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Knowledge baseHerbs

Yi Mu Cao益母草

Herba LeonuriLeonurus

Also known asChinese Motherwort · Asian Motherwort Herb

Category
Herbs that Invigorate Blood
Nature
slightly cold
Taste
pungent, bitter
Channels entered
Heart, Liver, Bladder
Secondary channels
Kidney, Pericardium, Chong Mai, Yin Wei Mai, Ren Mai
Dosage
9–60 g

Usual doses

Dosage
9–60 g
Dried
90–120 g
Fresh
180–240 g
Tincture
2–4 ml
For glomerulonephritis with edema
120 g

Actions & indications

Invigorates the Blood, dispels Stasis, regulates menstruation and reduces masses
  • 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

  • Contraindicated in pregnancy, as it may induce miscarriage.
  • Contraindicated in Yin, Blood or Yang Deficiency accompanied by prolapse.

Interactions

Caution is advised in patients on anticoagulants such as heparin, warfarin (Coumadin) or enoxaparin (Lovenox), or on antiplatelet agents such as aspirin, dipyridamole (Persantine) or clopidogrel (Plavix), since combined use may produce an additive or synergistic effect.

Combinations

  • Blood Stasis presenting with infertility, irregular menses, lower abdominal fullness and pain, and scanty flow.

  • Postpartum Blood Stasis causing dysmenorrhea or lower abdominal pain.

  • Infertility, irregular periods, and lower abdominal fullness and pain with scanty menstruation from Blood Stasis.

  • Lower abdominal pain and dysmenorrhea from postpartum Blood Stasis.

  • Lochioschesis.

  • Blood Stasis accompanied by edema; edema of nephritic origin.

  • Stone Lin and Bloody Lin syndromes.

  • Conditions combining Blood Stasis with pathogenic water accumulation, such as Blood separation (amenorrhea followed by generalized edema).

  • Promotes uterine contractions.

Notes

  • Sm. Leonuri Chong Wei Zi, sweet and cool in nature, breaks up Blood Stasis while astringing and tonifying; it also cools the Liver and sharpens vision. Indications include menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, and red, painful, swollen eyes or pterygium arising from Liver Heat, at a dosage of 9-15g.
  • This herb is among the most frequently used in practice.
  • Its main applications are Blood Stasis, retained placenta, tissue injury and gynecological disorders.
  • It is regarded as a sacred remedy for blood disorders, since it moves the Blood without harming newly formed Blood, and generates new Blood without causing hemostasis.
  • The seeds have a nourishing action and address Wind-Heat in the channels of the limbs, eye disorders and menstrual irregularities.
  • Used as the whole plant, it effectively promotes Body Fluids and is applied to swelling, ulcers, carbuncles, edema and postpartum conditions.
  • It facilitates childbirth.
  • Used by itself, it addresses severe postpartum abdominal pain or uterine bleeding.
  • It is particularly effective at clearing toxicity following delivery.
  • Some sources credit it with dispersing Phlegm and promoting tissue regeneration (generating flesh).
  • At higher dosages, taken alone, it can promote urination.
  • Research indicates it can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
  • It has also demonstrated usefulness for Heart Qi Stagnation.
  • Yi Mu Cao and Hb. Lycopi Ze Lan share the ability to invigorate the Blood, promote urination and reduce toxic swelling. Ze Lan acts gently and harmoniously, making it suitable for either Heat or Cold patterns of Blood Stasis, including swelling reduction. Yi Mu Cao, by contrast, is a more powerful Blood mover and diuretic; being cooling, it is better matched to Blood Heat combined with Blood Stasis.
  • Yi Mu Cao and Flos Carthami Hong Hua both invigorate the Blood and act on the Blood level of the Heart and Liver channels. Hong Hua, being warm, invigorates Blood more forcefully, reduces swelling, and in large doses breaks up Blood Stasis strongly. Yi Mu Cao, slightly cold, instead gently clears Blood Heat when Stagnation is accompanied by Heat, and additionally promotes urination.
  • Wine-fried Leonurus, Jiu Chao Yi Mu Cao, is less cold and more effective at invigorating the Blood, dispelling Stasis, regulating menstruation and relieving pain.

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