Liu Ji Nu 刘寄奴 — Chinese Herbal Medicine

Liu Ji Nu (刘寄奴) At a Glance

• Herb: Liu Ji Nu
• Chinese name: 刘寄奴 (Liu Ji Nu)
• Latin name: Herba Artemisiae Anomalae
• Nature: Warm
• Taste: Bitter
• Meridian: Heart
• Category: Promotes blood circulation and heals wounds

Liu Ji Nu (刘寄奴, Herba Artemisiae Anomalae) is a warm, bitter herb that invigorates blood, disperses stasis, and promotes healing of traumatic wounds. Named after Emperor Liu Yu of the Liu Song dynasty, who is said to have discovered its wound-closing properties during military campaigns. It is valued in TCM for treating both internal blood stasis disorders and external bleeding injuries.

Actions & Therapeutic Effects

• Invigorates blood and dispels blood stasis
• Stops bleeding and promotes wound healing
• Relieves pain from traumatic injury
• Promotes digestion and disperses food accumulation
• Clears heat and reduces swelling (topical application)

Clinical Applications in TCM

• Amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea from blood stasis — combined with Hong Hua (红花) and Tao Ren (桃仁)
• Postpartum abdominal pain with lochia retention — used with Pu Huang (蒲黄) and Wu Ling Zhi (五灵脂)
• Traumatic injury with swelling, bruising, and pain — paired with Ru Xiang (乳香) and Mo Yao (没药) internally or topically
• External bleeding wounds — ground to powder and applied directly to stanch bleeding
• Food stagnation with epigastric fullness and distension — combined with Shan Zha (山楂) and Mai Ya (麦芽)
• Damp-heat jaundice — combined with Yin Chen Hao (茵陈蒿) and Zhi Zi (栀子)

Precautions & Safety

• Dosage: 3–10 g in decoction; topical use as fresh herb poultice or dried powder as needed
• Contraindicated during pregnancy due to strong blood-moving and stasis-breaking action
• Use with caution in patients with blood deficiency without concurrent stasis
• Avoid in cases of profuse bleeding without clear stasis signs

Classical TCM Formulas

• Liu Ji Nu San (刘寄奴散): Liu Ji Nu powder — for traumatic injury.
• Liu Ji Nu decoction alone: for postpartum abdominal pain from Blood stasis.
• Liu Ji Nu is a classical traumatology herb in the Artemisia genus.

Herb Combinations

• Liu Ji Nu (刘寄奴) + Ru Xiang (乳香) + Mo Yao (没药): activates Blood and stops pain for traumatic injury with ecchymosis and swelling.
• Liu Ji Nu (刘寄奴) + Yi Mu Cao (益母草) + Dang Gui (当归): invigorates Blood and regulates menstruation for dysmenorrhea from stasis.
• Liu Ji Nu (刘寄奴) + San Qi (三七) + Pu Huang (蒲黄): stops bleeding and dispels stasis.

Pharmacology & Research

Cardiovascular: inhibits platelet aggregation and improves microcirculation.
Anti-inflammatory: suppresses prostaglandin synthesis and reduces tissue edema.
Antimicrobial: demonstrates in vitro activity against common wound-infecting bacteria.
Hepatoprotective: supports liver function and promotes bile secretion in animal models.

Classical Descriptions

• “刘寄奴草，主破血下胀。” (“Liu Ji Nu grass principally breaks blood and disperses distension.”) — 《开宝本草》Kaibao Bencao (Song Dynasty)