Chi Shao - 赤芍 - Radix Paeoniae Rubra - Red Peony Root
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Paeoniae Rubra |
| Common English: | Red Peony Root |
Category
Herbs That Invigorate the Blood: Herbs that Clear Heat and Cool the BloodProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sour Bitter | Slightly Cold (Cool) | Liver Spleen (Heart) | 4.5-15g Tincture: 2-4ml 6-15g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis and relieves pain | Blood Stasis with dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, abdominal pain, fixed abdominal masses and varicose veines Traumatic injury with bruising, pain and swelling |
| Clears Heat and cools the Blood | Xue Stage Heat or Blood Heat with fever, a purple tongue, maculae, hemorrhage and Blood Heat gynecological problems |
| Clears Liver Fire and relieves eye pain | Liver Fire with redness, swelling and pain of the eyes |
| Reduces swelling from sores and abscesses | Early stage abscesses and boils |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Major Combinations
| Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong | Sm. Persicae | Rz. Cyperi |
| Blood-Stasis induced gynecological disorders such as immobile abdominal masses and amenorrhea with abdominal pain. Abscesses, boils and trauma induced pain. | Blood Stasis induced menstrual disorders, especially those characterized by early period, excessive bleeding and thick purple clots. | Flank pain, abdominal pain and dysmenorrhea due to Qi and Blood Stagnation. |
| Olibanum | Olibanum | Flos Chrysanthemi |
| Bruising, swelling and pain from traumatic injury. | Pain and swelling associated with boils and abscesses. | Redness, pain and swelling of the eyes. |
| Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Cx. Moutan Radicis | Rx. Arnebiae/Lithospermi |
Spasms and cramping pain associated with Blood Deficiency and Blood Stagnation. | Heat entering the Xue Stage causing maculae or hemorrhage. | Maculae that are dull and not very red associated with Warm pathogen diseases. |
| Hb. Cirsii | Rx. et Rz. Rhei | Cx. Moutan Radicis |
Painful, bloody urinary dribbling. (Blood Lin) | Chronic accumulation in the abdomen, blockage of urine, constipation, Qi rushing upward to the Heart, abdominal distention and rebellious damage from food and drink. | Cools the Blood and disperses Stasis, for Ying Stage Heat with epistaxis, hemoptysis, hemafecia, hematuria, menorrhagia and skin rashes. Blood Stasis disorders. (amenorrhea, menstrual pain, traumatic injury) |
Hb. Cirsii | Sm. Persicae | Rz. Corydalis |
Hematuria. | Blood Stagnation in the chest. | Blood Stagnation in the hypochondrium. |
Olibanum | Rx. Astragali | Flos Lonicerae |
Palpable abdominal masses. | Hemiplegia with Deficiency. | Sores and abscesses. |
Flos Chrysanthemi | Sm. Plantaginis | Rz. Imperatae |
Redness, swelling and pain of the eyes. | Burning dysuria. | Hematuria. |
Notes
- In some sources this herb is placed in the "Herbs That Clean Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs That Clean Heat and Cool Blood" category.
- Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao and Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao come from the same plant. Chi Shao is generally collected from the wild, whereas Bai Shao is generally cultivated.
- Bai Shao tonifies the Blood and Yin and relaxes spasms, while Chi Shao cools the Blood and dispels Stasis.
- The two are frequently combined for pain and irritability from Liver Qi Stagnation, or for pain and swelling from trauma.
- Dry-frying, as Chao Chi Shao, lessens its cooling properties, and this form is used for Blood Stasis without Heat.
- Wine-fried Jiu Chi Shao invigorates the Blood more strongly.
- Vinegar-frying, as Cu Chi Shao, lets the herb enter the Liver channel directly to forcefully dispel Stasis and stop pain.
- Reportedly, it dispels Qi and Blood Stagnation and cures pathogenic Wind and severe abdominal pain.
- It is also said to resolve solid masses and periumbilical colic with a mass caused by Invasion of Cold and Heat.
- Research has shown that it inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
- It is notable for its vitalizing effect on coronary circulation and its antithrombotic action.
- For persistent epistaxis, take 4.5g of the powdered herb with water.
- Of the "three peony sisters" (Rx. Paeoniae Alba, Bai Shao, Rx. Paeoniae Rubra, Chi Shao and Cx. Moutan Radicis, Mu Dan Pi), this is the most astringent and the most effective at relieving pelvic and uterine Blood congestion.
- Chi Shao Clears Heat, cools the Blood, dispels Stasis and stops pain, whereas Bai Shao nourishes the Blood, astringes Yin, softens the Liver and stops pain.
- Chi Shao and Mu Dan Pi both cool the Blood and dispel Stasis. Mu Dan Pi is cooler and can clear Heat from the Blood whether it stems from Excess or Deficiency, and it focuses on the Heart channel. Chi Shao clears only Excess Heat from the Blood, not Yin Deficiency Heat, but it invigorates the Blood more strongly and stops pain, and it focuses on the Liver channel.
- Also known as Chi Shao Yao.
From Class
- Chi Shao / Mu Dan Pi / Pu Huang: For heavy bleeding (adenomyosis) with blood stasis and heat: add chi shao, mu dan pi; pu huang to control bleeding, alongside a qi-lifting base. (Lewis)
- Mu Dan Pi / Chi Shao / Di Gu Pi / Sheng Di / Xuan Shen / Shi Hu: Bitter-cold blood-cooling herbs; Mu Dan Pi and Chi Shao go to the pericardium. (Gioioso)
- High transferrin: Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan + Chi Shao, Mu Dan Pi: High transferrin with low iron = yin-deficient heat: use a heat-clearing yin-nourishing formula plus Chi Shao and Mu Dan Pi, with iron/vitamin C. (Lewis)