Formulas · Tonify Blood 補血 · Gogeum Uigam (古今醫鑑)

Free the Menses Four Substances Decoction

Tonggyeongsamul-tang

한글 통경사물탕 · Pinyin Tong Jing Si Wu Tang

通經四物湯

Cut and made into one packet, decocted in water and taken on an empty stomach. Note on modern practice: persistent absence of menstruation warrants evaluation for pregnancy, thyroid disease, and other causes.

Composition 構成

Danggui Dang Gui
當歸 당귀 · Korean Angelica

6 g
Chief 君
Sukjihwang Shu Di Huang
熟地黃 숙지황 · Prepared Rehmannia

4 g
Deputy 臣
Baekjakyak Bai Shao
白芍藥 백작약 · White Peony

4 g
Deputy 臣
Hyangbuja Xiang Fu
香附子 향부자 · Cyperus

4 g
Deputy 臣
Doin Tao Ren
桃仁 도인 · Peach Kernel

5 g
Assistant 佐 20 kernels
Bongchul E Zhu
莪朮 봉출 · Zedoary

4 g
Assistant 佐
Somok Su Mu
蘇木 소목 · Sappan Wood

4 g
Assistant 佐
Moktong Mu Tong
木通 목통 · Akebia

3.2 g
Assistant 佐
Cheongung Chuan Xiong
川芎 천궁 · Cnidium

2 g
Assistant 佐
Yukgye Rou Gui
肉桂 육계 · Cinnamon Bark

2 g
Assistant 佐
Honghwa Hong Hua
紅花 홍화 · Safflower

1.2 g
Assistant 佐
Gamcho Gan Cao
甘草 감초 · Licorice

2 g
Envoy 使

Total 41.4 g per packet (첩) · representative dosage — verify against source texts.

Received this formula from your practitioner? Amounts shown here are classical reference values — granule and prepared products differ. Always follow your prescribed dosage and directions.

Actions 效能

Opens a cycle that has passed its term without flowing
Warms and moves on a Blood-building base

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Menstrual water past its term and not flowing (經水過期不行)
Blood vacuity carrying cold (乃血虛有寒)
Late or absent cycles in the cold and depleted

Biomedical correlates

Delayed or absent menstruation with cold-pattern signs
Oligomenorrhea in the underweight
Long-course regulation

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治經水過期不行, 乃血虛有寒. 當歸一錢半, 熟地黃ㆍ白芍藥ㆍ香附子ㆍ蓬朮ㆍ蘇木各一錢, 木通八分, 川芎ㆍ肉桂ㆍ甘草各五分, 紅花三分, 桃仁二十箇. 右剉, 作一貼, 空心, 水煎服. 《醫鑑》

Translation

Treats menstrual water past its term and not flowing — this being Blood vacuity carrying cold. Korean angelica 1.5 don; prepared rehmannia, white peony, cyperus, curcuma, and sappan wood, 1 don each; akebia 8 fun; cnidium, cinnamon bark, and licorice, 5 fun each; safflower 3 fun; peach kernel 20 kernels. Cut the above, make one packet, decoct in water and take on an empty stomach. — Uigam 醫鑑 (Donguibogam · Po)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The chapter's answer for a late cycle read as cold and empty rather than blocked — and the construction shows the reasoning: the Four Substances carry the formula, with cinnamon warming and only small measures of the breakers riding along. Compare the pure breaking pills used where a mass is present; here the movers are passengers, not drivers. The diagnosis is in the dosing. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.