There are a wide variety of herbs used in the production of the various Dit Da Jow liniments available. This post is going to cover some of the important Dit Da Jow herbs used in the making of these liniments. Besides Dit Da Jow these herbs are also used in other liniments like Iron Palm and Zheng Gu Shui, but most people do not realize they were used internally before they were used externally. Some of these herbs date back several thousand years and are still used today in all Chinese herbal clinics in China.
CAUTION! Even though these Dit Da Jow herbs are used internally do not attempt to take them without the consultation of an experienced Chinese herbal doctor. Each herb has specific properties as far as taste, temperature, meridian channel and organ. we listed those below as well as the standard dosage when taken internally with other herbs either as a tea or pill.
We also have listed the specific healing property of each herb and also some modern day uses in Chinese clinics
Chi Shao, Radix Paeoniae Rubrae
Taste: bitter
Dosage: 6–12g
Temperature: slightly cold
Channel/Organ action: Liver
Traditionally used in China to eliminate stagnated Blood and pathogenic Heat in the Blood. Also used for the treatment of pain caused by Blood stasis, menorrhagia, amenorrhea and acute inflammations with redness, swelling and pain.
New pharmacological research
Blood: prevents thrombosis formation and has an anti-sclerotic action.
Heart: has a heart muscle protective action, increases heart function, decreases pressure in the pulmonary artery.
Central nervous system (CNS): has a calming, analgesic and febrifugal action.
Further actions: antispasmodic on smooth musculature, anti-neoplastic, anti-inflammatory and
anti-mycotic.
New clinical usage
Coronary heart disease, cor pulmonale, acute cerebral thrombosis, acute icteric hepatitis, mycotic
dermatitis, acute traumatic sepsis and dermatitis.
Dang Gui, Radix Angelicae Sinensis
(traditionally in the Blood tonifying group)
Taste: sweet, pungent
Dosage: 6–15g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Lung, Heart, Spleen
It is used as:
1. A blood tonifying and circulation improving medicinal in menstrual disorders and
2. An emollient and laxative in chronic constipation in old age.
New pharmacological research
Blood: promotes haematopoiesis, especially erythropoiesis, has an anti-thrombotic action and prevents thrombocyte aggregation, lowers blood lipid concentration and increases microcirculation.
Heart: has an anti-ischemic and anti-arrhythmic action and lowers blood pressure.
Immune system: increases cellular and humoral immune function.
Further actions: has a relaxing action and alleviates pain in the smooth musculature of the
uterus; has an antibacterial action on many different types of bacteria.
Ji Xue Teng, Caulis Spatholobi
Taste: bitter
Dosage: 9–15g
Temperature: slightly cold
Channel/Organ action: Liver, Kidney
Traditionally used in China to strengthen Blood
circulation and remove obstructions from the channels and smaller vessels (Luo vessels). It is a Blood nourishing medicinal, especially for the treatment of abnormal menstruation caused by Blood deficiency and Blood stasis. Also used for inflammation of peripheral vessels, or thrombosis and numbness of the body and limbs. It is also effective in leukopenia caused by radiotherapy.
New pharmacological research
Blood: Ji Xue Teng promotes hematopoiesis (erythrocytes, thrombocytes, interleukin-2 and hemoglobin), counteracts blood clotting and lowers blood lipid levels.
Heart: reduces oxygen consumption of the heart muscle and increases heart rate.
Further actions: increases phosphate metabolism of the kidneys and uterus and has a calming actions.
Mu Dan Pi, Cortex Moutan Radicis
(traditionally in the group of cooling/Heat clearing medicinals)
Taste: bitter
Dosage: 6–12g
Temperature: slightly cold
Channel/Organ action: Heart, Liver, Kidneys
It is used:
1. as a medicinal to cool Blood-Heat and for the treatment of bleeding together with fever, and
2. to improve circulation and eliminate Blood stasis in cases of appendicitis, furuncles, carbuncles
and amenorrhoea.
New pharmacological research
Heart: lowers blood pressure, prevents arrhythmia and ischemia.
Blood: has an anti-sclerotic action and prevents thrombosis and hemorrhaging in the
capillaries.
Further actions: has a spasmolytic effect in inflammation and is also calming, febrifugal, diuretic,
antibacterial and contraceptive.
Da Huang, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei
(traditionally in the purgative group)
Taste: bitter
Dosage: if cooked together with the decoction
6–12 g; 3–6 g if used as a purgative.
