Yi Mu Cao - 益母草 - Herba Leonuri

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Herba Leonuri
Common English:	Asian Motherwort Herb Chinese Motherwort Leonurus

Category

Herbs that Regulate Blood: Herbs that Invigorate Blood

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Acrid Bitter	Slightly Cold	Heart Liver Bladder (Kidney) (Pericardium) (Chong) (Yin Wei) (Ren)	9-60g Dried: 90-120g Fresh: 180-240g Tincture: 2-4ml For glomerulonephritis with edema: up to 120g 9-15g (up to 30g) (Secondary source)

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Dispels Stasis, Invigorates the Blood, Reduces masses, Regulates menstruation	Gynecological disorders due to Blood Stasis with irregular menstruation, premenstrual abdominal pain and postpartum abdominal pain with retained lochia Abdominal masses and infertility due to Blood Stasis due to Blood Deficiency Traumatic pain
Promotes urination and reduces swelling and edema	Acute systemic edema accompanied by Blood Stasis, especially with hematuria
Clears Heat and resolves toxicity internally or topically	Sores, abscesses and toxic swellings Itchy rashes from Damp-Heat in the muscles and surrounding tissues

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui	Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rz. Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong	Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rx. Aucklandiae Mu Xiang
Blood Stasis with infertility, irregular menstruation, lower abdominal pain and fullness and scanty menstruation.	Dysmenorrhea or lower abdominal pain due to postpartum Blood Stasis.	Blood Stasis with infertility, irregular menstruation, lower abdominal pain and fullness and scanty menstruation.
Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rx. Aucklandiae Mu Xiang Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong Chuan Xiong Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu	Pollen Typhae Pu Huang	Rz. Imperatae Bai Mao Gen
Postpartum Blood Stasis causing lower abdominal pain and dysmenorrhea.	Lochioschesis.	Edema with Blood Stasis. Nephritic edema.
Rz. Polygonati Huang Jing Fol Pyrrosiae Shi Wei Sm. Malvae Dong Kui Zi	Hb. Lycopi Ze Lan	Fr. Aurantii Zhi Ke Pollen Typhae Pu Huang
Stone Lin and Bloody Lin.	Disorders which include both Blood Stasis and accumulation of pathogenic water such as Blood separation. (amenorrhea followed by generalized edema)	Stimulates uterine contractions.
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae Dan Shen
Abdominal pain due to irregular menstruation or amenorrhea.

Notes

1. Sm. Leonuri Chong Wei Zi has a sweet, cool nature. It breaks up Blood Stasis, astringes, tonifies, cools the Liver and brightens the eyes. Indications include menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, and red, painful, swollen eyes or pterygium arising from Liver Heat. Dosage: 9-15g.
2. It ranks among the most frequently used herbs.
3. Its main uses are Blood Stasis, retained placenta, tissue damage and gynecological complaints.
4. It is regarded as a sacred herb for hemopathy, since it moves the Blood without harming new Blood and generates new Blood without causing hemostasis.
5. The seeds nourish well and treat Wind-Heat in the channels of the hands and feet, ophthalmopathy and menoxia.
6. The whole plant effectively promotes Body Fluids and addresses swelling, ulcers, carbuncles, edema and puerperal disorders.
7. During labor it helps the delivery.
8. On its own it can be given for intense postpartum abdominal pain or uterine bleeding.
9. It is particularly effective for clearing toxic conditions following childbirth.
10. According to some sources, this herb disperses Phlegm and generates flesh.
11. Used alone in large doses, it can promote diuresis.
12. Research indicates that this herb inhibits cancer cell growth.
13. It has proven useful for treating Heart Qi Stagnation.
14. Yi Mu Cao and Hb. Lycopi Ze Lan both invigorate the Blood, promote urination and treat toxic swellings. Ze Lan is noted for its mild, harmonious action and suits either Heat or Cold patterns with Blood Stasis, including the reduction of swelling. Yi Mu Cao moves the Blood and promotes diuresis more strongly. Being cooling, it is better for Blood Heat together with Blood Stasis.
15. Yi Mu Cao and Flos Carthami Hong Hua both invigorate the Blood and enter the Blood Level of the Heart and Liver channels. Hong Hua is warm, invigorates the Blood more strongly, reduces swellings and, at large doses, powerfully breaks up Blood Stasis. Yi Mu Cao is slightly cold and gently cools Blood Heat where Heat accompanies Stagnation. It promotes urination as well.
16. Wine-fried Leonurus Jiu Chao Yi Mu Cao is less cold and works better to invigorate the Blood, dispel Stasis, regulate menstruation and relieve pain.
17. The seed, Chong Wei Zi, is also described as sweet and slightly cold, entering the Liver and Spleen, at 3-9g; it moves the Blood, clears the Liver and brightens the eyes.
18. Dui Yao pair with Xiang Fu: for irregular menstruation, PMS and postpartum abdominal pain due to Liver Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis.