Drive Out Blood Stasis

血府逐瘀湯 · xuè fǔ zhú yū tāng

For the fixed, piercing pain and emotional storms of blood stasis in the chest

What it's for

This formula was composed by Wang Qing-Ren in 1830 to address blood stasis lodged in what he called the mansion of blood, the chest region where qi and blood converge. When blood stagnates there, it blocks the flow of qi, the energy that moves through your body, producing a characteristic cluster of fixed, stabbing pains alongside palpitations, emotional agitation, and disturbed sleep that standard formulas could not resolve. The formula pairs powerful blood-moving herbs including peach seed, safflower, red peony, and dong quai with herbs that restore upward and downward movement (platycodon, bitter orange fruit, bupleurum, achyranthis root), so the blood has a clear path to move. Rehmannia and dong quai ensure the formula's strong dispersing action does not deplete the blood it is working to clear.

Signs this formula is a fit

At least 2 of the 3 main signs below should sound like you. Fixed, stabbing character of the pain and the dark tongue are the most important signals.

Main signs

Fixed, stabbing pain in the chest or sides
pain is in one place and has a piercing quality, not a dull ache that moves
Chronic stubborn headache with a fixed, piercing quality
the same spot, over and over, often resistant to other treatments
Palpitations, insomnia, or marked emotional volatility
restless sleep, startling easily, or mood swings that feel physical not just psychological

Extra signs

Incessant hiccup, or a choking sensation when drinking
Depression or low spirits with a sense of warmth or heat in the chest
Evening tidal fever or dry heaves
Dark red tongue with dark spots on the sides, or purplish tinge
Dark or purplish lips, complexion, or whites of the eyes
Choppy pulse, or a wiry and tight one

Signs it isn't

Your pain moves around and is not fixed to one location
You have no chest or head symptoms and your discomfort is entirely digestive
Your fatigue and loose stools point to qi deficiency rather than stasis

What's in it

Safety

Contraindicated in pregnancy. Peach seed, safflower, chuanxiong, and achyranthis root all move blood strongly.
Not for bleeding disorders, active bleeding, or unusually heavy periods.
Not appropriate if you are weak, debilitated, or recovering from illness.
Contains peach seed, which yields a cyanogenic compound. Do not exceed the label dose.
Contains licorice. Avoid with high blood pressure, edema, low potassium, or heart, liver, or kidney disease.
The Plum Flower teapill declares peach kernel as an allergen.
Built for true blood stasis. Not for pain that moves around or comes purely from qi stagnation.
Rehmannia can cause digestive upset in those with Spleen deficiency and loose stools.
Contains dong quai and multiple blood-moving herbs that may potentiate blood thinners such as warfarin or aspirin.

How to take it

What to get

Stasis in the Mansion of Blood Teapills

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.