Temperature: slightly cold
Channel/Organ action: Spleen, Stomach, Large
Intestine, Liver, Pericardium
It is used to purge, detoxify and cool pathogenic Heat, stagnant digestion and Blood stasis, in the
treatment of fever, constipation and feeling of abdominal fullness, acute jaundice, acute appendicitis,
amenorrhoea due to Blood stasis, hematemesis and epistaxis due to Heat in the Blood; used externally for burns, suppurative skin diseases, carbuncles and furuncles.
Da Huang is very versatile in modern medicine:
it is used in many inflammatory, infectious, ulcerative and haemorrhagic illnesses of the digestive
tract and other organs.
New pharmacological research
Digestive system: Da Huang (Rheum), briefly cooked, is a laxative due to its sennosides and 20 different, mostly heat-sensitive active ingredients.
It increases peristalsis of the whole intestine and water absorption in the large intestine.
Furthermore, it raises secretions of gastric acid, peptides, bile, and pancreatic enzymes throughout
the digestive system.
Blood: Da Huang (Rheum) stops bleeding, lowers blood viscosity and blood lipids and increases
micro-circulation.
Heart: Da Huang (Rheum) increases force of contractions and lowers blood pressure.
Infections/Immune defence: Da Huang (Rheum) has anti-inflammatory, antiulcerative antibacterial
and antibiotic as well as virostatic properties. Moreover, it inhibits the growth of certain
cancer cells and lowers the temperature in fever.
Further actions: liver protective, diuretic and oestrogenic, it has been shown to lengthen the
lifespan of laboratory animals by more than a quarter.
New clinical usage
Digestive system: oesophageal bleeding caused by liver cirrhosis, stomach ulcers of bacterial origin,
acute stomach bleeding, chronic gastritis, acute pancreatitis, acute bleeding of the common bile duct, constipation, ileus (blockage of the small or large bowel), toxic gut paralysis, intestinal
typhoid, suppurative appendicitis, postoperative acute abdomen, rupture and sepsis of the
colon/rectum caused by hemorrhoids.
Further uses: lipidaemia, kidney failure, hemorrhages of the urinary bladder and other organs,
infectious hemorrhagic fever, suppurative tonsillitis, parotitis, chronic prostatitis, insecticide
poisoning, amenorrhoea, cervical tumors and many more.
Chuan Xiong, Radix Ligustici Wallachii
Taste: pungent
Dosage: 6–12–15g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Liver, Gall-bladder,
Pericardium
1. Chuan Xiong: Strengthens Blood circulation and promotes the flow of Qi in the treatment of abnormal menstruation, dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea.
2. Has analgesic action in the treatment of headaches and pain in the whole body due to Wind or Cold as well as headache due to concussion and pain after birth.
3. Has a drying effect in the treatment of pathogenic Dampness.
New pharmacological research
Heart: Chuan Xiong dilates peripheral and coronary vessels, lowers blood pressure and vessel
resistance, increases the amount of blood in the heart and increases tolerance towards hypoxia,
thereby unburdening the heart.
Blood: The medicinal increases micro-circulation in general and blood circulation of the kidneys
and the brain; it lowers the incidence of brain oedema, and prevents thrombocyte aggregation
and thrombus formation.
Further actions: Chuan Xiong has antispasmodic action on the smooth musculature, calming
action on the nervous system; moreover, it is antibacterial, and helps with radiation damage and lack of vitamin E.
New clinical usage
CHD, cardiac insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmia, angina pectoris, sudden cardiac arrest, cor pulmonale, cerebral ischemia, brain oedema, kidney failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), thrombophlebitis, allergic shock (Arthus reaction), asthma, diabetes, stomach ulcers, dysmenorrhoea and psoriasis.
Hong Hua, Flos Carthami
Taste: pungent
Dosage: 9–15g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Liver, Heart
Traditionally used in China to improve Blood flow and relieve pain caused by Blood stasis, in the case
of amenorrhoea, pains in chest and abdomen, painful swelling, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly; in addition it is used to treat pain due to traumatic wounds.
New pharmacological research
Heart: Hong Hua lowers blood pressure and blood lipids and increases contraction force of the heart muscle.
Blood: it has antithrombotic action, promotes the maturation of t- and b-lymphocytes and raises
interleukin-2 production.
Further actions: anti-inflammatory, calming and analgetic.
New clinical usage
CHD, angina pectoris, arrhythmias (especially early systoles), ischemic and thrombotic apoplexies, arteriosclerosis of the cerebral arteries, thrombophlebitis, deafness after sudden sensorineural
hearing loss, nasal polyps, menstruation disorders, traumata, haemorrhagic fever, short-sightedness
in young people, duodenal ulcers and neurodermatitis, psoriasis, flat warts, solar dermatitis,
erythema multiforme, lupus erythematosus and other skin diseases.
