Chuanxiong, Angelica, Gelatin, and Mugwort Decoction

金匱要略

The Master said: Women have leakage and dripping below; some after miscarriage have continuous unceasing bleeding; some have bleeding during pregnancy. If a pregnant woman has abdominal pain, it is Bao Zu; Jiao Ai Tang governs it. (Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet))

Xiongqiong 2 liang, ass-hide glue 2 liang, licorice 2 liang, mugwort leaf 3 liang, angelica 3 liang, peony root 4 liang, dried rehmannia 4 liang. The above seven ingredients: with 5 sheng of water and 3 sheng of clear rice wine, decoct together to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs, add the glue, and let it dissolve completely. Take 1 sheng warm, three times a day. If not improved, make another dose. (Shang Han Za Bing Lun)

With 5 sheng of water and 3 sheng of clear rice wine, decoct together to obtain 3 sheng, remove the dregs, add the glue, and let it dissolve completely. Take 1 sheng warm, three times a day. If not improved, make another dose. (Modern usage: decoct nine bowls of water into three bowls, and take one bowl warm after each of the three meals.)

湯劑

Warm the channels and tonify deficiency; move stagnation and stop bleeding.

Women with deficiency and damage of the Chong and Ren vessels, and a pattern of blood deficiency with cold. Flooding and spotting with bleeding, excessive menstruation, continuous dribbling bleeding; postpartum or post-miscarriage damage to the Chong and Ren vessels with unceasing bleeding; or Bao Zu during pregnancy, fetal leakage with bleeding, and abdominal pain.

Prolonged dripping menstruation or flooding and spotting: combine with Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang. -- Fetal leakage, restless fetus, menstrual flooding and spotting, with Qi deficiency: add astragalus: 15. -- Restless fetus, or soreness and pain in the lower back: add Eucommia bark: 10, Dipsacus root: 10, mulberry mistletoe: 10. -- Qi deficiency with a bearing-down sensation in the lower abdomen: combine with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. -- Unceasing bleeding: add prepared ginger: 10, charred Sanguisorba root: 10, charred mugwort leaf: 10.

This formula treats patterns of blood deficiency with a predominance of cold. It is contraindicated for excessive menstruation, flooding and spotting caused by frenetic movement due to blood heat, and by blood stasis obstructing the uterus. As stated in Gu Jin Ming Fang Fa Wei: 'Although this formula is an effective formula for treating flooding and spotting and bleeding during pregnancy, it is ultimately designed for the pattern of Chong and Ren deficiency and damage. If there is heat in the blood aspect, or abdominal masses obstructing the fetus, so that there is restless fetus with bleeding, then this formula is contraindicated. The Classic says: If there is something, seek it; if there is nothing, seek it; if there is excess, investigate it; if there is deficiency, investigate it. Excess and deficiency patterns are as distinct as water and fire; if one does not discern them clearly, life and death can turn in the palm. When facing a clinical case, how can one not be cautious?'