Formulas · Invigorate Blood 活血祛瘀 · Hwaje Gukbang (和劑局方)

Achyranthes Decoction

Useul-tang

한글 우슬탕 · Pinyin Niu Xi Tang

牛膝湯

The transcription prints 即 for 卽 twice in the indication, normalised here. The talc is specified as 滑石末, already powdered, although the packet is otherwise cut for decoction.

Composition 構成

Hwalseok Hua Shi
滑石 활석 · Talc

8 g
Chief 君

powdered
Donggyuja Dong Kui Zi
冬葵子 동규자 · Mallow Seed

8 g
Chief 君
Useul Niu Xi
牛膝 우슬 · Achyranthes

6 g
Chief 君
Moktong Mu Tong
木通 목통 · Akebia

6 g
Deputy 臣
Danggwi Dang Gui
當歸 당귀 · Korean Angelica

6 g
Deputy 臣
Gumaek Qu Mai
瞿麥 구맥 · Dianthus

6 g
Assistant 佐

Total 40 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

Treats a placenta that will not come down after birth
Brings the retained placenta away when the belly fills

Indications 主治

Pattern-based

Placenta not descending after childbirth, the belly filling (産後胞衣不下, 腹滿)
Retention that the text says kills at once if it is not resolved

Biomedical correlates

Retained placenta
Postpartum uterine atony

Source text 原文

Donguibogam 東醫寶鑑

治産後胞衣不下, 腹滿卽殺人, 服此卽爛下. 滑石末二錢, 木通ㆍ當歸ㆍ牛膝ㆍ瞿麥各一錢半, 冬葵子二錢. 右剉作一貼, 水煎服. 《局方》

Translation

Treats a placenta that will not come down after childbirth: the belly fills, and that kills at once; take this and it comes away softened. Powdered talc, 2 don; akebia, angelica, achyranthes and dianthus, 1 don 5 fun each; mallow seed, 2 don. Cut the above to make one packet and decoct in water. — Gukbang 局方 (Donguibogam · Buin)

Clinical commentary 臨床

The whole formula is slippery and downward. Talc powder, mallow seed, dianthus and akebia are the chapter's lubricating group, normally given for a blocked bladder, and here they are turned to a blocked womb; achyranthes leads downward and angelica moves the blood. The reasoning is consistent and the choice of drugs is the best the tradition had. The indication is written in the flattest emergency language in the chapter — the belly fills and that kills at once — and it is not an exaggeration. A retained placenta bleeds, and in the hour or two this decoction would take to prepare and act a woman can lose enough blood to die. Manual removal, oxytocics and transfusion are what answer it. Worth keeping for what it shows about how the compilers reasoned under pressure: when an outlet will not open they reach for the same slippery drugs whichever outlet it is. — Eui Young (Justin) Chung, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.