9b Blood - Regulate and Invigorate
 DRUGS FOR PROMOTING BLOOD CIRCULATION AND RELIEVING BLOOD STASIS Drugs whose principal effects are to make free the passage of blood in the vessels, promote blood circulation and disperse Blood stasis are termed as drugs for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, or drugs for invigorating blood circulation and resolving blood stasis. Among them, those with strong actions of invigorating blood circulation and resolving blood stasis are habitually called potent drugs for removing blood stasis. Most drugs of this class have pungent flavour, warm property and actions of promoting blood circulation and dispersing blood stasis to clear the channels, remove obstruction of Qi and blood, reduce swelling and relieve pain. They are effective for various syndromes due to obstruction of blood circulation and retention of blood stasis in the interior, such as amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea due to blood stasis, postpartum abdominal pain due to retention of blood, masses in the abdomen, traumatic injuries, arthralgia, sores, carbuncles and other suppurative skin infections, and pain in the chest, hypochondrium and abdomen due to stagnation of Qi and blood stasis. Because Blood circulates smoothly only when Qi is in normal flow, and Blood slows down when Qi stagnates, therefore, drugs for promoting Blood circulation and eliminating Blood stasis are often used along with drugs for promoting the flow of Qi to strengthen their effects. Apart from this, other suitable drugs should be added according to the causes and symptoms of diseases. - For example, in cases of stagnation of Qi and blood stasis due to accumulation of pathogenic Cold, interior-warming drugs should be added - For pain in arthralgia-syndromes, drugs for eliminating Wind-Cold must be added. - For treating sores and other pyogenic skin infections, drugs for clearing away heat and toxins should be combined. - For the treatment of masses in the abdomen, drugs for softening and resolving hard masses and phlegm should be added. It is improper to describe this class of drugs to women with profuse menstruation. For pregnant women, these drugs should be very cautiously given or avoided altogether.