Shenghua Tang (Fuyuekang Capsules): Activating and Nourishing Blood, Warming the Meridians to Stop Pain

Shenghua Tang (Generation-and-Transformation Decoction) is an empirical formula of the famous late Ming/early Qing physician Fu Qingzhu, recorded in Fu Qing Zhu Nü Ke (Fu Qingzhu's Gynecology). Fu Qingzhu was skilled in treating gynecological diseases and left behind many empirical gynecological formulas; Shenghua Tang is one of them. Shenghua Tang treats postpartum disorders. In some regions it has become customary to regard Shenghua Tang as a must-use postpartum formula: whether or not the mother has symptoms, she takes some Shenghua Tang to prevent postpartum disease.

Shenghua Tang consists of five herbs: whole Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Quan Dang Gui), Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuan Xiong), Persicae Semen (Tao Ren), black Zingiberis Rhizoma (Gan Jiang/black dried ginger), and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao). Because this formula has broad clinical use, some Chinese patent medicine manufacturers have made it into a patent medicine under the name Fuyuekang Capsules or Fuyuekang Tablets. Fuyuekang Capsules are convenient to take and suit modern patients.

Shenghua Tang's main functions are to tonify and activate blood, and to warm the meridians and stop pain. It is indicated for blood deficiency with cold congelation and stasis obstructing the uterus, presenting as incessant lochia, cold pain in the lower abdomen, and a fine or wiry pulse—commonly called the "uterine cold pattern" (gong han zheng). These symptoms are common in postpartum women, so Shenghua Tang is a commonly used postpartum medicine.

But modern research has found that Shenghua Tang also has some efficacy against benign gynecologic tumors or proliferative diseases such as uterine fibroids and uterine enlargement. There are reports that Shenghua Tang, modified with Leonuri Herba (Yi Mu Cao) and fried Schizonepetae Spica (Jing Jie Sui), treated 24 cases of uterine fibroids, with 8 cured, 13 effective, and 3 ineffective. Shenghua Tang may also be used in patients in recovery after pelvic tumor surgery; as long as symptoms such as incessant lochia and cold lower abdominal pain are present, it may be used.

Modern pharmacological research has found that Shenghua Tang has hemostatic, blood-activating, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Incidentally, many TCM blood-regulating formulas have both hemostatic and blood-activating biphasic effects; this should not surprise. Shenghua Tang can also lower human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).

Shenghua Tang is a formula for warming the meridians and stopping pain, so patients with blood heat or yin deficiency with effulgent fire should not take it. Patients with dry mouth and tongue, a rapid or thin rapid pulse, irritable heat, hot palms and soles, dark urine, red urine, or scanty urine should not take it. Because this formula has blood-activating effects, it may increase bleeding risk in patients with metrorrhagia; therefore patients with continuous bleeding should not use it, and those with fatigue and lassitude should use it cautiously.