These herbs can invigorate blood and promote blood circulation. They are warm in nature. The herbs in this group are used widely in different types of disorder caused by blood stagnation. Most are effective for relieving pain and some can be used topically.

Chuan Xiong is pungent and warm, and enters the Liver, Gall Bladder and Pericardium meridians. Chuan Xiong is a very effective herb to invigorate the blood and to promote the blood circulation. It is characterized by fast-moving speed and strength. As it moves upwards, downwards, inwards and outwards, and can reach every part of the body, it is regarded as the herb that moves the Qi in the blood. In a formula, it is often selected to promote blood circulation and stop pain caused by Qi and blood stagnation complicated by cold, such as headache on the lateral side of the head, intercostal neuralgia, chest pain, pain from trauma, pain in the joints, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea and irregular menstruation. Since Chuan Xiong is very effective, it is often used as chief. In combination with other herbs, it can be used in syndromes of excess, deficiency, cold or heat.

Although Chuan Xiong is effective in promoting blood circulation, it can lead the Qi and blood to ascend rapidly and therefore it should be used with caution in patients who suffer from syndromes of Liver-Yang ascending, up-flaring of Liver-fire or Heart-fire, such as hypertension, glaucoma and cerebrovascular accident. Moreover, since this herb is warm and very pungent, a large dosage may consume the Yin and Qi, and patients with Yin deficiency or with a weak constitution should not use this herb in large dosage.

Yan Hu Suo is pungent, warm and slightly bitter. It is characterized by entering the Qi and blood level, and promoting the Qi movement and blood circulation. It is an excellent herb to relieve pain and this effect is stable and strong. In clinical practice, it can be used as a single herb, and in Chinese medicine it is considered to be a painkiller. If this herb is fried with a little vinegar, pain relief is even stronger. Yan Hu Suo is slightly poisonous and therefore should not be used for too long. It is recommended for use in a formula where it can obtain assistance from other herbs, especially in the treatment of a chronic condition of blood stagnation.

Hong Hua is pungent and warm, and enters the Heart and Liver meridians. It is able to invigorate the blood and promote the blood circulation. If a small dosage is applied, it can regulate the blood circulation; if a large dosage is applied, it can break up the congealed blood and stop pain. It can be used as chief or deputy in a formula for different types of blood stagnation, such as endometriosis, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation and infertility. Since it can strongly move the blood, it may cause bleeding or make bleeding heavier, thus the dosage and treatment course should be controlled carefully. During menstruation, this herb should be used in a smaller dosage or should be stopped for 3 days to avoid heavy menstrual bleeding.

As well as treating menstruation disorders, Hong Hua is one of the commonly used herbs for treating trauma as it is effective for reducing swelling and pain. In these cases, it can be used both orally and topically.

Yue Ji Hua is sweet and warm. It has a fragrant smell and enters the Liver meridian. It regulates not only the blood circulation, but also the Liver-Qi movement. It is often used as deputy in a formula to harmonize Qi and blood of the Liver and it particularly treats menstruation disorders.

These herbs are cold in nature and can invigorate blood. They promote blood circulation, relieve pain and can also be used topically.

Dan Shen is bitter and slightly cold, and enters the blood level of the Heart and Liver meridians. It is able to promote the blood circulation, cool the blood, calm the mind and eliminate irritability. It is especially suitable for treating the syndrome of blood stagnation complicated by heat. The syndrome is often caused by stress and emotional disturbance, which lead to stagnation of Liver-Qi or generation of heat in the Liver and Heart. It is selected in formulas to treat chest pain, hypochondriac pain, heartburn, depression, irritability, insomnia and restlessness. It is also an important herb for treating gynecological disorders due to heat and blood stagnation, such as dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, premenstrual tension syndrome and menopause syndrome.

