Do painful menstrual cramps plague you each month?  You are not alone, as 50% of menstruating women have the same experience month after month.   But why suffer when you could be living pain free?  NSAIDs only mask the pain for a few short hours.  Chinese herbal medicine, on the other hand, has been used for centuries with well-documented results.An international nonprofit organization, known as the Cochrane Collaboration, studied the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine in relieving menstrual pain compared to western drugs.  Their conclusion:  “Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhea roughly doubled pain relief and improvement in overall symptoms compared with conventional Western pharmaceuticals,” reported Xiaoshu Zhu.1

Here are a few common Chinese herbs used for painful menstrual cramps:

1. Dong Gui (Chinese Angelica  or Angelica Sinensis)

Also known as the "female ginseng," it is commonly used to regulate the menstrual cycle and relieve menstrual cramps.  It also helps to relieve menopausal symptoms, reduce PMS and anemia and to re-establish a menstrual cycle after cessation of birth control pills.  It is commonly sold as a single herb tea, bagged or loose.  It is considered a king herb or premier herb in Chinese gynecological disease because of its ability to harmonize the blood in Chinese medicine.  Dong Gui is also considered antispasmodic.  The coumarin chemicals present in this herb may help dilate blood vessels and relax the smooth muscles of the uterus, thus relieving menstrual cramping.

2. Chuan Xiong (Chuanxiong  Rhizoma)

This herb is also a key medicinal herb for treating pain.  It improves blood circulation and promotes the flow of "qi" or vital energy.  Chinese women, dating back to the Song Dynasty, used to take this Chinese herb in the form of soup.  The soup is called a Four Substance Decoction and includes three other herbs:  angelica, red peony and Chinese foxglove.  The soup and tea are still used today as a blood tonic to relieve PMS, stop menstrual pain and improve overall health, especially after giving birth.

3. Bai Shao (White Peony Root)

White Peony Root nourishes the blood and improves circulation.  It is also used for a wide variety of gynecological problems.  The peony root is considered a   liver tonic in Chinese medicine.  By strengthening the liver, it helps to increase the efficiency of protein and fat metabolism, thus inhibiting the excessive synthesis of prostaglandins that may cause an over-active uterus and endometrial pain.

4. Yi Mu Cao (Chinese Motherwort)

The leaves from this herb can be used to treat menstrual problems.  They have been shown to improve blood circulation and clear blood clots that occur in menstrual disorders and after childbirth.  The leaves also promote diuresis and relieve edema.  Studies on the alkaloid leonurine showed that this substance stimulates the uterus of rabbits, cats, dogs and guinea pigs.2

5. Yan Hu Suo (Corydalis Rhizome)

There are two main functions of this Chinese herb:  to strengthen blood circulation and to relieve pain.  When used with chuan xiong it is known to help both body aches and headaches.  Corydalis is related to the opium poppy.  Although only 1% in strength compared to opium, it is a very effective pain reliever.  The active chemical constituent di- tetrahydropalmatine (THP) is a neuroactive alkaloid with analgesic action that relieves cramping pain.

Groups of Chinese herbs, also known as formulas, are more beneficial than single herb remedies because the herbs work synergistically for conditions such as menstrual cramps.  The Cochran study also stated that:  “The herbal remedies were also significantly better at relieving painful cramps and other symptoms than acupuncture or a hot water bottle, with overall promising findings…  Chinese herbs overall, whether standardized or tailored, yielded better pain relief than conventional pharmaceutical therapies.”

The five herbs above are only a few of the herbs beneficial for menstrual cramps in the Chinese herbal library.  Asian pharmacies sell prescriptions of herbal teas and pills daily, and Asian cultures have used herbs successfully for hundreds of years.  By replacing NSAIDs with Chinese herbs, women are able to avoid the nasty NSAID3 side effects, such as upset stomach, heartburn, ulcers and rashes, and liver damage, to name a few.  Women don’t need to suffer month after month.  You can use Chinese herb supplements to be pain free and PMS symptom free all month long.

Primary source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Source; Zhu X, et al "Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhoea" Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007;3: CD005288.

Chinese Medicine Program at the University of Western Sydney.1 (fourth issue for 2007 of The Cochrane Library).

2.  Yin, J. Modern Research and Clinical Application of Chinese  Materia Medica (2) pp 218-219 Beijing: Chinese  Medical Classic Press.

