Sappan Wood

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

• Invigorates blood and dispels stasis ... Su Mu is used for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, postpartum retained lochia, and fixed pain from blood stasis.
• Reduces swelling and alleviates pain after trauma ... fractures, contusions, and sprains are among the classic injury contexts for this red heartwood medicine.
• Opens the collaterals and helps restore circulation through damaged tissue ... especially when bruising, swelling, and pain coexist.

Secondary Actions

• This is the red blood-moving heartwood lane of Biancaea sappan and should not be confused with the pale aromatic `Tan Xiang` sandalwood page.
• Su Mu is often chosen when a blood-moving wood is wanted without the stronger heat of some resins or the harsher attacking quality of heavier stasis-breakers.

Classic Formulas

• Postpartum blood-stasis combinations with Dang Gui, Tao Ren, and Hong Hua ... common traditional logic for retained lochia and pain.
• Trauma formulas pairing Su Mu with Ru Xiang and Mo Yao ... a standard strategy for bruising, fracture, and swelling.
• Amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea prescriptions ... Su Mu appears when clotted, fixed, or stasis-type pain predominates.

Classical References

• Traditional Chinese herbology places Su Mu among the blood-invigorating woods used for traumatic injury, postpartum stagnation, and painful blood stasis.
• Its red color and heartwood identity are repeatedly linked in classical commentary to blood-level movement and swelling reduction.
• Modern teaching generally describes Su Mu as gentler than some stronger stasis-breakers while still being clearly pregnancy-cautioned.