A healthy woman can emit beauty from the inside out.But gynecological diseases, menstrual discomforts and yellowish complexion often trouble many women, thus tonifying blood,regulating menstruation, and nourishing the skin have become the three major concerns for women.And traditional Chinese medicine, after thousands of years of exploration and practice, has developed numerous classic prescriptions for female health. In this issue, we specially invited a traditional Chinese medicine gynecologist to interpret many effective treatments for women's ailments.Four Treasures Decoction

is a classical formula for tonifying and nourishing blood, and is also the most commonly used drug in gynecological practice.It can be described as well-known and renowned within the Chinese medicine community.Even more miraculously, these four herbs have been modified to form a series of "sub-formulas" and "grandson-formulas", with an estimated 800 formulas derived from Four Treasures Decoction. It truly has many descendants, making it the patriarch of herbal prescriptions.Four Treasures Decoction first appeared in The Secret Formula for Continuation of Fractures and Injury Treatment by Lin Daoren during the late Tang Dynasty; it was later improved by Zhang Zhongjing from the Eastern Han Dynasty into a famous in Golden Chamber Prescriptions. Later, it was revered as the main formula for tonifying blood and regulating menstruation.

What exactly is Four Treasures Decoction?

Professor Chen Guolin of Xiangya Hospital's Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine has studied clinical traditional Chinese medicine gynecology for nearly 40 years. She says that it consists of four herbs: angelica, chuanxiong, bishouwu, and prepared rehmannia, with angelica and prepared rehmannia being the primary ingredients.Prepared rehmannia contains mannitol and vitamin A. When combined with angelica, this combination increases the content of ferulic acid in angelica, thereby enhancing its blood-nourishing effects. It can treat pale face, dizziness, menstrual irregularities, scanty menstruation, or amenorrhea.Why has Four Treasures Decoction become a classic formula for gynecological blood tonification and regulation?Professor Chen explains that according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Four Treasures Decoction primarily nourishes liver blood. As women often suffer from blood deficiency, it is important to regulate the liver because of its close relationship with blood: The liver stores and regulates blood, similar to a body's "blood bank". When the body needs more blood due to disease or activity, the liver releases stored blood.If the liver has a disease that affects its storage function, this is akin to an empty "blood bank", unable to meet the body’s needs. For instance, it cannot nourish the eyes, leading to blurred vision; it cannot fill the menstrual pool resulting in scanty menstruation or amenorrhea.

If the liver fails to regulate blood flow, like a leaking "blood bank", it can cause unstable clotting and bleeding, such as nosebleeds, excessive menstruation, or severe uterine bleeding.Professor Chen says that one of Four Treasures Decoction's significant features is its adaptability. Depending on the proportion of the four herbs, the formula can serve various functions.For example, heavily using prepared rehmannia and angelica while lightly using chuanxiong results in a good blood-tonifying remedy;using angelica and chuanxiong lightly or not at all helps retain pregnancy;heavily using angelica and chuanxiong with light use of bishouwu can treat scanty menstruation due to blood stasis.

Furthermore, countless "sub-formulas" and "grandson-formulas" derived from Four Treasures Decoction have also been highly effective in treating gynecological conditions.Notable among them is Peach Red Four Treasures Decoction. This formula adds peach kernels and red flowers to the basic Four Treasures Decoction, specifically treating excessive menstrual bleeding due to blood deficiency and stasis; it can also treat threatened miscarriage or habitual abortion.Another well-known one is the A-E Four Treasures Decoction, which combines Four Treasures with mugwort, donkey-hide gelatin, and licorice. This formula treats excessive menstruation and is a key remedy for maintaining pregnancy, nourishing blood, and stopping leakage.Adding four gentlemen decoctions to Four Treasures creates the Eight Treasure Decoction, tonifying both qi and blood simultaneously;

further additions of astragalus and cinnamon then create the well-known Ten-Complete Great Tonifying Soup.Professor Chen particularly emphasizes that while Four Treasures Decoction is a foundational formula for blood replenishment and menstrual regulation, it's best to consult an herbalist for appropriate dosage and proportions.PeachRed Four Materials Decoction, this formula is made by adding peach kernels and red safflower to Four Materials Decoction, specifically treating excessive menstruation due to blood deficiency and stagnation. It also addresses early miscarriage and habitual abortion;Four Materials Decoction with mugwort,donkey-hide gelatin, licorice is named A-Ai Four Materials Decoction for treating excessive menstruation, being an essential formula for stabilizing the pregnancy and nourishing blood to stop bleeding;Four Materials Decoction combined with Four Gentlemen Decoction is called Ba Zhen Decoction, which can replenish both qi and blood;On top of Ba Zhen Decoction, adding Astragalus and cinnamon becomes a formula that is very familiar to the common people - Ten-Complete Great Supplement Soup.

Professor Chen particularly emphasizes that although Four Materials Decoction is a basic formula for replenishing blood and regulating menstruation, it is best to have an herbalist determine the dosage and ratio.