Nourish Blood was first published in Yan Yonghe’s “Formulas for Benefiting Health” in the Song Dynasty and was completed in 1253 AD. Mainly treat anaemia, anxiety and palpitation, dizziness and vertigo, forgetfulness, depression, immune deficiency and insomnia which are caused by Heart and Spleen, Qi and Blood Deficiency Syndrome. It also treats blood in the stool, subcutaneous purpura, early menstruation, women with heavy menstruation, excessive uterine bleeding with lighter blood colour caused by Spleen Deficiency leading to inability to control Blood.  

Although Nourish Blood is the formula of treating both Heart and Spleen, the focus is on the treatment of the Spleen, because the Spleen is the source of Qi and Blood metaplasia. So, it is called “Gui Pi”, meaning “return to the Spleen“. The formulation commonly used for neurasthenia, aplastic anaemia, thrombocytopenic purpura, etc., which are both Heart and Spleen Qi and Blood Deficiency and failure of Spleen control Blood.

Studies suggest that Nourish Blood has effects of improving bone marrow microcirculation, increasing bone marrow hematopoietic tissue, improving learning and memory ability, enhance immunity, regulate central nervous function and enhance hematopoietic function.

Natural Remedies for Fatigue: Understanding Qi and Blood Deficiency in TCM