CHINA MED BLOOD MOVING FORMULA XUE FU ZHU YU TANG

CHINAMED BLOOD MOVING FORMULA XUE FU ZHU YU TANG

This formula has an interesting history. It was originally developed due to an error made by Wang Qin-ren, a 19th century physician who in the course of his anatomical investigations consistently found coagulated blood above the diaphragm. Due to the prohibition against human dissection he was restricted to the observation of disinterred corpses and public executions where the sentence included disembowelment. Unfortunately he didn’t realise that this was just an artefact caused by the methods that he was forced to adopt in order to observe human viscera.

Fortunately for us though, because he described a theoretical syndrome of ‘Blood stasis in the chest (xue fu)’ and developed Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (Formula to drive out [Blood] stasis in the Chest) to treat it. It was recorded in the somewhat ironically titled ‘Correction of Errors among Physicians’ (yi lin gai cuo), published in 1830. The formula is a variant of Tao Hong Si Wu Tang (Persica, Carthamus and Dang-gui Combination) which activates the Blood and dispels stasis as well as nourishes the Blood.

Ingredients:
– Salvia miltiorrhiza, root 丹參 216.0 mg
– Rehmannia glutinosa, root 地黃 216.0 mg
– Achyranthes bidentata, root 牛膝 172.8 mg
– Paeonia lactiflora, root 白芍 129.6 mg
– Paeonia obovata, root 赤芍 129.6 mg
– Angelica polymorpha, root 當歸 129.6 mg
– Prunus persica, seed 桃仁 129.6 mg
– Carthamus tinctorius, flower 紅花 129.6 mg
– Ligusticum striatum, root 川芎 129.6 mg
– Bupleurum falcatum, root 柴胡 129.6 mg
– Citrus aurantium, fruit 枳殼 129.6 mg
– Platycodon grandiflorus, root 桔梗 86.4 mg
– Glycyrrhiza uralensis, root 甘草 72.0 mg

Several herbs that act as ‘envoys’ have been added in order to direct the formula’s actions to specific locations:

• Platycodon root (jie geng): for the Upper Jiao (Heart and Lung)
• Citrus fruit (zhi ke): for the middle Jiao (Spleen and Stomach)
• Achyranthes root (huai niu xi): for the lower Jiao (Kidney and sexual organs)

In addition, Bupleurum root (chai hu) disperses stagnant Liver Qi in order to promote the Liver’s function of ensuring that the Qi flows smoothly and evenly throughout the body. This ensures normal Blood movement because the Qi leads the Blood. The ChinaMed formula has been enhanced with the addition of Salvia root (dan shen), which activates the Blood and dispels stasis. It has been shown to increase microcirculation, dilate the coronary artery and increase coronary flow, and has an antiplatelet action to prevent clotting.