Cinnamon Twig & Poria
桂枝茯苓丸 · guì zhī fú líng wán
A classical TCM formula for period pain and blood stagnation in the lower abdomen.
What it's for
When period cramps don't respond to warmth and the blood comes out dark or clotted, TCM practitioners point to blood stasis as the root cause. This formula gently unblocks stagnant blood in the lower abdomen using a small set of targeted herbs. Cinnamon twig warms and moves circulation, peach seed breaks up stasis, and tree peony bark clears the resulting heat. It's one of the oldest formulas from the Essentials from the Golden Cabinet for gynecological blood stasis.
Signs this formula is a fit
Dark or clotted period blood plus at least one more main sign below should sound like you. Talk to a TCM practitioner if you're uncertain about the pattern.
Main signs
Period cramps with dark, clotted blood
blood is noticeably dark or purple, sometimes with visible clots
Fixed lower abdominal pain or tightness between periods
a dull ache or palpable tension in the lower belly that doesn't fully clear
Absent or very delayed periods with abdominal distention
the delay is accompanied by a feeling of fullness or pressure in the lower abdomen
Extra signs
- Postpartum blood or lochia that doesn't fully resolve
- Lower abdominal spasms or cramping outside of your period
- Dark or purplish tongue, sometimes with stasis spots
- Submerged, choppy pulse
Signs it isn't
- You are pregnant (do not use without practitioner guidance)
- Your cramps respond well to warmth and improve with heat pads
- Your period blood is pale or scanty without clots
- You have no signs of blood stasis
What's in it
Safety
- Wrong choice when period pain comes from cold and depletion rather than blood stasis.
- Stasis signs: dark or clotted blood, fixed pain that warmth doesn't ease, and a purplish tongue.
- Do not use while pregnant without practitioner supervision. Peach seed moves blood too strongly.
- Postpartum, Bensky restricts it to a confirmed blood-stasis diagnosis matching this pattern.
How to take it
What to get
Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Plum Flower200 ct
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Dose
Take 8 pills, 3 times a day. Other brands and forms use different doses, so follow the label on what you buy.
How long
Follow any time limit on the product label. If it gives none, ask a qualified TCM practitioner when to reassess. Do not keep taking it unchanged if nothing improves.