TRADITIONAL INTERNAL MEDICINE – DISEASES & FORMULAS
Promote Menstruation
For Amenorrhea and Irregular Menstruation
The cause of Obstructed or Stopped Menstruation (Amenorrhea) can be divided into Deficiency or Obstruction. Deficiency can be of Qi, Blood, Yin or Yang, but is most commonly due to Blood deficiency, or Qi and Blood deficiency.
Obstruction can be of Qi or Blood. Qi stagnation has other signs of Qi stagnation such as cramping, tender breasts, unsettled emotions etc., while Blood stagnation often comes with pain of a fixed nature, choppy pulse, dull complexion, with clotting and dark menstrual blood.
Treatment revolves around promoting and regulating menstruation.
Observations on Treatment (from The Practice of Physick, 1663):
“First, That we must never use Medicines that move the Courses [menses], but after Universal Purgations”
“Secondly, That in giving such things as bring down the Courses,. we must begin with the gentler, proceeding by little and little to such as are stronger”.
“Thirdly, That Medicaments procuring the Flux of the Courses, must be given in greater quantity than ordinary because their virtue is abated in the long passage from the Stomach unto the Womb’.
“Fourthly, That the Medicaments aforesaid, are to be given either in the morning, when the Patient is fasting, or sometimes at her going into, or coming out of the Bath”
“Fifthly, That Pessanes, and Womb-Clysters [douches], or Injections, are only to be prescribed to married Women … but to Virgins we must prescribe Nascalia (viz. Wool dipped in the Medicament), Fomentations. Baths to sit in, and Suffumigations”.
“Sixthly, In Choleric or Melancholic Constitutions, all hot Medicaments are to be avoided”.
Western Tradition
Menstrua provocant – Promote Menstruation
For Amenorrhea
i. “Mugwort stamped and put to the Navel, or the juice thereof mingled with Myrrh and made in a pessary does provoke the flowers [menstruation]” (The Treasury of Health, 1550). The decoction in wine can also be used, and was regarded as one of the surest simple remedies to promote Menstruation.
2. Decoction of Pennyroyal strongly promotes Menstruation, especially if boiled in wine.
3. Lavender flowers taken with Honey
4. Conserve of Calendula flowers, 2 drams
5. Myrrh and Saffron potently promote Menstruation. If there is Cold, add Cinnamon.
6. “Galen exceedingly commends the Pills of Hiera”.
Decoction Against Retention of Menstruation
Decoction for the Womb (Schroder)
Decoction to Promote Menstruation
Decoction to Promote Menstruation (Turner)
Decoction to Promote Menstruation (Wirtzung)
Emmenagogue Decoction (Riverius)
Syrup Against Cachexia (D’Aquin)
Syrup of Mugwort Compound
Syrup of Betony (Augustana)
Syrup of Betony juice
Syrup of Sage juice
Tincture of Caraway
Tincture of Cinnamon
Tincture of Juniper berry
Tincture of Musk
Tincture of Pepper
Tincture of Iron Compound
Tincture of Myrrh and AloesEmmenagogue Powder
Powder of Gum Lacca (Dialacca) (Mesue)
Powder of Calamint (Diacalamenthum) (Nicholas)
Antidotum Haemagogum (Nicholas)
The Queen of Colen’s Electuary
Hiera Ruffini
Hiera Pachi, or Hiera Archigenis
Hiera Pachi
Uterine Powder (Species Hysterica)
Powder to Promote Menstruation (Riverius)
Powder to Promote Menstruation (Rondeletius)
Troches of Myrrh
Troches for the Womb
Triphera Greater (Triphera Magnus) (Nicholas)
Pills of Amber
Pills of Sagapen
Theriac
Mithridate
Antelope Horn 14 (Rgya ru bcu bzhi) (Tibetan)
Auscpicious Conqueror (Bkra shis rnam rgyal) (Tibetan)
Boladi Vati (Ayurveda)
Cause of obstructed Menstruation:
Cold
Decoction to Promote Menstruation
Syrup of Betony Juice
Syrup of Betony (Augustana)
Syrup of Mugwort (Augustana)
Syrup of Five Roots
Tincture of Bees
Tincture of Caraway
Tincture of Pepper
Tincture of Cinnamon
Tincture of Juniper berry
Wine for the Womb
Powder of Seeds
Greater Calamint Powder (Diacalamint Comp.)
Comp. Cinnamon Powder (Diacinnamonum)(Mesue)
Powder of Three Peppers (Diatrionpiperion) (Galen)
Troches for the Womb
Electuary Provoking Menstruation (Antidot. Haema.)
Triphera Greater (Triphera Magnus) (Nicholas)
Mithridate
Sitz Bath to Promote Menstruation
Auscpicious Conqueror (Bkra shis rnam rgyal) (Tibetan)
Podophyllum 25 (‘Ol se nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Blood Stagnation
Decoction for the Womb (Schroder)
Syrup Against Cachexia (D’Aquin)
Syrup of Myrrh
Tincture of Musk
Tincture of Myrrh
Tincture of Rue
Tincture of Myrrh and Aloes
Wine of Marjoram
Troches of Myrrh
Dialacca Major (Mesue)
Dialacca Minor (Mesue)
Musked Troches (Gallia Muscata) (Mesue)
Tincture to Clear a Dead Fetus (Mylius)
Pills of Amber
Emmenagogue PowderBoladi Vati (Ayurveda)Auscpicious Conqueror (Bkra shis rnam rgyal) (Tibetan)Podophyllum 25 (‘Ol se nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Cold and Weak Kidneys
Decoction to Promote Menstruation
Syrup of Five Roots
Tincture of Caraway
Tincture of Cinnamon
Powder of Seeds
Electuary of Orchid (Diasatyrion) (Nicholas)
Triphera Greater (Triphera Magnus) (Nicholas)
Mithridate
Auscpicious Conqueror (Bkra shis rnam rgyal) (Tibetan)
Podophyllum 25 (‘Ol se nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Blood Deficiency
Tincture of Angelica seeds
Tincture of Iron Compound
Electuary of the Flakes of Iron (Rhasis)
According to the Humors:
Obstructed by Damp and Phlegm
Tincture of Cinnamon
Tincture of Caraway
Tincture of Juniper berry
Tincture of Rue
Tincture of Lemon Thyme
Tincture of Valerian
The Queen of Colen’s Electuary
Greater Calamint Powder (Diacalamint Comp.)
