About This Herb*
Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties
Herb Description*
Yán Hú Suǒ (Corydalis) is one of the most important pain-relieving herbs in Chinese medicine. It promotes blood circulation and helps move stagnant Qi, making it widely used for all types of pain, from menstrual cramps and stomach pain to chest pain and pain from injuries. It has been described by classical physicians as the foremost herb for treating pain throughout the entire body.
Herb Category*
Main Actions*
- Invigorates Blood and Dispels Stasis
- Moves Qi
- Alleviates Pain
How These Actions Work*
'Invigorates Blood and moves stasis' means Yán Hú Suǒ promotes blood circulation and helps dissolve areas where blood has become sluggish or stuck. In TCM, when blood fails to flow freely, it causes sharp, fixed, stabbing pain. This herb's warm and pungent nature gives it the ability to open up blood vessels and channels, making it useful for pain caused by blood stasis anywhere in the body, including chest pain, menstrual pain, and pain from traumatic injuries.
'Moves Qi' means this herb helps restore the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body. When Qi becomes stuck (a condition called Qi stagnation), it produces distending, wandering pain, often worsened by emotional stress. Because Yán Hú Suǒ acts on both the Liver channel (which governs the free flow of Qi) and the Spleen channel (which governs digestion), it is particularly effective for pain in the chest, flanks, and abdomen caused by emotional tension or digestive issues.
'Alleviates pain' is the action for which this herb is most celebrated. As Li Shizhen wrote in the Ben Cao Gang Mu, it can "treat all pain throughout the body." Its pain-relieving effect is considered the strongest among common Blood-moving herbs. It works because it simultaneously addresses the two most common causes of pain in TCM: Blood stasis and Qi stagnation. Whether the pain is in the head, chest, abdomen, flanks, or limbs, this herb can be applied. Processing with vinegar (forming Cù Yán Hú Suǒ) significantly enhances its pain-relieving action.
Patterns Addressed*
In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Yan Hu Suo is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.
The following describes this herb's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.
Why Yan Hu Suo addresses this pattern
Yán Hú Suǒ is warm, pungent, and bitter, entering the Heart and Liver channels. These properties make it ideally suited to address Blood Stasis. Its pungent flavour disperses and moves stagnation, while its warmth activates blood circulation. The Liver stores the Blood and governs its smooth flow, and the Heart governs the blood vessels. By entering both channels, this herb can resolve blood stasis throughout the body, producing its hallmark action of relieving fixed, stabbing pain associated with this pattern.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Menstrual pain with dark, clotted blood
Chest pain with a fixed, stabbing quality
Pain from injuries with visible bruising or swelling
Why Yan Hu Suo addresses this pattern
When the Liver's Qi fails to flow freely, it produces distending pain in the chest, flanks, and abdomen that often worsens with emotional stress. Yán Hú Suǒ enters the Liver channel and uses its pungent, dispersing nature to unblock stagnant Liver Qi. Though its primary strength is Blood-moving, its simultaneous Qi-moving action makes it particularly effective when Qi stagnation and Blood stasis coexist, which is very common in Liver Qi Stagnation patterns that have persisted over time.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Pain and distension along the ribs and flanks
Stomach area pain worsened by emotional upset
Premenstrual breast distension and mood changes with painful periods
Why Yan Hu Suo addresses this pattern
When Liver Qi Stagnation persists, it can generate Heat (a process called 'constraint transforming into fire'). This produces pain accompanied by heat signs such as a bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, red tongue, and yellow coating. Yán Hú Suǒ addresses the Qi and Blood stagnation component of this pattern. It is classically combined with Chuān Liàn Zǐ (川楝子, Melia fruit) in Jin Ling Zi San, where the cold, bitter Chuān Liàn Zǐ clears the Heat while Yán Hú Suǒ moves the stagnant Qi and Blood, creating a balanced approach to this hot-type pain pattern.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Burning stomach pain that comes and goes
Flank pain with bitter taste and irritability
Painful periods with heat signs
TCM Properties*
Warm
Acrid / Pungent (辛 xīn), Bitter (苦 kǔ)
Tuber (块茎 kuài jīng / 块根 kuài gēn)
This is partial information on the herb's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the herb's dedicated page
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.