Chi Shao Yao is sour, bitter and slightly cold. It is characterized by reducing the excess heat in the blood and regulating the blood circulation. It can also reduce swelling and pain and is often used in formulas to treat abscesses, furunculosis, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction and dysmenorrhea. It can be used topically to treat pain and swelling due to trauma.

The herbs in this group can be selected as chief and deputies to dissolve congealed blood; they can also stimulate blood circulation. They are mainly used to treat the more severe or chronic syndromes of blood stagnation where the blood becomes thicker and blood clots are formed, such as in atherosclerosis, hyperlipemia, thrombosis, endometriosis, adhesions in chronic infection and after surgical operations.

The herbs that are warm in nature are Wu Ling Zhi, Ze Lan and Yue Ji Hua; the herbs that are cold in nature are Dan Shen, Yu Jin and Yi Mu Cao. They can be used when cold or heat respectively is in the blood.

Wu Ling Zhi is bitter, sweet and warm. The strong point of this substance is that it can dissolve congealed blood in a gentle but constant way. As it is effective for removing congealed blood without the side effect of injuring the normal part of the blood, it is used for chronic diseases when the congealed blood is not easily removed in a short period of time. Wu Ling Zhi can also promote blood circulation and stop pain. It is often prescribed in formulas for treating gynecological disorders and liver diseases.

Ze Lan is pungent and bitter, and enters the Liver and Spleen meridians. It is slightly warm and is able to promote blood circulation and open obstructions. It is characterized by removing congealed blood without the side effect of injuring the normal blood, and it is especially suitable for treating stagnation of blood caused by cold in the Lower-Jiao and in blood. As it is an aromatic herb and is able to spread the Liver-Qi and the Spleen-Qi, it is an excellent herb to treat stagnation of Liver-Qi and blood in both excess and deficiency conditions. It is often used as deputy in the formula to treat menopause syndrome, irregular menstruation, premenstrual tension syndrome, depression, liver disease and chronic urinary tract infection.

Yue Ji Hua is sweet and warm, has a fragrant smell and enters the Liver meridian. It not only regulates the blood circulation, but also dissolves congealed blood. Moreover, it can regulate the Liver-Qi. This herb is often used as deputy in a formula to regulate Qi and blood, and to reduce congealed blood in a gentle way. It is often used for menstruation disorders and liver diseases.

Dan Shen is bitter and cold, and primarily enters the Heart meridian. It cools the blood and moderates the speed of blood circulation. It is especially effective for clearing heat in the Heart and promoting the blood circulation in the chest. It is often selected in a formula to treat heat and blood stagnation in the chest, manifested as irritability, restlessness, palpitations, insomnia and chest pain. Dan Shen can also remove congealed blood, and is used for treating more severe conditions, such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, atherosclerosis, hyperlipemia and thrombosis. It is also used to treat hepatosplenomegaly because it can soften the organs, reduce their size and improve their functions.

Yu Jin primarily enters the Liver meridian, on which its function focuses. It is pungent, bitter and cold, and is able to invigorate the Liver-blood. Because of the high speed of its action, it is regarded as the herb that moves the Qi in the blood and is considered as the herb that is able to break up congealed blood. Moreover, Yu Jin can cool the blood and stop bleeding. Together with other herbs, it can be used as chief or deputy in a formula to break up and remove congealed blood and stop bleeding. It is used for dysmenorrhea, mastopathy, liver cirrhosis and tumors, as well as bleeding due to Liver heat.

As well as the above-mentioned functions, this herb has other functions that can be used as a reference in selecting herbs in a formula. It is an aromatic herb, and is able to penetrate damp-heat, clear damp-heat and promote bile secretion. It can be used as deputy in a formula when there is damp-heat in the Upper- and Middle-Jiao, the symptoms of which are fullness in the chest and epigastric region, jaundice and reduced appetite, such as in malaria and hepatitis. In addition, Yu Jin can spread the Liver-Qi, clear the Liver-heat and eliminate irritability. It can be selected to treat headache and a tight sensation in the chest caused by Qi and blood stagnation and damp-heat obstruction.