Comp. Cinnamon Powder (Diacinnamonum) (Mesue)
Powder of Seeds
Troches of Myrrh
Pills of Amber
Boladi Vati (Ayurveda)
Podophyllum 25 (‘Ol se nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Obstructed by Wind / Qi Stagnation
Tincture of Balm
Tincture of Caraway
Tincture of Juniper berry
Tincture of Rue
Tincture of Valerian
Greater Calamint Powder (Diacalamint Compound)
Hysteric Powder (Quercetan)
Powder of Seeds
Troches for the Womb
Triphera Greater (Triphera Magnus) (Nicholas)
Electuary of the Flakes of Iron (Rhasis)
Podophyllum 25 (‘Ol se nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Obstructed by Heat / Bile
Aromatic Pills of Aloes (Aloephangine) (Mesue)
Dialacca Major (Mesue)
Obstruction by Melancholy
Electuary of the Flakes of Iron (Rhasis)
Hiera Pachi, or Hiera Archigenis
Triphera Greater (Triphera Magnus) (Nicholas)
TCM Classification
Liver Qi Stagnation
1. irregular periods;
2. painful periods
3. early or late and scanty with blood clots
with abdominal pain, breast tenderness, PMS, irritability, hyper-emotional, bitter taste, dry throat.
Spleen Qi Deficiency
1. early or scanty period; or
2. heavy period that is pale and watery period; or
3. continual spotting
with pale and dilute menstrual blood, shortness of breath, loose stools, epigastric distension, tiredness, palpitation, short of breath.
Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Gui Pi Tang
Hei Xiao Yao San
Ju Yuan Jian
Blood Heat
heavy period with bright or dark red dense blood, restlessness, a feeling of heat, thirst, dark urine, headaches, insomnia, fast pulse, red tongue
Bao Yin Jian
Blood Deficiency
1. Amenorrhea; or
2. late and scanty period,
+pale menstrual blood, dull pale complexion, blurred vision, dizziness, palpitations, insomnia.
Si Wu Tang
Da Bu Yuan Jian
Ba Zhen Tang
Electuary of Iron (Rhasis)
Tincture of Iron Compound
Blood Stasis
1. Amenorrhea; or
2. Dysmenorrhea (Painful Period)
3. Heavy period, or
4. Prolonged Bleeding, or
5. Spotting between periods; or
with dark colored blood, irritable, pain worse with pressure, pain relieved after menstruation
Heart and Spleen Deficiency
1. Amenorrhea
+palpitations, depression, anxiety, insomnia, pale complexion, tiredness, loose stools, poor appetite.
Kidney Yin Deficiency
1. irregular period, or
2. scanty periods, or
3. prolonged bleeding, or
4. spotting between periods
5. Amenorrhea
+dizziness, blurred vision, night sweats, dry mouth, feeling of heat in the evening.
Yang Deficiency
1. Amenorrhea; or
2. late period, or
3. irregular periods; or
4. Spotting between periods
with scanty pale blood, lower back and abdominal pain before period, pain relieved by warmth, feels the cold, nocturia, dizziness.
Special Formula
1. Motherwort
Pennroyal
2. Calamint
Motherwort
Camomile
Sage
Rosemary equal parts
Decoct in water or wine.
3. Cyperus rotunuds
Cinnamon
Peony root
4. Cinnamon
Amber 1 scruple ea.
Saffron ½ scruple
Powder and take as a dose for several mornings.
5. Madder, Sugar 1 oz. ea.
Powder. Divide into 3 doses. Take 1 dose with warm wine on the morning the menstruation should begin, and stay in bed warm. If it doesn’t come, on the morning of the next Menstruation, take the second dose; if not successful, take the third dose when the third cycle should begin.
Stronger:
6. Savin
Cinnamon
Saffron equal parts
Form a powder to be taken with wine.
7. Madder
Round Birthwort 3 drams ea.
Agaric, Cinnamon 1 dram ea.,
Saffron 1 scruple
8. Savin juice clarified 2 oz.
Cinnamon 2 drams
Saffron 4 grains
Distilled Radish Water 2 oz.
Mix well together. Taken twice it “provokes marvellously the flowers of a woman” (Secrets of Alexis)
DECOCTION TO PROMOTE MENSTRUATION
Cyperus rotundus,
Angelica, Valerian,
Madder ½ dram ea.
Mugwort, Pennyroyal,
Savin ½ handful ea.
Seeds of Carrot, Siler 1 dram ea.
Dittany of Crete 1 ½ drams
Cinnamon 4 scruples
Saffron 1 scruple
Decoct to 4 ounces, take ½ each morning. (The Practice of Physick, 1663)
1. Ligusticum Chuang Xiong
Cyperus rotundus 6 grams ea.
Dang Gui 4 grams
Safflower 3 grams
Decoct.
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