANINOVI, RHIZ. (yan hu suo) – 延胡索 – 35 mg
REHMANNIA GLUTINOSA, ROOT (shu di huang) – 熟地黃 – 28 mg
ANGELICA PUBESCENS, ROOT (du huo) – 獨活 – 28 mg
EUCOMMIA ULMOIDES, STEM BARK (du zhong) – 杜仲 – 28 mg
ACHYRANTHES BIDENTATA, ROOT (niu xi) – 牛膝 – 28 mg
GENTIANA MACROPHYLLA, ROOT (qin jiao) – 秦艽 – 28 mg
WOLFIPORIA COCOS, HYPHAE (fu ling) – 茯苓 – 28 mg
ANGELICA POLYMORPHA, ROOT (dang gui) – 當歸 – 28 mg
PAEONIA VEITCHII, ROOT (chi shao) – 赤芍 – 28 mg
LIGUSTICUM STRIATUM, ROOT (chuan xiong) – 川芎 – 21 mg
SAPOSHNIKOVIA DIVARICATA, ROOT (fang feng) – 防風 – 21 mg
CINNAMOMUM CASSIA, STEM BARK (rou gui) – 肉桂 – 21 mg
CYNANCHUM STAUNTONII, ROOT & RHIZ. (xu chang qing) – 徐長卿 – 21 mg