Xiao Huo Luo Dan, Minor Invigorate the Collaterals Special Pill, is Zhi Cao Wu, Zhi Chuan Wu, Tian Nan Xing, Mo Yao, Ru Xiang and Di Long. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that release Wind from the skin and channels.

Herb

Amount

18 g

18 g

18 g

6.6 g

6.6 g

18 g

Actions and indications

Warms the channels and dispels Wind and Damp

Wind, Cold and Damp blocking the channels together with Phlegm and Blood stasis; stubborn painful obstruction
Deep, fixed or wandering pain of the bones, joints and sinews, worse in cold or damp weather, with restricted movement
Heavy, painful low back and legs

Transforms Phlegm and invigorates the Blood

Long-standing numbness, weakness or paralysis of the hands and feet, especially the legs, after Windstroke
Muscle spasm and cramps; stiffness and difficulty bending and straightening the joints
Lingering pain or stiffness after injury

Unblocks the collaterals and alleviates pain

Tongue normal, pale or purple with a white, moist coat; pulse wiry and slippery

Modern uses

Windstroke and after-effects of stroke
Hemiplegia after cerebrovascular accident
Apoplexy
Paralysis
Weakness
One-sided sweating
One-sided pain
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Arthritis
Arthralgia
Wind-Cold-Damp painful obstruction
Bone spurs
Periarthritis of the shoulder
Sciatica
Peripheral nerve disorders
Soft tissue injuries

Modifications

Damp predominant: + cang zhu, + guang fang ji, + yi yi ren

Wind predominant: + qin jiao, + fang feng

Severe Cold: + zhi chuan wu, + zhi cao wu

Disabling pain: + ru xiang, + mo yao

Weak joints from Liver and Kidney deficiency (combined with Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang)

Neuralgia or sciatica: + wei ling xian, + chuan xiong

Post-stroke complications: + dan shen, + san qi

Arthritis: + qiang huo, + yi tiao gen

More Wind (combined with Da Qin Jiao Tang)

More Wind, alternative: + ma qian zi, + hong hua, + shui zhi, + mu gua

Sweating on one side of the body: − di long

Severe pain: + yan hu suo, + ru xiang, + mo yao

Cautions

contraindication Yin deficiency

contraindication Painful obstruction with Heat signs such as redness, swelling or fever

pregnancy Contraindicated in pregnancy, because of the aconite and the Blood-moving resins Ru Xiang and Mo Yao

caution Harsh, warming and drying: only for people with a fairly strong constitution

caution Contains Chuan Wu and Cao Wu, which are toxic: only properly processed roots, never raw, in correct amounts, and only under a qualified practitioner; processed aconite is restricted in many places

caution Not for long-term or unsupervised use, as even processed aconite has a narrow gap between a useful and a toxic effect

Pinyin

xiao huo luo dan

English Name

Minor Invigorate the Collaterals Special Pill

xiao huo luo dan

About xiao huo luo dan

Ingredients

Actions and indications

Warms the channels and dispels Wind and Damp

Transforms Phlegm and invigorates the Blood

Unblocks the collaterals and alleviates pain

Modern uses

Symptoms

Modifications

Cautions

Preparation

Names

Classification