Yi Mu Cao specifically treats stagnation of blood in the Lower-Jiao and is often used as deputy to treat gynecological disorders, such as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea and irregular menstruation. It is used frequently to clear heat and remove congealed blood from the Lower-Jiao, thus it is often used in acute and chronic infections and inflammations in that region, such as cervicitis and adnexitis.

The substances in this group are able to break up congealed blood . They are also used to treat severe and chronic blood stagnation when congealed blood is present in the body for a long period of time. The congealed blood becomes a hard clotted or solid mass, such as a tumor or swollen glands. These substances are used in trauma when there is acute and severe blood stagnation with pain. They are pungent, salty or bitter in property.

Tao Ren is bitter, sweet and neutral, and enters the Heart, Liver and Large Intestine meridians. Since its bitter taste is dominant, this herb moves downward and can break up congealed blood. It is often used with large dosages of Hong Hua, which is warm and pungent, and enhances the ability of Tao Ren to remove the congealed blood.

Yu Jin is pungent, bitter and cold, and is able to invigorate the Liver-blood. It moves with high speed, can break up congealed blood, cool the blood and stop bleeding.

Ru Xiang is warm and pungent, and enters the Heart and Liver meridians; Mo Yao is neutral and enters the Liver meridian. Ru Xiang and Mo Yao are a pair of herbs that are often used together. They can strongly disperse and descend congealed blood, open up the meridians and collaterals, and are very effective in relieving pain.

If comparing the functions of the two herbs, Ru Xiang promotes the Qi movement and can also relax the tendons. As it is particularly suitable for conditions where the joints and muscles are very stiff, swollen and painful, it is often used in trauma or fracture, and is also more often used topically than Mo Yao. Mo Yao is more bitter and its dispersing action is stronger in breaking up congealed blood. It is used not only in trauma or fracture, but also in hard masses, such as tumor. These two herbs are often used together to enhance their therapeutic effect and they form a main part in formulas to break up congealed blood.

Since both herbs have a strong smell that can easily cause nausea, and overdose may injure the stomach, they are often used in pill form and have to be taken after a meal.

These substances can break up or drive out congealed blood. They are used to treat a solid mass that is formed by congealed blood, phlegm, dampness, cold or heat and toxin. Some substances in this group are poisonous. Their poisonous nature can effectively conquer the pathogenic substances in the body. They are only used in formulas that treat very severe conditions, such as hepatosplenomegaly, liver cirrhosis and cancer.

San Leng and E Zhu can strongly promote Qi movement and blood circulation, and break up congealed blood. These two herbs are often used together to enhance their actions because San Leng is stronger in breaking up congealed blood and E Zhu is stronger in breaking up the constrained Qi. They can be used in formulas as chief or deputies to treat severe blood stagnation, such as hepatosplenomegaly, liver cirrhosis, ectopic pregnancy and tumors. Since San Leng and E Zhu can strongly break up congealed blood, they can also injure the Qi. For treating patients with Qi deficiency or with a weak constitution, these herbs must be used together with herbs that tonify the Qi.

These herbs can regulate the blood and promote blood circulation in the entire body.

Chuan Xiong is a commonly used herb for promoting blood circulation. It is characterized by high moving speed and strength. As it moves upwards, downwards, inwards and outwards, and can reach every part of the body, it can be used in a general condition of blood stagnation. As it is warm, pungent and moves at a high speed, it should be used with caution.

Ji Xue Teng is sweet, slightly bitter and warm, and enters the Liver meridian. It can invigorate the blood and treat blood stagnation. The difference between this herb and the other herbs that promote blood circulation is that Ji Xue Teng is able to tonify blood and can treat blood deficiency, such as in chronic diseases or in patients with a weak constitution. Moreover, according to the concept in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Vines enter collaterals, this herb is able to regulate the collaterals and to treat numbness, stiffness and cramp of the limbs, and is often used for treating chronic arthritis, sequelae after cerebrovascular accident, restless legs and other vascular and neurological diseases.

