Chinese: 震灵丹
Pinyin: Zhèn Líng Dān
Other names: Pregnancy Panacea
Number of ingredients: 8 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that secure irregular uterine bleeding and stop vaginal discharge
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: Pelvic inflammatory diseaseDysfunctional uterine bleeding
- Stabilizes uterine bleeding
- Clears Blood Stagnation
Contraindications: Contraindicated during pregnancy or for these patients with patterns of... Contraindicated during pregnancy or for these patients with patterns of Damp-Heat or Empty Cold without Blood Stagnation. see more
Source date: 1107 AD
Source book: Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People in the Taiping Era
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Zhen Ling Dan is a 8-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Limonitum (Yu Yu Liang) and Red Halloysite (Chi Shi Zhi) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1107 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that secure irregular uterine bleeding and stop vaginal discharge. Its main actions are: 1) stabilizes uterine bleeding and 2) clears Blood Stagnation .
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Zhen Ling Dan is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as dysfunctional uterine bleeding or pelvic inflammatory disease for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the eight ingredients in Zhen Ling Dan, we review the patterns and conditions that Zhen Ling Dan helps treat.
The eight ingredients in Zhen Ling Dan
Yu Yu Liang is a king ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Limonitum (Yu Yu Liang)
Part used: The mineral
Nature: Cool
Meridian affinity: StomachLarge intestine
Category: Herbs that stabilize and bind
In general Yu Yu Liang's main actions are as follows: "Astringes the intestines and stop diarrhea. Stop bleeding. "
In the context of Zhen Ling Dan, it is used because it astringent and excels at stopping bleeding and discharge.
Chi Shi Zhi is a king ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Red Halloysite (Chi Shi Zhi)
Part used: The mineral
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: StomachLarge intestine
Category: Herbs that stabilize and bind
In general Chi Shi Zhi's main actions are as follows: "Astringe the Large Intestine. Stop bleeding. Promote tissue regeneration and wound healing. "
In the context of Zhen Ling Dan, it is used because it astringent and excels at stopping bleeding and discharge.
Zi Shi Ying is a deputy ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Fluorite (Zi Shi Ying)
Part used: The mineral
Nature: Warm
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: HeartKidneyLung
Category: Herbs that anchor and calm the Spirit
Zi Shi Ying warms the Uterus, settles the Heart, and calms the
Mind. It also support the key ingredients by warming the Uterus and stabilizing the Lower Burner.
Dai Zhe Shi is a deputy ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Hematite (Dai Zhe Shi)
Part used: The mineral
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: StomachHeartLiverPericardium
Category: Herbs that anchor and calm the Spirit
Dai Zhe Shi enters the Liver, directs Rebellious Qi down, and stops bleeding. It also support the key ingredients by warming the Uterus and stabilizing the Lower Burner.
Ru Xiang is an assistant ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
5. Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Part used: An aromatic resin obtained from boswellia trees
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Ru Xiang is acrid and warming. Thus it invigorates the Blood and transforming Stagnation. It also regulates the Qi and
alleviate pain.
Mo Yao is an assistant ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
6. Myrrh (Mo Yao)
Part used: Dried resin of the tree
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Mo Yao is acrid and warming. Thus it invigorates the Blood and transforming Stagnation. It also regulates the Qi and
alleviate pain.
Wu Ling Zhi is an assistant ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
7. Flying Squirrel Faeces (Wu Ling Zhi)
Part used: Dried faeces
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: SpleenLiver
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Wu Ling Zhi is acrid and warming. Thus it invigorates the Blood and transforming Stagnation. It also regulates the Qi and
alleviate pain.
Zhu Sha is an assistant ingredient in Zhen Ling Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
8. Cinnabar (Zhu Sha)
Part used: The mineral itself
Nature: Cool
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: Heart
Category: Herbs that anchor and calm the Spirit
In general Zhu Sha's main actions are as follows: "Calms the spirit and Heart. Stops convulsions. Clears Heat and toxins."
In the context of Zhen Ling Dan, it is used because it calms the Mind, which is often disturbed by the bleeding and pain.
Zhen Ling Dan is used to treat Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Zhen Ling Dan is mostly used to treat the pattern "Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold here is an overview of the Western conditions it is commonly associated with:
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding Pelvic inflammatory disease
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Zhen Ling Dan treats dysfunctional uterine bleeding" for instance. Rather, Zhen Ling Dan is used to treat Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold, which is sometimes the root cause behind dysfunctional uterine bleeding.
Now let's look at Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Zhen Ling Dan.
'Cold' as a body pattern in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Cold pattern in Chinese Medicine
Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold
Pulse type(s): Fine (Xi), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue color: Reddish-Purple
Symptoms: Dark clots in menstrual blood Lower abdominal pain released afer passing clots Persistent uterine bleeding of purple or dark blood
Zhen Ling Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold. This pattern leads to symptoms such as persistent uterine bleeding of purple or dark blood, dark clots in menstrual blood and lower abdominal pain released afer passing clots. Patients with Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold typically exhibit fine (Xi) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a reddish-purple tongue.
This pattern involves a Deficiency in the Directing (Ren) and Penetrating (Chong) vessels, leading to a disruption in the regulation of blood. Key characteristics of this pattern include:
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Uterine Bleeding: The Deficiency in these vessels causes Cold to penetrate, leading to Blood straying from... read more about Directing and Penetrating vessels Deficiency with Empty Cold
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