Classic formula · Invigorate blood
Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
桃红四物汤 Four-Substance Decoction with Safflower and Peach Pit
Si Wu Tang plus two blood movers. For blood deficiency with stasis: periods that are painful and dark with clots, that come late or irregularly, a dull or purple complexion, fixed stabbing pain, and a dusky tongue. It builds the blood and gets it moving in the same dose.
A river that is both low and silted. Si Wu Tang raises the water. Peach kernel and safflower dredge the silt. One without the other either floods the mud or dries the bed.
Also sold as: Tao Hong Si Wu Wan · Persica and Carthamus Four Combination
Who Tao Hong Si Wu Tang is for
This formula is chosen for 2 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Painful periods with dark clotted blood
- Late, scanty, or irregular periods
- A dull, dark, or purplish complexion
- Fixed stabbing pain that is worse at night
- Pain and bruising after an injury in a pale person
- Lumps or masses in the abdomen, when prescribed
- Headache that is fixed and stabbing
- Tongue
- Pale or dusky with purple spots.
- Pulse
- Thin and choppy.
What is in Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shu Di Huang Prepared Rehmannia Root Use caution | 12 g | Chief | Prepared rehmannia builds blood. |
| Dang Gui Root of Chinese Angelica Use caution | 9 g | Deputy | Angelica builds and moves blood. |
| Bai Shao White Peony Root | 9 g | Deputy | White peony nourishes blood; red peony is used when stasis is strong. |
| Chuan Xiong Chuanxiong Rhizome, Szechuan Lovage Root Use caution | 6 g | Assistant | Ligusticum moves blood and qi. |
| Tao Ren Peach Kernel Use caution | 9 g | Assistant | Peach kernel breaks up stasis. |
| Hong Hua Safflower Use caution | 6 g | Assistant | Safflower moves blood and opens the channels. |
How Tao Hong Si Wu Tang works
The four substances supply and circulate blood. Peach kernel and safflower are the dredgers: they break up the old, stuck blood that causes clots and fixed pain. Together they treat the two halves of the picture that a stasis formula alone would miss.
Actions in classic terms
- Nourishes and invigorates the blood
- Dispels stasis and regulates the cycle
Common changes to Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Severe cramps add Yan Hu Suo, Xiang Fu Corydalis and cyperus for pain.
- Cold cramps that like heat add Rou Gui, Ai Ye Warming herbs for the womb.
Cautions with Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
- Not for use in pregnancy. Peach kernel and safflower move blood strongly.
- Not during heavy bleeding.
- Not for a pale, weak person with no stasis signs; use plain Si Wu Tang.
- Stop if bleeding becomes heavy.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day, the usual label dose
- Course
- The second half of each cycle for two to three cycles, or two to four weeks for pain.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
The box reads Tao Hong Si Wu Tang or Wan with the characters 桃红四物. Six ingredients: Si Wu Tang plus Peach kernel and Safflower.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
- Si Wu Tang 四物汤 The blood tonic without the movers, for pallor without clots or pain.
- Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang 血府逐瘀汤 A stronger stasis formula for the chest: fixed chest pain, insomnia, a purple tongue, with less blood building.
Conditions where Tao Hong Si Wu Tang comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Listed as a modification of Si Wu Tang with composition and indications.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.