Chuan Xiong - 川芎 - Rhizoma Chuanxiong
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Chuanxiong Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma Ligustici Wallichii |
| Common English: | Cnidium Sichuan Lovage Rhizome Szechwan Lovage Rhizome |
Category
Herbs that Regulate Blood: Herbs that Invigorate BloodProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid | Warm | Liver Gallbladder Pericardium | 3-10g Powder: 1-1.5g Tincture: 1-3ml |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Invigorates the Blood and promotes the movement of Qi | Blood Stasis, especially in gynecology with dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, difficult labor or retained lochia Qi and Blood Stagnation with pain and soreness in the chest, flanks and hypochondria |
Expels Wind and alleviates pain | Externally contracted Wind with headache, dizziness or painful obstruction (Bi Syndrome) - especially useful for headaches due to Wind-Heat, Wind-Cold or Blood Deficiency (depending on the combination) Wind skin disorders |
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. Cyperi | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
Qi Stagnation combined with Blood Stasis. | Blood Deficiency causing menstrual problems including dysmenorrhea, scanty menses and amenorrhea. Wind-Damp Invasion blocking the Blood vessels causing pain, numbness and paralysis. Harmonizes, nourishes and invigorates the Blood and disperses Blood Stasis. | Abdominal pain accompanying menstruation. Pain due to trauma. Headache from Blood Stagnation. |
| Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Hb. Leonuri |
Cold due to Insufficiency of the Chong and Ren channels causing lower abdominal pain during menstruation. | Retained lochia. | Postpartum Blood Stasis. |
| Rx. Bupleuri | Rx. Astragali | Rx. Saposhnikoviae |
Liver Qi and Blood Stagnation generating headaches and/or chest pain. | Numbness of the limbs. | Headache due Wind-Cold Invasion. |
Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii Or Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii | Rx. Cynanchi | Flos Chrysanthemi |
Wind-Damp lateral headache. | Jue Yin Headache. | Jue Yin headache. |
Rx. Rehmanniae | Flos. Carthami | Hb. Asari |
Headaches due to Blood Deficiency. | Angina pectoris. | Wind-Cold headaches. Shao Yin Cold headache. Swelling and pain from sores, boils and trauma. |
Rx. Bupleuri | Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis | Ram. Cinnamomi |
Shao Yang headache. | Wind-Cold-Damp Bi. | Expels Wind-Dampness, warms the channels and collaterals, facilitates joint movement and relieves Bi pain for joint and limb pain due to External Wind-Cold invasion. |
Rz. Smilacis Glabrae | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Cx. Moutan |
Raises the clear Yang while directing turbid Qi downward, moves Qi, invigorates the Blood, clears Heat and removes Dampness for headaches from constrained Damp-Heat in the Liver channel. | Irregular menstruation with either early or delayed onset. | Irregular menstruation with Heat in the Blood. |
Cx. Cinnamomi | Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae | Flos. Carthami |
Irregular menstruation with Cold in the Blood. | Epistaxis during menstruation. | Amenorrhea. |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Ram. Cinnamomi |
Amenorrhea due to Phlegm-Dampness Accumulation in cases of obesity. | Dysmenorrhea due to Blood Stasis. | Dysmenorrhea with a scanty flow of Blood and cold sensations in the abdomen due to Deficiency Cold in the Chong and Ren Channels. |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Rx. Bupleuri |
Difficult labor. | Continuous postpartum bleeding due to Blood Stasis with Blood Deficiency and Cold. | Hypochondriac pain with chest and epigastric distention from Liver Qi Stagnation. |
Sm. Persicae | Rx. Astragali | Rx. Astragali |
Sharp stabbing pain in the chest and hypochondriac area due to Blood Stagnation. | Numbness of the limbs and paralysis. | Chronic non-healing sores with or without pus in deficient patients. |
Hb. Asari | Flos Chrysanthemi | Rz. Ligustici |
Wind-Cold headaches. | Wind-Heat headaches. | Severe headaches without Interior Fire. |
Notes
- In gynecology this herb plays a major role.
- Combined with other Blood-circulating herbs, it can intensify the force of their circulating action.
- Formulas that tonify Blood, address Blood Stagnation or relieve pain commonly include it.
- It is used to treat Heat syndromes, mainly those in the Upper Jiao.
- For headaches it is a key herb.
- According to some, it nourishes Blood and awakens the senses.
- Chuan Xiong and Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu both work where Qi and Blood meet, entering the Liver and San Jiao. Chuan Xiong is well known as a guiding herb to the Liver, Gallbladder, San Jiao and Pericardium. Its movement is rising and discharging, reaching up to the head and out to the Exterior to disperse Wind and Cold. Xiang Fu reaches all twelve channels and directs its actions downward, harmonizing the Middle and relieving constraint.
- Chuan Xiong and Rz. Ligustici Gao Ben are both used for headaches. Lateral headaches respond best to Chuan Xiong, whereas vertex headaches respond best to Gao Ben.
- Chuan Xiong and Hb. Lycopi Ze Lan are both aromatic, invigorate the Blood and relieve pain. Chuan Xiong moves the Qi in the Blood and rises to the head and eyes, expelling Wind and stopping headaches. Ze Lan promotes fluid metabolism and urination, making it suitable for disorders where Blood Stasis and edema occur together.
- Dry-fried Chuanxiong Chao Chuan Xiong tempers the herb's tendency to deplete Qi and Blood, so it suits patients with Qi and Blood Deficiency.
- Wine-fried Chuanxiong Jiu Chao Chuan Xiong strengthens the herb's capacity to invigorate the Blood, move Qi and relieve pain.
From Class
- Blood movers: Dan Shen, Chuan Xiong, Hong Hua, Tao Ren, Mo Yao, Ru Xiang, Yu Jin: Pericardium-affinity blood invigorators; resins (myrrh, frankincense) help heal wounds inside the vessels. (Gioioso)
- Dang Gui & Chuan Xiong for implantation: Historically used to tonify and invigorate blood simultaneously to support implantation, esp. with blood stasis (unresolved stasis leads to bleeding/loss). (Lewis)