Hong Hua is pungent and warm, and enters the Heart and Liver meridians. It has a dispersing nature and can promote the circulation of blood in the whole body and stop pain. It is also often used in a general condition of blood stagnation.

Chuan Xiong is particularly selected if the blood stagnation manifests in the head. It is considered as a Qi-moving herb in the blood. Its action is characterized by high moving speed and strength. It moves upwards and can reach the top of the head. It enters the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians and therefore effectively opens the blockage of blood on the lateral side of the head.

These herbs are particularly selected if the blood stagnation manifests in the chest.

Chuan Xiong and Hong Hua are pungent and warm, and enter the Heart meridian. They are often chosen to promote blood circulation in the chest. They can effectively relieve chest pain and therefore are used to treat myocardial infarction and angina pectoris.

Dan Shen also enters the Heart meridian, has similar functions to Chuan Xiong and Hong Hua, and it also is used in myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. However, it is cold in nature and is used in a syndrome with heat in the blood and in the Heart.

Like Dan Shen, Chuan Niu Xi is cold, but it can direct the blood downward. It is particularly suitable for use when the blood and heat accumulate in the head or chest, or when blood and heat have a tendency of ascending.

These herbs are particularly selected if the blood stagnation manifests in the hypochondriac region and upper abdomen.

Yu Jin primarily enters the Liver meridian, on which its function focuses. It is pungent, bitter and cold, and is able to invigorate the Liver-blood at a high speed. As it can also clear damp-heat, it is often used for hypochondriac pain caused by blood, dampness, Qi stagnation and heat accumulation.

Chi Shao Yao is sour, bitter and slightly cold. It is characterized by reducing excess heat in the blood and regulating the blood circulation. It is good at reducing pain and swelling due to trauma.

Su Mu is sweet, salty, pungent and cold, and enters the Heart, Liver and Spleen meridians. The dominant pungent taste brings about a strong dispersing action. A small dosage of Su Mu can activate the blood circulation and a large dosage can break up congealed blood. It is often used for gynecological disorders caused by Liver-blood stagnation. It is also an important herb to reduce pain and swelling in trauma.

These herbs are particularly selected if the blood stagnation manifests in the abdomen. They are often used for irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, infection and inflammation in the pelvis.

Dang Gui is pungent, sweet and warm, and enters the Liver, Spleen and Heart meridians. It can tonify and warm the blood, and stimulate the blood circulation in a gentle but steady way.

Yue Ji Hua is sweet and warm, has a fragrant smell and enters the Liver meridian. It can reduce congealed blood in a gentle way and is often used for menstruation disorders and liver diseases.

Ze Lan can disperse the constrained Liver-Qi, remove congealed blood and stop pain. It is a very important herb for regulating menstruation and is a commonly used herb for gynecological disorders.

Yi Mu Cao has functions similar to those of Ze Lan, but is cold in temperature. It is often chosen to treat dysmenorrhea, endometriosis and inflammations in the pelvis due to heat in the blood.

Wu Ling Zhi is sweet and warm, and enters the Liver meridian. It is an important substance to stop pain caused by blood stagnation. It is characterized by gradually dissolving the congealed blood without consuming the normal blood, which is the side effect of most herbs that move blood.

These herbs are particularly selected if the blood stagnation manifests in the lower abdomen.

Tao Ren and Hong Hua are warm and pungent. Since Tao Ren moves downward and can break up congealed blood, and Hong Huan can enhance this function, they are often used together to treat blood stagnation in the Lower-Jiao.

These herbs are particularly selected if the blood stagnation manifests in the limbs.

They all have a strong moving ability, are able to open up the meridians and treat stiffness and pain of the limbs. As their high speed and strength can also expel cold, wind and dampness, they are often used for treating Bi syndrome caused by wind, cold and dampness.