NSAID are Non-Sterodial Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.  Generics and name brands include:  ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, naproxen sodium, Aleve, aspirin, Bayer, Bufferin, acetaminophen, and Tylenol.

Thanks to Cathy Margolin for contributing this article to our Ginseng blog:

How To Sell Ginseng

Related Blogs

• Related Blogs on Chinese Herb
• Are there any "definitive" studies that show that vitamin …
• What Chinese herbs should a heart attack patient avoid? | Chinese …
• The Power of Ganoderma in Oriental Medicine | All About Medicine

• Related Blogs on Chinese Herbal Medicine

• Related Blogs on Cochrane Collaboration

There are many options beyond taking capsules to consume Chinese herbal supplements.  Since capsules contain anywhere from 35%-50% filler  (inactive starch) you may want to check into other options for your herbal medicine.  Here are three you might want to consider.

Alcohol tinctures are made from herbs soaked in alcohol.  The cooking process varies with this modality.  This method has a not unpleasant taste, but Traditional Chinese Medicinal herbs were, and still are, cooked or decocted in water.  Clinical studies done in China for the past several decades reveal the proven effectiveness of herbs which have been cooked in a water decoction, not alcohol extracts.  The Traditional Chinese Medicine community does not have the research to back up alcohol tincture herb formulas.  Additionally, data such as herb to extract ratio is often not disclosed.  Since there is considerable difficultly in achieving a high concentration ratio through the alcohol extraction process,  along with the lack of research, it is presumptuous  to rely on the effectiveness of  this process of producing Chinese herb medicinals.

Another option when you are purchasing Chinese herbs is to take a ready-to-drink plastic pouch of vacuum-packed extracts.  This high-pressure cooking method pushes the decocted herbs into heat-resistant plastic pouches. This method is often referred to as the Korean system of herb extraction.  The cooking process for these pouches is similar to a home pressure cooker, otherwise known as a home herbal extractor.  This method is popular in both China and  the Koreas but is not very widespread with Americans.  The most likely reason this method has not gained popularity is that Americans generally do not like the taste of herbs.  These plastic pouches are equivalent to about one cup of liquid.  Drinking a brown herbal extract two or three times a day is simply beyond what most Americans will tolerate, even to benefit  their health.  This process of raw herb preparation is superior to the home stove top decoction process.  Yet the labor intensity of cooking and cleaning the machine, along with the overall expense of both the pressure cooker and packaging machine, limits its use.  The issue of volatile oil loss during the cooking process (same as the problem with the home stove top method) also limits the strength of the final products.  Another downside is that all raw herbs need to be added at the onset of cooking.  You are out of luck if you need to add aromatic herbs at the end of the cooking process, as there is simply no way to do this.

Another option for taking Chinese herbs is individual herb formula granules in individual packets.  The Chinese herbs in individual packets are fairly new to the US market but have been used in Asia for nearly ten years.  Chinese herb formula packets have the added benefit of  herbs which are cooked together.  This method preserves the proven efficacy of Chinese medicine.  Since the individual packets are air-tight, the herb granules stay fresh and do not clump, even without a starch or dextrin filler.  These Chinese herb formulas begin with a controlled low temperature cooking process which ensures that the maximum amount of beneficial active constituents are extracted from the herbs.  Volatile oils are captured with sophisticated equipment and reintroduced back into the finished products.  The decocted liquid is then dried into granules and packaged immediately for freshness.  No starch additives are needed in this type of packaging.  The major benefits are both the high concentration ratios of these products (as no filler is needed) and the ease of use.  These packets of granules can be carried easily and either poured on the tongue to swallow like a pill or mixed in water or juice to drink.  Formulas sold in packets can be easily used by the general public for many different conditions.

Taking the herbs on a daily basis is the most important thing.  So choose a mode of delivery that is convenient, yet effective.  Chinese herbal medicine is used by more than a billion people and has been used successfully for nearly two thousand years of recorded history.  You can improve your health and vitality with Chinese herbs, and sipping a cup of herb tea might be more enjoyable than popping all those capsules of filler.

Thanks to Cathy Margolin for contributing this article to our Ginseng blog:

How To Sell Ginseng

Related Blogs

• Related Blogs on Chinese Herbal Medicine
• The Cutting Edge Alternative Medicine | Real Media News

• Related Blogs on Chinese Herbs

• Related Blogs on Ginseng
• Siberian Ginseng To Fight Fatigue, Stress And Herpes?