Qi Keeps Blood Within Vessels: Story of Gui Pi Tang
Many times, patients categorized with spleen-qi deficiency who have a bleeding disorder (usually uterine bleeding) receive a modified version of this Gui Pi Tang containing herbs with specific hemostatic properties. In those cases, the hemostatic herbs (common additions are gelatin and fulonggan, also called zaoxintu, the oxidized clay from heating stoves) may have the primary function to halt the blood flow, while the rest of the formula nourishes the depleted blood and quickly restores the vitality of the individual. As an example, in the treatment of metrorrhagia in a women with spleen-qi-deficiency diagnosis, Shang Xianmin recommends (7) a slightly modified Gui Pi Tang as the base formula, with the following comments: “For cases with profuse bleeding, add agrimony and gall, and omit tang-kuei; for cases with prolonged dripping bleeding, add typha and sepia bone.”
