Motherwort
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Herbs for Promoting Blood Circulation and Relieving Blood Stasis
Motherwort
Latin:
Herba Leonuri
Origin:
The part above the ground of Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S. Y. Hu, or Leonurus sibiricus L., an annual or biennial plant, of the family Labiatae. Native to central Europe, Scandinavia, Russia and China, it is now naturalized in Japan, Java, Malacca, Malaysia and North America.
, 百拇医药
The plant grows to about 1 m by 0.6 m. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees. The plant can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.
Motherwort is produced everywhere in China. Harvested when the stem leaves are luxuriant, when the flowers are not out or when the plant has just come into bloom in summer, the herb is cut into lengths and dried in the sun for use when raw or after being decocted into a soft extract.
, 百拇医药
Also called Chinese Motherwort and Siberian Motherwort.
Properties:
Bitter and pungent in flavor, slightly cold in nature, it is related to the liver, heart and urinary bladder channels.
Functions:
Promotes blood circulation to regulate menstruation and induces diuresis to alleviate edema.
, 百拇医药 Motherwort is unusual amongst Chinese herbs in that it is often prescribed for use on its own and not in a mixture with other herbs.
Applications:
1. To treat amenorrhea (abnormal absence or suppression of menses), dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) and obstructed menstruation due to blood stasis, postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis and qi stagnation, etc.:
So bitter as to be purging and so pungent as to be dispersing and mainly entering the blood system, this herb is good at promoting blood circulation by removing blood stasis and regulating menstruation, so it is a major herb for menstruation and child delivery in gynecology and it is also known as the "mother-benefiting herb".
, 百拇医药
a) Amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea and obstructed menstruation due to blood stasis, postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis and qi stagnation, etc.:
This herb can be decocted alone into a soft extract, e.g., Yimucao Liujingao or Yimucao Gao. It is also often used in combination with Chinese angelica, chuanxiong (Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong), herbaceous peony unpeeled root (Radix Paeoniae Rubra), etc., in order to strengthen the effects of promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation, e.g., Yimu Wan in the book 'The Collection of Proven Effective Recipes'.
, 百拇医药
b) Postpartum hemorrhage:
In modern times, this herb has given better effects when it has been used in combination with purslane (Herba Portulacae).
2. Top treat edema and dysuria (difficult or painful discharge of urine):
This herb can not only induce diuresis to relieve edema, but also promote blood circulation by removing blood stasis. It is especially applicable to edema with water retention and blood stasis obstructing each other.
, 百拇医药
a) Edema and dysuria:
It can be used alone or in combination with cogongrass rhizome (Rhizoma Imperatae), shiny bugleweed (Herba Lycopi), etc.
b) Nephritis (acute or chronic inflammation of the kidney caused by infection):
In modern times, this herb has been effective on the treatment of nephritis.
3. Miscellaneous:
This herb can clear away heat and toxic substances and subdue swelling.
, 百拇医药
a) Traumatic injuries, boils, carbuncles and pyogenic infections and skin pruritus and eruption:
This herb can also be used for traumatic injuries, boils, carbuncles and pyogenic infections and skin pruritus and eruption.
b) Cardiovascular Diseases:
In modern times, it has been reported that this herb has been effective in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary disease, etc.
, 百拇医药
Dosage and Administration:
10-15 g., 30 g. for large dosage.
Decoct in water or boil it down into a soft extract or include it in pills for oral administration.
For external use, mash an adequate amount of this herb for external application or decoct it in water for external rinsing.
Cautions on Use:
, 百拇医药
The herb stimulates uterine contractions and should not therefore be used when in the earlier stages of pregnancy. Better still, avoid using this herb to pregnant women and used carefully by anyone with blood deficiency but without blood stasis.
Reference Materials:
'Shen Nong's Herbal Classic' :
"It can be used as a bathing decoction."
'Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica' :
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"Edema with water retention in the lower part of the body and malignant pyogenic infections."
'The Compendium of Materia Medica' :
"Promoting blood circulation, dissipating blood stasis, regulating menstruation and removing toxic substances."
"Treats vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, dystocia (slow or difficult labor or delivery), retention of placenta, leprosy, swooning off due to excessive loss of blood during child delivery, pain due to blood stasis, metrorrhagia (profuse uterine bleeding especially between menstrual periods) and metrostaxis, hematuria (the presence of blood or blood cells in the urine), diarrhea with bloody stools, infantile malnutrition, dysentery, hemorrhoids, internal injuries with blood stasis due to traumatic injuries, constipation and dysuria."
, 百拇医药
Toxic or Side Effects:
Modern Researches:
This herb contains a variety of alkaloids such as leonurine, stachydrine, leonuridine, etc. The 0.05% leonurine it ccontains has a curare-like effect on the motor-endings of the nervous system, acting in small doses as a stimulant to the respiratory system but in large doses causing respiratory paralysis.
It also contains benzoic acid, a large amount of potassium chloride, lauric acid, vitamins and such flavonoids as caryopterin, etc.
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Its water infusion can inhibit dermatomyces.
The whole plant is antibacterial, antispasmodic, astringent, cardiac, depurative (purifying the blood), diaphoretic (having the power to increase perspiration), diuretic (tending to increase the flow of urine), emmenagogue (promotes the menstrual discharge), hypnotic, nervine, oxytoxic, stomachic, tonic, and uterine stimulant., 百拇医药