Herbs That Tonify Blood

Herbs That Tonify Blood:

  • Symptoms of Blood Deficiency - pallid face and lips, dizziness, vertigo, diminished vision, lethargy, palpitations, dry skin, menstrual irregularities, pale tongue, fine pulse.
  • Heart and liver are the most affected.
  • Biomedicine - not always associated with anemia, but may arise from psychosomatic disorders, heart failure, chronic hepatitis; most herbs do not directly stimulate production of red blood cells, but perform this task indirectly.
  • Not very effective when used alone - also needs herbs which tonify the yin and qi.
  • Overuse may lead to indigestion - add herbs which tonify the stomach.

Section Herbal Summary:

  • He Shou Wu, Shu Di Huang - similar actions.
  • E Jiao - more moistening than Shu Di Huang, good for blood deficiency with concurrent blood loss.
  • Dang Gui, Bai Shao - pain and blood deficiency patterns.
    • Dang Gui
      • Slightly warm and invigorates blood; appropriate for blood deficiency w/cold.
      • Invigorates blood and moves qi.
    • Bai Shao
      • Retains yin and cool; appropriate for blood deficiency w/heat.
      • Retains yin and comforts the liver.

Chinese Herbsort icon Functions and Usage
Bai Shao (White Peony Root)
  • Nourishes the blood and regulates menstrual problems due to blood deficiency (pale, lusterless complexion and nails) - menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, uterine bleeding - very common herb for gynecological disorders (Si Wu Tang).
  • Calms liver yang, alleviates pain from constrained liver qi or disharmony between the liver and the spleen due to liver yang rising - cramping and spasms (limbs and abdomen), abdominal pain from dysentery, headache and dizziness.
  • Preserves yin, adjusts ying and wei levels - vaginal discharge and spermatorrhea, exterior wind-cold from deficiency with continuous sweating, spontaneous sweating, night sweats.
Dang Gui (Chinese Angelica Root)
  • Tonifies the blood, regulates menses - pallid, ashen complexion, tinnitus, blurred vision, palpitations, irregular menses, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.
  • Invigorates/harmonizes the blood, disperses cold - important herb to stop pain due to blood stasis - abdominal pain, trauma, carbuncles due to blood stasis, chronic bi.
  • Moistens dry intestines due to blood deficiency.
  • Reduces swellings, expels pus, generates flesh - sores.
E Jiao (Donkey-Hide Glue, Gelatin)
  • Tonify blood - dizziness, sallow complexion, palpitations.
  • Stops bleeding - any type.
  • Nourish and moisten yin - irritability and insomnia after febrile disease, dry lung coughs due to yin deficiency or consumption.
Gou Qi Zi (Chinese Wolfberry Fruit)
  • Nourish and tonify liver and kidney - yin and/or blood deficiency w/sore back and legs, low grade abdominal pain, impotence, nocturnal emission, xiao ke; neutral nature - commonly used for liver and kidney deficiency.
  • Benefits the essence and brightens the eyes - essence and blood are unable to nourish eyes, dizziness, blurred vision, diminished acuity.
  • Enrich yin and moisten the lungs - consumptive cough.
He Shou Wu (Polygonum, Fleeceflower Root)
  • Tonifies liver and kidney, nourishes blood, augments essence - yin and/or blood deficiency w/dizziness, blurred vision, prematurely grey hair, weakness in the lower back and knees, sore limbs, insomnia, nocturnal emission, spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge; neither cold, drying, nor too cloying.
  • Relieves toxic fire - carbuncles, sores, scrofula, neck lumps.
  • Moistens intestines - constipation associated with blood deficiency.
  • Expels wind from skin by nourishing the blood.
  • Chronic malaria w/qi and blood deficiency.
Long Yan Rou (Longan Fruit Flesh)
  • Tonify heart and spleen, nourish blood, calm the spirit - insomnia, palpitations, poor memory, dizziness.
Sang Shen (Mulberry Fruit-Spike)
  • Tonifies blood and enriches yin - dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia, premature graying of the hair.
  • Constipation due to blood deficiency in the elderly, xiao ke due to yin deficiency.
Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia, Chinese Foxglove Root)
  • This is the root of Sheng Di Huang (steamed and dried, or soaked in red wine and dried).
  • Tonify blood for blood deficiency with dizziness, pallid complexion, palpitations, insomnia, irregular menses, uterine bleeding, post partum bleeding.
  • Nourish yin - kidney yin deficiency with nightsweats, xiao ke, steaming bone disorder, nocturnal emissions.