TRADITIONAL INTERNAL MEDICINE – DISEASES & FORMULAS
Excessive Menstruation
For Menorrhagia; excessive or prolonged Menstrual Bleeding
Uterine Bleeding is the term used for any Bleeding from the Uterus, including Menstruation, but also abnormal or prolonged bleeding. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding is used for Bleeding not related to the normal menstrual cycle.
Menorrhagia refers to Heavy or Prolonged Menstrual Bleeding.
Causes of Heavy or Prolonged Menstruation
Excess, Heavy or Prolonged Bleeding from the Uterus are treated according to their type:
1. Cold-type:
Pale face, weak pulse, pale and watery blood, feels the Cold. Use warming medicines to stop Bleeding. Cinnamon, Ginger and Nutmeg are examples of warming medicines used for Cold-type Uterine Bleeding.
2. Heat-type:
Red Face, fast or strong pulse, excess blood of good color, perhaps with clots. Use cooling medicines to stop Bleeding, such as Plantain seed, Red Earth, Red Coral.
3. Blood Stasis:
Heavy period with dark clotted blood, painful period, abdominal pain worse with pressure, purplish nails, choppy pulse. Use mild Blood moving medicines. Motherwort, Peach kernel and Safflower are examples of herbs that can be used.
4. Deficient:
Very weak, constant spotting, deep pulse, feels cold, back pain. Chronic cases will eventually become deficienct. Use astringents and tonics. Comfrey, Soloman’s Seal, Shatavari or Peony root can be used along with medicines to stop Bleeding.
Western Tradition
Simples
Water Lily root
Pomegranate bark
Plantain seed
Chebula
Red Coral
Earths (Red, Lemnian)
Comfrey root
Pomegranate flower
Rose
Nutmeg
Pearl
1. Powder the skin of Hazelnuts and give in 1 dram doses.
Menstrua fluxum retinent – to Restrain Menstrum
Styptic Decoction
Syrup of Comfrey Comp.
Syrup for Excess Menstrual Bleeding
Philons Persian Antidote (Philonium Persicum) (Mesue)
Troches of Amber
Electuary of Scoria Ferri
Electuary of Micleta (Nicholas)
Compound Coral Electuary (Diacorallium)
Triphera Minor (Triphera Phoenonis) (Mesue)
Conserve of Rose
Halys Powder
Troches of Earth of Lemnos (Trochisci de Terra Lemna)
Troches of Amber (Trochisci de Succino) (Mesue)
Pills of Bdellium (Mesue)
Countesses Ointment
Mauktika Yukta (Pearl Compound) (Ayurveda)
Women’s Universal Decoction (Mo nad spyi thang)
Heavy or Excess Bleeding from Heat
Styptic Decoction
Syrup of Dried Roses
Simple Syrup of Coral
Comp. Syrup of Coral
Syrup of Comfrey Comp.
Electuary of Coral (Diacorallium)
Tincture of Coral
Tincture of Dried Roses
Conserve of Rose
Haly’s Powder
Abbots Confect of Rose (Diarrhodon Abbatis) (Nicholas)
Powder of Three Sandalwoods (Diatrionsantalum)
Cooling Powder of Gems
Cooling Pearl Powder (Diamargariton Frigid.) (Nichol.)
Sugar of Roses with Red Coral
Philons Persian Antidote (Philonium Persicum) (Mesue)
Troches of Ramich (Mesue)
Troches of Spodium (Mesue)
Troches of Earth of Lemnos (Trochisci de Terra Lemna)
Astringent Pills
Mauktika Yukta (Pearl Compound) (Ayurveda)
Pushyanuga Churna (Ayurveda)
Withania 3 Decoction (Ba spru gsum thang)
Excess Bleeding from Deficiency
Syrup of Quinces
The Strengthening Gelatin
Tincture of Dried Roses
Cooling Powder of Gems
Powder of Placenta
Tragacanth Cooling Powder with Armenian Earth
Electuary of Quince Compound (Diacydonium)
Electuary of Micleta (Nicholas)
Triphera Minor (Triphera Phoenonis) (Mesue)
Withania 3 Decoction (Ba spru gsum thang)
Women’s Universal Decoction (Mo nad spyi thang)
TCM Classification
Blood Heat
heavy period, bright red or dark red thick blood, restless, anxiety, feels hot, thirst, dark urine, headaches.
An Chong Tang
Bao Yin Jian
Gu Jing Wan
Si Wu Tang + Huang Lian Jie Du Tang (this is called Wen Qing Yin–Warming and Clearing Decoction). Used for Chronic, excess Uterine Bleeding from Heat.
Qi Deficiency
heavy bleeding, pale and dilute blood, pale complexion, tiredness, palpitations, shortness of breath.
Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Ba Zhen Tang
Gui Pi Tang
Ju Yuan Jian
Liver Yin and Blood Deficient
headache, dizziness, tinnitus, dry eyes, blurred vision, irritable, muscle twitches
Bu Gan Tang
Blood Stasis
heavy period with dark clotted blood, painful period, abdominal pain worse with pressure, purplish nails, choppy pulse.
Si Wu Tang
Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Special Formula
1. “To counter excessive menstruation, cook one handful of Sumac and one handful of bread crumbs in water until it stiffens, and drink for a few days on an empty stomach”. (Rhazes)
2. Hematite, Red Earth both finely powdered, 1 dram each, mix with Plantain water 2 oz. and take as a dose. (Secrets of Alexis)
3. Red Coral
Amber
Red Earth
Dragons Blood 2 drams ea.
Borax calcined
Plantain seed 1 dram
Saffron
Tormentil 1 scruple
(Gazophylacium Medico-Physicum, Woyts, 1746)
4. Red Sandalwood ½ oz.
Grains of Kermes
Amber 1 scruple ea.
Nutmeg 2 scruples
Powder and mixe with sugar (3 oz.) to form troches.
Research
1. Non-pharmacologic Treatment of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding in Persian Medicine
2. Taohong siwu decoction ameliorates abnormal uterine bleeding via inhibiting ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis.
