eLOTUS UPDATE

January 2011

eLOTUS UPDATE January 2011

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Applications of Blood Invigorating Herbs
LIVE SEMINARS by John Chen, Ph.D, Pharm.D, L.Ac., O.M.D.
LIVE WEBINARS
Blood stagnation often involves a wide range of potential causes and complications. Many
W E B I N A R W E E K D AY S of these causes and complications are opposites, such as deficiency and excess, cold
and hot, and interior and exterior.
TCM WISDOM TUBE

ONLINE VIDEOS Potential causes of blood stagnation include defensive qi deficiency with exterior
R E G I S T R AT I O N
invasion of wind cold or wind damp, painful obstruction syndrome, febrile disorders,
excess heat consuming the ying and xue, stagnation of phlegm and damp, and traumatic
LOTUS SPEAKERS injuries leading to obstructed qi and blood circulation. Blood stagnation may lead to
DRUG-HERB SET
many potential complications, including amenorrhea, post partum abdominal pain,
cardiovascular disorders, hypochondriac pain, paralysis, ulcers, and swellings.
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FA Q Due to the complex array of causes and complications of blood stagnation, it is imperative
that the treatment plan incorporate herbs to address the overall condition of the patient, in
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addition to using herbs that eliminate blood stagnation.
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Properties of Blood Invigorating
C O N TA C T U S
Herbs that invigorate the blood and remove stasis are mostly acrid, bitter, and warm.
SUBSCRIBE The acrid taste promotes movement of blood and disperses stagnation. The bitter taste
descends and drains stagnation. The warm property helps to invigorate and facilitate the
Upcoming Events movement of blood. These combined properties allow blood invigorating herbs to open
the blood vessels, activate the blood circulation, disperse blood stagnation, and break
Pulsynergy Made blood stasis.
Easy Part I

by Jimmy Chang
Pharmacological Effects
Many blood invigorating herbs may exert profound influence on the cardiovascular
Location & Time: system. They dilate blood vessels, increase blood perfusion to smaller blood vessels,
LotusWEBINAR only
1/22/11 9 am to 6 pm PT inhibit platelet aggregation, delay coagulation, and treat angina and ischemia.
Recognition and
Prevention of Herb-Drug Herbs that dilate coronary arteries include
Interactions Hong Hua (Flos Carthami)
by John Chen Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltoirrhizae)
Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong)
Location & Time:
LotusWEBINAR only
San Qi (Radix Notoginseng)
1/23/11 9 am to 6 pm PT Yan Hu Suo (Rhizoma Corydalis)
Chi Shao (Radix Paeoniae Rubrae)
Ji Xue Teng (Caulis Spatholobi)

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eLOTUS UPDATE January 2011

Herbs that dilate veins include

Chi Shao (Radix Paeoniae Rubrae)
Tao Ren (Semen Persicae)
Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae)

Many blood invigorating herbs may also have anticoaguland and antiplatelet effects. Blood clots form in the veins mainly
due to coagulation, while blood clots form in the arteries mainly due to aggregation of platelets. Therefore, anticoagulant
substances are prescribed to stop formation of clots in veins, and antiplatelet medicines are prescribed to stop formation
of clots in arteries. Many herbs have excellent inhibitory influence on thrombus formation, and are used in the treatment
of angina, stroke, and embolisms.

Herbs with anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects include

Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae)
Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong)
Hong Hua (Flos Carthami)
Chi Shao (Radix Paeoniae Rubrae)

Some blood invigorating herbs lower plasma cholesterol levels to various degrees, such as Yu Jin (Radix Curcumae),
Hong Hua (Flos Carthami), Jiang Huang (Rhizoma curcumae Longae), Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae), and
Pu Huang (Pollen Typhae). Others have immunologic, antineoplastic, antibiotic, and analgesic/anti-inflammatory effects.

Cautions and Contraindications

Blood invigorating herbs should be used with extreme caution for women with hypermenorrhea, and are contraindicated
during pregnancy. This is a class of herbs that should be cautioned for patients taking certain types of medications, such
as antihypertensives, antiplatelets/anticoagulants, or analgesics, because many of these herbs also have vasodilatory,
antiplatelet/anticoagulant, and analgesic properties, and concurrent use of herb and drug could lead to hypotension,
prolonged bleeding or bruising, and drowsiness.

This article is taken out of Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology by John Chen.

About the Author

Dr. John Chen is a recognized authority in both western pharmacology and Chinese Herbal Medicine, having combined
formal training in both fields with extensive research on the ground in China. He teaches at the USC School of
Pharmacy, Emperors College, Yo San University of TCM, OCOM, Five Branches, AOMA and ACTCM, and has taught
numerous professional seminars across the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Chens published works include Chinese
Medical Herbology and Pharmacology (2003, AOM Press) and Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications (2008, AOM
Press) for which works he is the lead author.

To learn about herb-drug interactions and herbal alternatives, Dr. John Chen is speaking on the following topics for
Lotus Institute. All classes are 8 units.

Copyright 2011 Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine. All Rights Reserved.

eLOTUS UPDATE January 2011

Courses by John Chen in 2011

LotusCEUWEBINARS

1/23/11 Recognition and Prevention of Herb-Drug Interactions

5/08/11 Top 50 Drugs and Their Herbal Alternatives
6/04/11 Integrative Internal Medicine Part I
10/16/11 Integrative Internal Medicine Part II

LotusCEUSEMINARS

6/04/11 Integrative Internal Medicine Part I @ Los Angeles, CA

10/16/11 Integrative Internal Medicine Part II @ Los Angeles, CA

Watch Johns FREE 1-hour webinars on TCM Wisdom Tube

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