Lu Lu Tong, Fructus Liquidambaris
Taste: bitter
Dosage: 6–12g
Temperature: neutral
Channel/Organ action: Liver, Stomach
Traditionally used in China to stop bleeding and move Blood and Qi, remove obstructions from the vessels and relieve pain. It is mostly used in gynecology, in Wind-Damp Bi-syndrome of the lower limbs and difficult urination with o edema.
New pharmacological research
Lu Lu Tong has anti-allergenic action and used externally it has anti-parasitic action.
Niu Xi, Huai Niu Xi, Radix Achyranthis
Bidentatae
Taste: bitter, salty
Dosage: 9–18g
Temperature: neutral
Channel/Organ action: Liver, Stomach
Traditionally used in China to improve Blood circulation and eliminate Blood stasis. It was also employed for illnesses or fractures of the joints, in amenorrhoea and hematuria.
New pharmacological research
Blood: Niu Xi has a dilating effect and lowers blood pressure.
Further actions: it promotes protein synthesis (wound healing) and has diuretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial and abortive actions, and induces delivery by dilating the cervical canal.
New clinical usage
Epistaxis, infantile pneumonia, pain whilst urinating, toothache, functional uterine bleeding and
chyluria (galactosuria).
Mo Yao, Myrrh, Resina Myrrhae
Taste: bitter
Dosage: 3–12g
Temperature: neutral
Channel/Organ action: Liver
Traditionally used in China to alleviate pain caused by Blood stasis, for example all kinds of trauma-induced pain. Mo Yao (Myrrha) has a strong eliminating, Blood invigorating and Blood stasis dispersing action; furthermore, it reduces swelling.
New pharmacological research
Heart: Mo Yao increases the force of heart contractions and tolerance towards hypoxia.
Blood: lowers blood cholesterol levels.
Further actions: stimulates the respiratory center and has an anti-mycotic action.
New clinical usage
Heart pain, high cholesterol levels, spinal and
mammary tuberculosis, menstrual disorders, hemorrhages, ulcers and traumas.
Ru Xiang, Olibanum, Resina Olibani
Taste: pungent, bitter
Dosage: 3–12g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Heart, Liver, Spleen
Traditionally used in China to alleviate pain and reduce swelling. Ru Xiang is moistening and moves the Qi of the Blood, relaxes the sinews and invigorates the Luo-vessels. It is indicated for the treatment of pain due to Blood stasis, e.g. traumatic pain etc.
New pharmacological research
Blood: Ru Xiang (Olibanum) raises blood clotting speed but lowers thrombocyte aggregation; it
also increases erythrocyte plasticity.
Further actions: it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action.
New clinical usage:
Heart pain, intractable hiccups, appendicitis, traumas and rheumatic Bi-syndrome (arthritic
diseases).
San Qi, Tian Qi, Radix Notoginseng, Radix
Pseudoginseng (traditionally in the group of
medicinals for stopping bleeding)
Taste: sweet, slightly bitter
Dosage: 1.5–9.0g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Liver, stomach
Is used as a styptic drug and painkiller, for the elimination of Blood stasis and to reduce swelling in the treatment of swelling and pain due to sprains, wounds and soft tissue injuries as well as all kinds of bleeding.
San Qi is a regulating medicinal, that can affect blood clotting, immunity and blood sugar levels in both directions.
New pharmacological research
Blood: San Qi (Notoginseng) promotes blood clotting and clotting speed as well as local vasoconstriction
in the case of traumas. If no clotting is necessary, it counteracts thrombocyte aggregation,
lowers fibrin and increases fibrinolysis time. In addition, it lowers blood lipid levels, increases erythrocyte and leukocyte count in the peripheral vessels, dilates peripheral blood vessels and thus lowers blood pressure.
Heart: San Qi (Notoginseng) increases heart muscle contractions, blood volume, oxygen saturation
and micro-circulation of the cardiac muscles; at the same time it lowers oxygen consumption and pulse rate and has an anti-arrhythmic action.
Metabolism/Immune system: San Qi (Notoginseng) increases or decreases blood sugar levels and promotes DNA synthesis as well as protein synthesis of the kidneys and testes. It raises activity of natural killer (NK) lymphocytes and macrophages; concerning the latter functions, it also has an immune modulating effect in both
directions.
