What are the effects and functions of Achyranthes bidentata?

Achyranthes bidentata has excellent medicinal effects and value. It is clinically used to treat blood stasis, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis. At the same time, it can also help nourish the liver and kidneys, strengthen the essence and bones, and improve liver and kidney deficiency and insufficient qi and blood.

1. Draw blood downward

"Medical Records of Combining Chinese and Western Medicine" states: "Achyranthes bidentata was originally a tonic, but it is good at guiding qi and blood downward. Therefore, when people want to make the medicine move downward, they often use it to guide the meridians." For example, to treat headaches, dizziness and other symptoms caused by hypertension due to the upward flow of Qi and blood, you can use Achyranthes bidentata together with Uncaria rhynchophylla, Tribulus terrestris, magnet, etc. For example, when Zhang Xichun created Zhengan Xifeng Decoction, he used a lot of Achyranthes bidentata to guide the blood downward on the basis of calming liver yang and extinguishing liver wind. In the clinical treatment of blood stasis, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, abdominal pain due to blood stasis after childbirth, retained placenta, etc., safflower, chuanxiong, angelica, peach kernel, and Corydalis are often used in combination with Achyranthes bidentata to promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and guide blood downward.

2. Draw heat downward

Achyranthes bidentata can be used for vomiting blood, hemoptysis, and epistaxis caused by heat in the upper part of the body and blood heat. Imperata root, thistle, agrimony, Platycladus orientalis leaves, gardenia, etc. are often used to cool the blood and stop bleeding. Achyranthes bidentata can be used as an additive to conduct the heat downward and relieve the bleeding through urination. If yin deficiency and excessive fire cause swollen, painful and bleeding gums, mouth ulcers, and sore throat, Achyranthes bidentata is often used together with gypsum, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Ophiopogon japonicus, Rehmannia glutinosa, and other heat-clearing and fire-purging drugs. This is what Zhang Xichun said: "These symptoms are all caused by the rise of qi and blood with the heat. Heavy use of Achyranthes bidentata can lead the qi and blood downward, and can also lead the floating fire downward, so they can be cured."

3. Tonify the kidney

Achyranthes bidentata can nourish the liver and kidneys and strengthen the tendons and bones. The kidneys are located in the lower abdomen, so it is said to nourish the kidneys downwards. For symptoms such as weakness of muscles and bones, soreness of waist and legs caused by liver and kidney deficiency, Achyranthes bidentata is often used together with Rehmannia glutinosa, tortoise shell, Cynomorium songaricum, tiger bone, etc., which can nourish the liver and kidney and strengthen the muscles and bones. Prescriptions such as Hu Qian Wan and Duhuo Jishe Decoction are mainly used to treat long-term arthralgia, liver and kidney deficiency, and insufficient qi and blood. The Achyranthes bidentata in the prescriptions also has the function of nourishing the kidney.