Shengxue Bingsui Tang: Enriches Blood and Relieves Pain
Shengxue Bingsui Tang (Blood-Engendering Marrow-Supplementing Decoction) comes from the Shangke Buyao (Essentials of Traumatology); it is an orthopedic formula for setting bones and healing injuries, composed of Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix Recens), Chishao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra), Huangqi (Astragali Radix), Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex), Wujiapi (Acanthopanacis Cortex), Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Chuanxuduan (Dipsaci Radix), Chuanxiong (Ligustici Rhizoma), and Honghua (Carthami Flos). Shengxue Bingsui Tang both regulates qi and blood and relaxes the sinews and collaterals; it is suitable for various sinew and bone injuries, manifesting as local pain from various sprains and contusions, and pain during the middle and later stages of fracture due to healing at the injury site. The patient also has a lusterless complexion, dizziness, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, pale lips and nails, a pale tongue with thin white coating, and a fine pulse.
The author's usual dosages are: Shengdihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Recens) 12 g, Chishao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra) 10 g, Huangqi (Astragali Radix) 10 g, Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex) 10 g, Wujiapi (Acanthopanacis Cortex) 10 g, Huainiuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix) 10 g, Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) 10 g, Chuanxuduan (Dipsaci Radix) 10 g, Chuanxiong (Ligustici Rhizoma) 6 g, Honghua (Carthami Flos) 3 g.
The Jiegu Ruji (Bone-Setting Manual) also contains a Shengxue Bingsui Tang, composed of Danggui 2 qian, Shengdi 2 qian, Shudi (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata) 2 qian, Baizhu 2 qian, Zhiqiao 2 qian, Jingjie (Schizonepetae Herba) 2 qian, Baishao 2 qian, Fangfeng 1 qian, Guangchenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) 1 qian, Duzhong (stir-fried with salt water) 1 qian, Danpi (Moutan Cortex) 1 qian, Chuanxiong 1 qian, Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma) 1 qian, Niuxi 1 qian, Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) 1 qian, Qiepi (Solanii Melongenae Cortex) 1 qian, Chuanxuduan 8 fen, Huangqi 8 fen, Shuaiai (mugwort) 8 fen, Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma) 8 fen, Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) 8 fen, Xianhonghua (fresh Carthami Flos) 5 fen, Gancao 3 fen, Yunfuling (Poria) 5 qian. This formula is stronger in force than the Shengxue Bingsui Tang in the Shangke Buyao. Here, one qian is about 0.3 g, and one fen about 0.03 g.
The reasoning behind these two formulas is the same: both engender and enrich blood, and also invigorate blood and unblock the collaterals, reduce swelling and relieve pain. In modern times they are likewise used for various soft-tissue injuries and the middle and later stages of fracture; in addition, they can be used for aplastic anemia, bone marrow suppression caused by cancer radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and pain caused by cancer bone metastasis.
Besides the above herbs, for slow fracture recovery and for osteolytic fractures caused by cancer patients' bone metastasis, Bajitian (Morindae Officinalis Radix), Xianlingpi (Epimedii Herba), Gusubu (Drynariae Rhizoma), and Buguzhi (Psoraleae Fructus) can be added to tonify the kidney, strengthen bone, and generate marrow; if the patient's blood stasis is severe and pain is rather intense, Shuizhi (Hirudo), Sanqi (Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma), and Tubiechong (Eupolyphaga) can be added on the basis of this formula to strengthen the action of activating blood and resolving stasis; for severe cancer pain, Fengweicao (Pteridis Multifidae Herba), Qiyelian (Schefflerae Arboricolae Radix), Jishuteng (Paederiae Herba), Rendongteng (Lonicerae Caulis), and Jixueteng (Spatholobi Caulis) can be added to strengthen the collateral-unblocking and pain-relieving effect. Dosages should be gauged according to the patient's specific condition.