These herbs are particularly selected if the blood stagnation manifests in the collaterals.

Wang Bu Liu Xing, Lu Lu Tong and Di Long are commonly used substances to open the collaterals. They can eliminate congealed blood from the collaterals and promote Qi movement and blood circulation. They are often used as deputies in formulas to treat chronic pain, stubborn pain, tingling and stiffness or numbness of the limbs, such as in migraine, sequelae of cerebrovascular accident and other neurological disorders.

These herbs are particularly selected for topical use. They can be used for making lotions, ointments, tinctures and plasters. They should be applied when the bleeding has stopped and not on an open wound. San Qi is an exception. As it can stop bleeding and remove congealed blood at the same time, it can be applied to an open wound.

These substances particularly promote Qi movement in the head. They are warm and pungent, and move quickly and forcefully. They have a strong ascending and dispersing ability, and therefore are often used to stimulate the Qi to promote blood circulation in the head.

These herbs particularly promote Qi movement in the chest. They are aromatic herbs and have a strong and quick action to stimulate the Qi movement in the chest to promote blood circulation. They can broaden the chest and relieve pain and a stifling sensation in the chest.

These herbs particularly regulate the Qi in the Upper-Jiao.

Jie Geng and Chai Hu are pungent in nature and enter the Lung and Gall Bladder meridians respectively. They have ascending and dispersing properties, and can ascend and spread the constrained Qi in the Upper-Jiao. They are often used together with herbs that descend the Qi in the chest to activate the Qi and blood in this region.

These herbs particularly promote Qi movement in the Liver.

Xiang Fu is the most commonly used herb to regulate the Liver-Qi in the San Jiao meridian. It is a gentle but effective herb and can be used for a long period of time.

Chai Hu enters the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians. It has an ascending property and is more suitable for spreading the constrained Qi and treating hypochondrial distension.

Mu Xiang is an aromatic herb. It can effectively move the Qi. It particularly relieves pain due to its strong action of moving the Qi. Since it also enters the Spleen and Large Intestine meridians, it is more suitable for treating pain in the hypochondriac region and abdomen.

These two herbs particularly promote Qi movement in the Liver and Stomach.

Xiang Yuan and Fo Shou are sour and warm, and enter the Liver and Stomach meridians. They can harmonize the Qi of the Liver and Stomach, and are often used in the condition where Liver-Qi overacts on the Stomach, causing poor appetite and fullness in the stomach and hypochondriac regions.

These herbs particularly promote Qi movement in the upper abdomen.

Chen Pi and Zhi Ke can regulate the Qi in the Lung and Stomach, remove phlegm and promote digestion. They can reduce fullness of the stomach and improve appetite. Both are pungent, but as Chen Pi is warm and Zhi Ke is cold, they can be selected separately to meet treatment need.

These herbs particularly promote Qi movement in the lower abdomen.

These herbs are able to promote Qi movement in the Lower-Jiao and stimulate blood circulation there. They also treat Qi stagnation and reduce distension directly. They are all strong herbs and can effectively reduce pain caused by Qi stagnation. Since they enter different meridians, they can treat Qi stagnation in different regions: Wu Yao enters the Kidney and Bladder meridians, Qing Pi the Liver meridian and Zhi Shi the Large Intestine meridian.

These herbs particularly expel wind, damp and cold, and promote Qi movement in the limbs.

In chronic Bi syndromes, blood stagnation often presents with wind, damp, cold or heat in the syndrome. Because wind, dampness and cold can block the Qi and blood circulation, they should be removed in order to improve the blood circulation.

Qin Jiao is particularly used to expel wind-dampness; Qiang Huo and Du Huo can expel wind, cold and dampness; Wei Ling Xian and Fu Zi, the toxic but strong herbs, can expel the cold and particularly reduce pain; Di Long, Quan Xie and Wu Gong are able to expel wind from the collaterals and relax the stiffness and numbness. They are often used with herbs that regulate the blood, particularly those entering the meridians and collaterals.