Further actions: it protects brain cells from the damaging effects of ischemia and liver cells from toxic substances. It stimulates the smooth musculature of the uterus and protects the body from the effects of shock, radiation and cancer. Furthermore, it is virostatic, antimycotic, calming, analgetic and significantly increased the lifespan of laboratory animals.
New clinical usage
Angina pectoris, CHD, cardiac arrhythmia’s, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, all kinds of
apoplexies and cranial bleeding, internal and external traumas, all kinds of hemorrhaging, cancer, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, acute nephritis, skin diseases and migraine.
Su Mu, Lignum Sappan
Taste: pungent
Dosage: 6–12g
Temperature: neutral
Channel/Organ action: Liver
Traditionally used in China to alleviate pain and invigorate Blood; its main action is the treatment of bruises and other traumas, and of dysmenorrhoea and amenorrhoea accompanied by abdominal pain.
New pharmacological research
Heart/Blood: Su Mu increases the force of heart contractions, constricts the vessels and promotes blood clotting.
Further actions: Su Mu (Sappan) has a calming, antimycotic, and anti-inflammatory action. Moreover it is anti-carcinogenic, used especially in the treatment of leukaemia.
New clinical usage
Tetanus, asthma, traumas, vitiligo.
Wu Ling Zhi, Faeces Trogopterori
Taste: sweet
Dosage: 6–12g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Liver
Traditionally used in China to alleviate pain and remove Blood stasis and Qi-stagnation, due to its function of moving Qi; it is mainly used in the treatment of gastric and abdominal pain due to smooth muscle cramps, and in dysmenorrhoea.
New pharmacological research
Blood:Wu Ling Zhi lowers blood viscosity and elevates an erythrocyte sedimentation rate that is
too slow. It prevents thrombocyte aggregation and increases micro-circulation.
Heart: it lowers oxygen consumption of the heart.
Further actions: it has a strong analgesic action and immune modulating (balancing) effect on the immune system. Moreover, Wu Ling Zhi (Trogopterus) has an antibacterial effect on a large amount of skin bacteria as well as tuberculosis bacteria.
New clinical usage
All acute states of pain (toothache, headache, sore limbs and so on), angina pectoris, snake bites, duodenal and gastric ulcers, chronic bronchitis, delayed uterine involution after delivery.
Yuan Hu, Yan Hu Suo, Rhizoma Corydalis
Taste: pungent, bitter
Dosage: 4.5–12.0g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Heart, Liver, Spleen
Traditionally used in China to alleviate pain by invigorating the circulation of Blood and to regulate
the circulation of Qi. It is frequently administered in the treatment of all kinds of pain in the chest and abdomen. Furthermore, this medicinal can raise the pain threshold and alleviate spastic pain; it also has a calming action.
New pharmacological research
Heart: Yuan Hu protects the heart from ischemic damage, lowers blood pressure and is antiarrhythmic.
Blood: it lowers blood lipid levels, has an antiarteriosclerotic action and improves circulation.
Further actions: it has a strong analgetic and locally anaesthetic effect, increases intestinal peristalsis and adrenal cortex secretion, it has an anti-ulcerative effect by reducing gastric secretions.
New clinical usage
Pain and neuralgias of all kind, insomnia, hypertension, CHD, cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris,
myocardial infarction, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, acute pancreatitis, acute lower back pain and dysmenorrhoea; also used as a local anesthetic.
Ze Lan, Herba Lycopi
Taste: pungent, bitter
Dosage: 6–12g
Temperature: slightly warm
Channel/Organ action: Liver, Spleen
Traditionally used in China to strengthen circulation and to regulate the menstrual cycle, as well as
for the treatment of abnormal menstruation and abdominal pain after delivery.
New pharmacological research
Ze Lan (Lycopus) inhibits clotting, fibrinogen and thrombocyte aggregation. It also increases plasticity
of erythrocytes.
New clinical usage
CHD, cor pulmonale, lung emphysema, chronic bronchitis, jaundice due to liver disease, parotitis,
hemorrhoids, postpartum pain, mastitis, female infertility.
Zi Ran Tong, Pyritum
Taste: pungent
Dosage: decoctions 3–15 g; powder 0.3–0.9g
Temperature: neutral
Channel/Organ action: Liver
Traditionally used in China to treat fractures or to alleviate pain by dispelling stagnated Blood; also
used for the treatment of traumatic injuries or fractures and pain due to Blood stasis.
E Zhu, Rhizoma Curcumae Ezhu, (previously known as Curcumae Zedoriae)
Taste: pungent, bitter
Dosage: 6–12g
Temperature: warm
Channel/Organ action: Liver, Spleen
Traditionally used in China to alleviate pain and strengthen circulation, and for the treatment of
pain in the chest and abdomen, abdominal masses, amenorrhoea etc. It is administered in serious cases of Qi-stagnation and Blood stasis as well as for combating cancer, especially cervical cancer.
