When Blood lingers in the same place

Discomfort that always returns to the same place, heavy limbs, areas that feel stiff after sustained effort or long periods without moving, a duller complexion… In TCM, these signs may be associated with Blood stasis lodged in the meridians: Blood no longer circulates freely, and the Qi, which normally carries it along, no longer gets through. Tradition often sees a little Wind-Dampness added to this, bringing a feeling of heaviness.

San Qi Shang Yao Pian is a modern preparation from the Chinese pharmacopoeia, standardised in the 20th century by the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China. It is built around notoginseng (San Qi), one of the great Blood herbs of the tradition, which the classics say disperses stasis without harming new Blood. Our adapted version keeps four of its herbs, combined in equal parts.

Moving Blood, in equal parts

The four herbs weigh the same, but do not play the same role. Notoginseng and safflower form a pair that tradition considers stronger than either one alone. Elder, neutral in nature, guides the action towards the meridians; red peony, the only cool herb, tempers the whole.

Disperses Stasis: Notoginseng disperses what lingers while keeping Blood in its pathways, and safflower extends this movement.

Supports Blood circulation: Red peony cools the Blood and helps it circulate, so that the formula sets it moving again without heating it.

Supports circulation and ease of movement: Elder enters only the Liver meridian, which according to tradition governs the tendons; it directs the formula towards the meridians and limbs.