Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Classical TCM Formula Profile
Part of the HJMEDICAL TCM Discovery Center
血府逐瘀汤 · Xuè Fǔ Zhú Yū Tāng
Famous formula for Blood stasis in the chest (Xue Fu), presenting with fixed chest or hypochondriac pain, headache, insomnia and emotional symptoms. Combines Blood-invigorating and Qi-moving herbs.
Read the complete guide →Quick Facts
- Formula Category
- Blood-Invigorating Formulas
- Primary Pattern
- Blood Stasis
- Primary Function
- Invigorate Blood, dispel stasis, move Qi
- Primary Therapeutic Principle
- Invigorate Blood, dispel Blood stasis, move Qi and relieve pain
- Classical Source
- Yi Lin Gai Cuo (Corrections of Errors in Medical Classics, Wang Qingren, Qing dynasty)
- Available as Granules
- Yes
Formula Overview
Famous formula for Blood stasis in the chest (Xue Fu), presenting with fixed chest or hypochondriac pain, headache, insomnia and emotional symptoms. Combines Blood-invigorating and Qi-moving herbs.
Therapeutic Principle
Traditionally selected when Blood stasis settles in the chest and upper body, with stabbing chest pain, insomnia and irritability — anatomically distinct from Tao He Cheng Qi Tang's lower abdominal stasis with Heat, and moving Blood where Chai Hu Shu Gan San moves only Qi.
Composition: Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, Envoy
Every herb in the formula, grouped by the job it does in the classical hierarchy.
君SovereignTreats the main pattern
臣MinisterReinforces the sovereign
當歸Dang Gui9g
Chinese Angelica Root- nourishes and and gently invigorates blood
生地黃Sheng Di Huang9g
Raw Rehmannia Root- nourishes blood and boosts yin
- clears heat and invigorates blood
佐AssistantTreats accompanying patterns
川芎Chuan Xiong5g
Chuanxiong Rhizome- moves blood and qi and reaches the head and channels
赤芍Chi Shao6g
Red Peony Root- helps the chief medicinals to invigorate blood and dissolves stasis
牛膝Niu Xi9g
Achyranthes Root- invigorates blood and unblocks the channels
- dissolves stasis and relieves pain
- conducts the blood downward
柴胡Chai Hu3g
Bupleurum Root- soothes the liver and resolves constraint lifts and frees
- clears yang together with jie geng and zhi qiao is good at regulating qi and moving stagnation moving qi
- promotes the circulation of blood
桔梗Jie Geng5g
Platycodon Root- jie geng ascends and zhi qiao
- descends
- loosens the chest and moves qi jie geng carries other medicinals upward
枳殼Zhi Ke6g
Bitter Orange- moves qi in the middle jiao and relieves distension
使EnvoyGuides and harmonises
Classical Composition
- Persicae Semen(Tao Ren) 4 qian (12g),Carthami Flos (Hong Hua) 3 qian (9g)
- Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Dang Gui) 3 qian (9g)
- Rehmanniae Radix (Sheng Di) 3 qian (9g)
- Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuan Xiong) 1.5 qian (4.5g)
- Paeoniae Radix Rubra(Chi Shao) 2 qian (6g)
- Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niu Xi) 3 qian (9g)
- Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng) 1.5 qian (4.5g)
- Bupleuri Radix (Chai Hu) 1 qian (3g)
- Aurantii Fructus (Zhi Qiao) 2 qian (6g)
- Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao) 2 qian (6g)
Dosages follow the classical source and are shown for study, not as a prescription.
Related Conditions
Related Health Topics
Actions
- Invigorates blood
- dissolves stasis
- and moves qi to relieve pain.
Indications
- Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang is indicated for blood stasis in the chest.
- Symptoms include chest pain, headache, and chronic stabbing pain at a fixed location, continual hiccups or choking when drinking water, nausea, internal heat, dizziness, severe palpitations, insomnia, dreaminess, impatience, irascibility, tidal fever at night, dark lips or eyes, a dark red tongue with ecchymosis or purple spots, and a choppy or wiry, tight pulse.
Traditional Pathogenesis
Cause & mechanism
- This pattern is caused by the qi that becomes stagnated due to obstructive blood stasis.
- Particularly, it is blood stasis in the chest, which is the house of the blood.
- The chest is where qi roots and blood accumulates, and an area coursed by the liver channel.
- Long-term chest pain and headaches with stabbing pain at a fixed location are caused by blood stasis in the chest, qi stagnation, and clear yang failing to ascend.
- Obstruction in the chest caused by blood stagnation may involve the stomach and cause stomach qi to counter-flow ascend.
- Long-term stasis transforms into heat, which causes internal heat, dizziness, and tidal fever at night.
- Stasis heat disturbing the heart causes severe palpitations, insomnia, and dreaminess.
- Enduring qi stagnation hinders the liver’s capacity for free flow, which leads to impatience and irascibility.
Clinical presentation
- The result is hiccups, belching, and even choking when drinking water.
- The manifestations at the lips, eyes, tongue, and pulse reflect symptoms of blood stasis.
Treatment strategy
- The therapeutic method is to invigorate blood, dissolve stasis, and move qi to relieve pain.
How does this formula compare?
Clinical Perspective
Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang targets Blood stasis in the upper body/chest. Tao He Cheng Qi Tang focuses on lower abdominal Blood stasis with Heat. Wen Jing Tang addresses cold-type gynecological Blood issues. Si Ni San and Chai Hu Shu Gan San primarily move Qi rather than Blood.
Clinical Differentiation
- Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang is commonly used in many diseases caused by blood stasis in the chest.
- This clinical pattern is marked by chest pain, headache, fixed pain, dusky red tongue or tongue with stasis macules, choppy or wiry, tight pulse.
Safety notes: This formula mainly contains blood-invigorating, stasis-dissolving, qi-moving, and collaterals-unblocking medicinals. Consequently, it is not applicable for neither pregnant women nor the sick and elderly.
For educational reference only, based on traditional pattern differentiation — not a substitute for professional advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the actions of Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang?
Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang has the actions of invigorating Blood and dispelling stasis, moving Qi and alleviating pain. It is primarily used for Blood stasis in the chest (the “blood mansion”), with fixed stabbing pain and signs of stasis.
Which modern diseases is Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang suited to?
Modern TCM clinical practice commonly applies it to individuals whose pattern differentiation falls within Blood stasis (often with Qi stagnation), including coronary heart disease or angina (supportive), chronic fixed headaches or migraines, post-traumatic chest pain, and certain gynecological conditions with Blood stasis.
Is Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang suitable for improving fixed chest or head pain?
For presentations of chronic stabbing chest pain or headache that is fixed in location, dark lips or periocular darkness, a dark tongue with stasis spots or purple discoloration, and a choppy or wiry pulse — in those whose pattern differentiation confirms Blood stasis in the chest — TCM commonly applies Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang as an adjunct. It cannot replace standard medical treatment.
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Medical Disclaimer
For general TCM education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified TCM practitioner or licensed healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, nursing, on medication, or managing a chronic condition.