These herbs are particularly selected for eliminating dampness and phlegm.

When blood stagnates, the Qi is also obstructed. If it fails to accelerate the digestion and the water metabolism, dampness, phlegm and food may accumulate. Herbs that eliminate these pathological products can also reduce the causes of blood stagnation and therefore improve the condition of the blood.

Xing Ren, pungent and warm, is able to remove the phlegm and descend the Lung-Qi. It is particularly suitable for use when there is damp-phlegm in the Lung.

Both Bai Dou Kou and Yi Yi Ren can eliminate dampness from the Middle-Jiao. Bai Dou Kou can regulate the Qi and transform dampness; Yi Yi Ren is able to promote urination and therefore to leach out dampness.

Hou Po is pungent and warm, and can remove the dampness from the Upper-, Middle- and Lower-Jiao. It can also remove phlegm, descend the Qi and reduce the fullness and distending sensation. It is thus a very commonly used and effective herb in a general sense to activate Qi, and to remove damp and phlegm.

Qin Jiao and Cang Zhu are pungent herbs that can dry and disperse dampness. As they can eliminate dampness from muscles and meridians, they are often used in treating Bi syndrome.

These herbs are selected to warm the interior, promote blood circulation and remove congealed blood.

All the herbs in this group are warm and pungent. Cong Bai and Xie Bai are often used to disperse cold in the Upper-Jiao and to stimulate Heart-Yang. Sheng Jiang is more suitable to warm the Stomach, and Gan Jiang to warm the Spleen. As for Gui Zhi and Rou Gui, the former enters the Heart meridian and is effective for promoting Yang and Qi circulation in the meridians and limbs; the latter enters the Kidney meridian and is particularly able to warm the Lower-Jiao and the Kidney-Yang.

These herbs are selected to tonify the Qi, and to nourish the blood and Yin to reduce the side effect of herbs that stimulate the blood.

Since the herbs that promote blood circulation and remove or break up congealed blood are pungent, they easily consume the Qi and injure the blood and Yin. Patients may feel tired during treatment, especially patients who suffer from chronic diseases or have a weak constitution, and therefore herbs that tonify should be used as assistants.

Huang Qi is warm and sweet, and enters the Lung and Spleen meridians. It can powerfully tonify the Qi and strengthen the muscles. It can be used as corrective assistant in the formula to prevent and treat Qi deficiency. It can also be used as assistant for strengthening the Qi to invigorate the blood and promote blood circulation.

Hei Zhi Ma and E Jiao can tonify the blood and Yin, and moisten dryness. They are used to treat dry skin, fragile nails and brittle hair due to blood stagnation and blood deficiency.

Sheng Di Huang is sweet, bitter and cold. It can nourish the Yin and reduce heat to allow blood to move smoothly and calmly. It is particularly suitable for situations where blood and Yin are weak and heat is in the blood, or where pungent and warm herbs have injured the Yin of the body. All of these can make the blood circulation slow down.

These herbs are selected to protect the Stomach and Spleen.

Herbs that promote blood circulation and break up congealed blood can injure the Stomach and Spleen, disturb their ascending and descending functions and cause nausea, fullness or pain of the stomach. Zhi Gan Cao, Sheng Jiang and Da Zao are often used to prevent these disorders.

Sheng Jiang can soothe the Stomach Qi and promote digestion, and Da Zao can tonify the Qi and blood. They are often used together to strengthen the function of the Stomach and Spleen, protecting them from damage by disease as well as from the side effects of the harsh herbs.

Zhi Gan Cao not only tonifies the Qi and moderates the harsh action of the strong herbs, it also eases the muscles. Furthermore, as it can reduce tension in the Middle-Jiao, it is often used to protect the Stomach and Spleen.

Zhi Gan Cao can moderate the herbs that have strong actions and integrate the functions of all the herbs that work on different aspects and in different directions in a formula.