SHEN TONG ZHU YU TANG

Blood-Invigorating & Channel-Unblocking • Joint & Body Pain Formula

Symptoms

Core Issue: Qi and Blood Stasis in the Channels and Collaterals, complicated by Wind-Dampness.

Musculoskeletal: Chronic, severe, or fixed pain throughout the body, joints, or limbs; lower back pain, sciatica, neck stiffness, shoulder ache, or pain that feels like stabbing or aching and worsens with inactivity.

Circulatory & Nervous: Numbness in the limbs, poor peripheral circulation, or a history of trauma/chronic strain leading to persistent body aches.

Tongue: Dark purple, or pale purple, often with stasis spots or dots on the sides or body, and a thin white coating.

Pulse: Choppy (Se) or Wiry (Xuan) and Tight (Jin).

Ingredients

Hong Hua (Carthamus tinctorius)

Raw Herbs 11g | Granules 19.6g

Wu Ling Zhi (Trogopterus xanthipes)

Raw Herbs 6g | Granules 10.7g

Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong)

Raw Herbs 6g | Granules 10.7g

Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis)

Raw Herbs 6g | Granules 10.7g

Qiang Huo (Notopterygium incisum)

Raw Herbs 5g | Granules 8.9g

Tao Ren (Prunus persica)

Raw Herbs 4g | Granules 7.1g

Di Long (Pheretima asiatica)

Raw Herbs 3g | Granules 5.3g

Chuan Niu Xi (Cyathula officinalis)

Raw Herbs 3g | Granules 5.4g

Xiang Fu (Cyperus rotundus)

Raw Herbs 3g | Granules 5.4g

Qin Jiao (Gentiana macrophylla)

Raw Herbs 3g | Granules 5.4g

Mo Yao (Commiphora myrrha)

Raw Herbs 3g | Granules 5.4g

Gan Cao Sheng (Glycyrrhiza uralensis - Raw)

Raw Herbs 3g | Granules 5.4g

Posology

Granules

3g to 9g per day, divided into two doses (adjusted for the larger number of ingredients).

Raw Herbs

Boil in 1000–1200ml of water and drink 1 to 3 cups per day.

Description

Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang is specifically designed to eliminate generalized body pain by vigorously moving blood stasis out of the channels and dispersing wind-dampness.

Hong Hua, Tao Ren, Wu Ling Zhi, and Mo Yao form the heavy-hitting core of the formula; they vigorously break up blood stasis, transform blood stagnation, and directly alleviate physical pain.

Chuan Xiong and Dang Gui serve to both move and nourish the Blood; Chuan Xiong is a "Qi medicine within the Blood" that travels upward and outward, while Dang Gui ensures that invigorating the blood does not lead to dryness or deficiency.

Qiang Huo and Qin Jiao act as the wind-dampness dispellers; Qiang Huo guides the formula to the upper body, shoulders, and back, while Qin Jiao relaxes the sinews and clears damp-pain.

Chuan Niu Xi guides the herbs downward, unblocking the lower back, knees, and legs, while also assisting in blood invigoration.

Xiang Fu moves the Qi to eliminate the stagnation that precedes blood stasis, and Di Long (Earthworm) powerfully unblocks the microscopic collaterals and relieves spasms.

Gan Cao Sheng (Raw Licorice) harmonizes the diverse actions of all these powerful herbs and guides them smoothly through the channels.

Contraindications

STRICTLY CONTRAINDICATED during pregnancy due to the highly dynamic, blood-breaking nature of Hong Hua, Tao Ren, and Mo Yao.

Do not use in patients with active bleeding disorders, severe hemorrhagic tendencies, or during heavy menstruation.

Use with caution in cases of severe Qi and Blood Deficiency without true stasis.