Ligusticum - Chuan Xiong

Products Featuring This Herb:
Ligusticum Extract Powder
Bupleurum & Cyperus
Bupleurum & Rehmannia
Cardiovascular Protector
Dang Gui & Gelatin
Eagle Vision
Four Things
Golden Voice
Remove Stagnation
Ten Complete Supertonic
Women's Jing
Young at Heart
Angelica Dang Gui Teapills
Bupleurum Liver Soothing Pills
Calm in the Sea of Life Teapills
Clear Channels Teapills
Fertile Fields Teapills
Four Ingredient Pills
Four Substances Teapills
Great Invigorator Teapills
Great Yang Restoration Teapills
Heal Vaginal Discharge Teapills
Ledebouriella Sagely Unblocks Teapills
Ligusticum Teapills
Magnolia Flower Teapills
Release The Exterior Teapills
Resilient Warrior Teapills
Solitary Hermit Teapills
Stasis in the Lower Chamber Teapills
Stasis in the Lower Palace Teapills
Stasis in the Mansion of Blood Teapills
Ten Flavor Teapills
Three Painful-Obstruction Teapills
Warm Cycle Teapills
Women's Precious Teapills
Women's Precious Teapills Economy Size

Other Common Names
Sometimes called “Cnidium” - not Fructus Cnidium, Sichuan Lovage Rhizome, Szechwan Lovage Rhizome

Page # In Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs
213

Latin Name
Rhizoma Ligustici

Pinyin
Chuan Xiong

Treasures
Blood

Treasure Rating
***1/2

Atmospheric Energy
Warm

Taste
Pungent and Bitter

Organ Meridian Systems
Liver, Gall Bladder, Pericardium, Heart

Part Used and Form
Rhizome

Primary Functions
Vitalizes the blood, promotes the circulation of blood and Qi, nourishes blood, relieves wind conditions, analgesic

Qualities
Ligusticum wallichi, sometimes referred to as Cnidium, is a very widely used blood tonic. It is especially common in women’s blood tonic formulations. Ligusticum is a superb “blood vitalizing” herb used to improve blood circulation and to disperse blood stagnation. It has recently been found to improve blood circulation in the heart. It is sometimes called Cnidium on some product labels and should not be confused with Cnidium seed, a Yang essence tonic.

Ligusticum is one of the primary blood vitalizing herbs used in Chinese herbalism. It is very widely used in treating menstrual disorders because it is so effective at activating blood flow and relieving pain associated with blood and Qi stagnation. It warms the uterus and decongests swelling in the pelvic basin. In addition to its blood vitalizing effects, Ligusticum is a good blood tonic.

Though it was not classically recognized as a major heart tonic, it has recently been discovered that Ligusticum provides many benefits to the heart muscle. Its action in this regard is similar to that of Ilex and Notoginseng. It significantly enhances myocardial circulation and is now being widely used clinically in China to treat and prevent heart disease. Ligusticum is related to Dong Gui and they share many of the same characteristics. They also share significant components. However, Dong Gui is a stronger blood tonic and Ligusticum is a stronger Blood vitalizer and analgesic.

It is also widely used to relieve the pain associated with invasion of wind and in formulations to treat colds, flus, sinus congestion and various skin disorders.

Ligusticum has been found to induce interferon production in human beings.

Preparation and Utilization
It is usually used in formulas with Dong Gui, Rehmannia, Peony, etc. It is one of the “four things” in the most famous of women’s formulas, “Four Things Combination”. Combine with Notoginseng, Ilex and Qi tonics to create a formula beneficial to the heart. Do not cook Ligusticum for more than a few minutes. Add it to an infusion only at the end. Overcooking boils off and destroys the aromatic oils, which are essential components of the herb. Overcooking destroys the herb and it will not do its job.

Primary Combinations
Never used alone. Combine with:
Dang Gui, Rehmannia (steamed) and White Peony Root to build blood, stimulate blood flow, regulate the menstrual cycle and relieve abdominal pain
Salvia and Notoginseng to invigorate blood circulation and protect the Heart

Varieties and Grading
The stronger Ligusticum’s fragrance, the more powerful its activity inside the body. If it is old, it will have lost much of its fragrance