Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang: A Time-Honored Remedy for Stroke Recovery
Hongji Medical- May 7
- 4 min read
Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang, a gem from Traditional Chinese Medicine, comes from the Qing Dynasty physician Wang Qingren’s Yi Lin Gai Cuo. This powerful herbal formula is designed to help those recovering from stroke by boosting energy, improving blood flow, and clearing blocked pathways in the body.
This article explains its ingredients, benefits, modern uses, and how simple dietary additions can enhance its effects.
What’s in Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang?
This formula combines herbs that work together to restore vitality and circulation. Here’s what’s included:
Astragalus root (120g): Boosts energy, strengthens the body, and reduces swelling.
Angelica root (6g): Nourishes blood, improves circulation, and eases pain.
Red peony root (5g): Cools the body, clears blood clots, and relieves pain.
Earthworm (3g): Clears heat, calms nerves, and opens up blocked channels.
Sichuan lovage root (3g): Enhances blood flow, balances energy, and reduces pain.
Safflower (3g): Promotes circulation, clears blood stagnation, and eases discomfort.
Peach kernel (3g): Improves blood flow, breaks up clots, and supports digestion.
These herbs team up to replenish energy (Qi), improve blood circulation, and unblock the body’s pathways. Astragalus is the star, supercharging energy to drive blood flow and clear stagnation.
The other herbs, like angelica, peony, and safflower, focus on moving blood and easing blockages, while earthworm helps open up the body’s channels for smoother movement.
What It Does and When to Use It
Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang is primarily used for stroke recovery, especially when low energy and poor blood flow cause symptoms like:
Hemiplegia: Paralysis or weakness on one side of the body.
Facial paralysis: Crooked mouth or difficulty closing one eye.
Slurred speech: Trouble speaking clearly.
Drooling: Uncontrolled saliva leakage.
Frequent urination or incontinence: Bladder control issues.
Numbness or pain: Tingling, aching, or heavy limbs.
These symptoms often appear after a stroke, but the formula also helps with conditions like coronary heart disease, post-polio syndrome, or paralysis from other causes, such as injuries or nerve damage.
Why It Works
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, stroke aftermath often stems from low energy (Qi deficiency), which slows blood flow and causes blood clots or stagnation. This blocks blood vessels and damages muscles and tendons, leading to paralysis, facial drooping, or numbness.
Low energy also weakens control over the tongue (causing slurred speech), saliva (causing drooling), and bladder (causing urinary issues).
A dull tongue, white coating, or weak pulse are telltale signs of this energy and blood imbalance. Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang steps in to boost energy, clear blockages, and restore smooth blood flow, helping the body heal.
Modern Uses
Today, Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang is widely used for:
Stroke recovery: It helps with hemiplegia, paraplegia, and other stroke-related issues.
Heart health: It improves blood flow for those with coronary heart disease.
Post-polio syndrome: It supports limb function recovery.
Other paralysis: It aids recovery from trauma or nerve-related paralysis.
Pairing with Food for Extra Relief
Enhance the formula’s effects with these simple dietary additions:
Astragalus porridge: Cook astragalus with rice for an energy-boosting meal.
Angelica chicken soup: Simmer angelica with chicken to nourish blood and improve circulation.
Red peony soup: Boil red peony root into a soup to cool the body and ease pain.
Sichuan lovage tea: Steep Sichuan lovage for a circulation-boosting drink.
Safflower tea: Brew safflower to promote blood flow and reduce stagnation.
Peach kernel porridge: Add peach kernels to porridge for better circulation and digestion.
Note: Earthworm soup is a traditional option but less common today due to dietary preferences. Consult a practitioner for alternatives.
Things to Watch Out For
Consult a doctor: Always talk to a healthcare provider before starting Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang, especially if you have heart, liver, or kidney issues.
Avoid with certain conditions: This formula may not be suitable for severe cardiovascular or organ dysfunction.
Combine treatments: Pairing with acupuncture or massage can boost results, but follow professional guidance.
Wrapping Up
Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang is a remarkable remedy for stroke recovery and related conditions. By boosting energy, improving blood flow, and clearing blockages, it helps ease paralysis, speech issues, and other symptoms. Paired with simple, nourishing foods, its effects can be even stronger. Always use it under the guidance of a healthcare professional to ensure safety and effectiveness. With the right approach, this classic formula can help unlock the healing power of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Name | 補陽還五湯 |
Phonetic | Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang |
English Name | Yang-Supplementing and Five-Returning Decoction |
Classification | Blood-regulating formulas |
Source | 《Correction of Errors in Medical Works》Yi Lin Gai Cuo《醫林改錯》 |
Combination | Astragali Radix(Sheng Huang Qi) 4 liang (120g), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Dang Gui Wei) 2 qian (6g), Paeoniae Radix Rubra(Chi Shao) 1.5 qian (4.5g), Pheretima (Di Long) 1 qian (3g), Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuan Xiong) 1 qian (3g), Carthami Flos (Hong Hua) 1 qian (3g), Persicae Semen (Tao Ren) 1 qian (3g) |
Method | Prepare Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang as a decoction. |
Action | Supplements qi, invigorates blood, and unblocks the collaterals. |
Indication | Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang is indicated for wind-strike due to qi deficiency and blood stasis marked by hemiplegia, deviation of the mouth and eye, sluggish speech, involuntary salivation from the mouth, frequent urination or enuresis, a dark tongue body with a white coating, and a slow, weak pulse. |
Pathogenesis | This pattern is due to zheng qi deficiency, qi and blood stagnation, and obstructed blood vessels following wind-strike. Deficiency of zheng qi cannot move the blood leading to the obstructed blood vessels, which then cannot nourish tendons and muscles. This causes hemiplegia and deviation of the month and eye. The original text from《The Spiritual Pivot-Needling》said, “pathogens invade half of the body, then go deep inside, where yin and wei dwell, if there is even slight insufficiency of yin and wei, zheng qi will leave while the pathogen will stay, causing hemiplegia. Sluggish speech is due to qi deficiency and blood stasis failing to nourish the tongue. Involuntary salivation from the mouth and frequent urination or enuresis is caused by qi deficiency failing to control. A dark tongue with a white coating, and a slow, weak pulse reflect qi deficiency and blood stasis. The root of this pattern is qi deficiency while the branch is blood stasis, which has been explained by Wang Qing-ren as “deficiency produces stasis”. Therefore, the therapeutic method is to focus on supplementing the qi while invigorating the blood and unblocking the collaterals. |