New pharmacological research
Blood: E Zhu reduces thrombocyte agglutination time, lowers blood viscosity, improves microcirculation
and increases glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT).
Cancer: E Zhu directly affects the DNA and RNA and prevents the formation of different types of
cancer cells (sarcoma, lymphoma and others).
Infections: E Zhu has an antibacterial effect on a wide range of bacteria, virucidal effect on the respiratory syncytial (RS) virus and stops gastric inflammations and ulcerations.
Further actions: E Zhu has a contraceptive effect, increases the amount of blood flow through the
femoral artery and stimulates gastric and intestinal smooth muscles.
New clinical usage
Cancer (especially cervical tumours), CHD, tonsillitis and pneumonia in children, consequences of
high blood lipids, stomach ulcers, skin ulcers and neurodermatitis.
Tao Ren, Semen Persicae
Taste: bitter, sweet
Dosage: 6–9g
Temperature: neutral
Channel/Organ action: Heart, Liver, Large Intestine
Traditionally used in China to:
1. remove Blood stasis in the treatment of amenorrhoea with abdominal pain, traumatic pain due to Blood stasis, pain in the hypochondrium area, as well as abdominal masses or pain;
2. treat constipation in the elderly or weak, or those with Blood deficiency syndrome.
New pharmacological research
Blood: Tao Ren increases blood flow in cerebral and peripheral vessels, is antithrombotic and prevents clotting by raising cAMP levels and lowering adenosine diphosphate (ADP) levels in thrombocytes.
Further actions: antitussive, antiphlogistic, antiallergic, antibacterial, analgetic, spasmolytic,
counteracts fever, antioxidative; it promotes stool but can also treat diarrhoea by promoting diuresis; it stimulates the smooth muscles of the uterus; it is liver-protective; delays the aging process in vitro.
New clinical usage
Hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, CHD, cough, diabetes, skin diseases, trauma, menstrual pain, eye inflammations,
chronic laryngitis and loss of voice, tonsillitis, epidemic haemorrhagic fever, acute kidney failure, chronic glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis, gestational hypertension.
Tu Bie Chong, Zhe Chong,
Bie Chong, Eupolyphaga
Taste: bitter
Dosage: 3–12g
Temperature: slightly cold
Channel/Organ action: Liver
Traditionally used in China to alleviate pain due to Blood stasis as well as in the treatment of
hepatomegaly and splenomegaly, lumbago and sprains. it is also used in the treatment of amenorrhoea, abdominal masses, contusions etc.
New pharmacological research
Blood: Tu Bie Chong inhibits blood clotting in different ways, and lowers blood lipids.
Heart: it improves heart function and increases tolerance of hypoxia.
Further actions: it has hepatoprotective action, absorbs free radicals and antagonizes cell mutations.
New clinical usage
CHD, tuberculosis of the lung and bone, fractures, hypertension, chest pain following overexertion,
acute lower back pain and sciatica, external haemorrhoids, melanoma, nasal cancer, chronic hepatitis
and sequelae of concussion.
Xue Jie, Sanguis Draconis
Taste: sweet, salty
Dosage: 0.5–2.0 g pulverized
Temperature: neutral
Channel/Organ action: Pericardium, Liver
It is used to remove Blood stasis, to alleviate pain and to promote wound healing in the treatment of trauma, wounds and bleeding.
New pharmacological research
Blood: Xue Jie lowers blood viscosity and thrombocyte aggregation.
Further actions: it has analgetic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antimycotic action,
increases plasma cAMP levels and lowers the plasma cGMP value, and increases the amount
of blood in the coronary vessels.
New clinical usage
Internal and external bleeding (including cerebral and intestinal bleeding), traumas, chronic ulcers, coughing of blood, heavy menstrual bleeding, CHD, and angina pectoris.
The Two Yin and Yang Herbs
These two herbs are almost always together since they compliment each other when treating trauma type injuries.
Ru Xiang (Olibanum) has a pungent, aromatic and warm nature. It moistens and moves the Qi of the Blood, relaxes the sinews and invigorates the Luo vessels. Mo Yao (Myrrha) is neutral, bitter, and has a strong draining action, which is enhanced when it is combined with Ru Xiang (Olibanum). Additionally, the two medicinals together invigorate Blood, and expel Blood stasis; the latter especially in the fields of traumatology.
