Liver-blood deficiency

Bai Shao Yao is bitter, sour and slightly cold. It enters the Liver and Spleen meridians. Its sour and cold property can nourish the Yin directly and generate the substantial part of the blood. It is particularly effective for softening the Liver, thereby relieving cramp of the muscles and tendons. It can also effectively moisten the internal organs and the orifices, so it can treat the symptoms of dryness of skin and eyes caused by Liver-blood deficiency. 

Dang Gui and Bai Shao Yao are very often used together as a pair of herbs in the formula, as Dang Gui concerns the functional aspect of blood and Bai Shao Yao concerns the substantial aspect of blood. The former is called a Yang herb and the latter a Yin herb in this situation. They can effectively treat Liver-blood deficiency. 

Mu Gua is sour and warm, and enters the Liver and Spleen meridians. It has no function to tonify the blood, but is able to nourish the tendons, expel dampness and open the meridians. It is selected in formulas to relieve spasm and stiffness of the limbs due to Yin and Liver-blood deficiency. 

Suan Zao Ren is sweet, sour and neutral, and enters the Liver, Gall Bladder and Heart meridians. Since sweet and sour may generate the Yin and stabilize the body fluids, it is also able to nourish the Liver blood. It is a perfect herb to calm the mind and improve sleep. It is often selected in the formula to treat anxiety, sweating, restless sleep and dream-disturbed sleep due to Liver-blood deficiency. 

This is a formula to treat hypomenorrhea, prolonged menstrual cycle and amenorrhea due to Liver-blood deficiency. 

Furthermore, Suan Zao Ren and Bai Shao Yao can calm the mind and improve sleep, and are also effective in treating restless sleep and an uneasy feeling of the body during sleep due to Liver-blood deficiency. 

The Liver-Yin deficiency often follows Liver-blood deficiency. In conditions where Yin and blood are both deficient, they are unable to house the soul, to spread the Qi and to regulate the blood, dream-disturbed sleep, depression, irregular menstruation and tiredness may arise. 

Generally speaking, blood, Yin and essence all belong to the Yin because of their substantial form. In a syndrome of Liver-Yin deficiency, liver-blood deficiency is often the initial stage of Liver-Yin deficiency liquid-Yin deficiency is the second stage, and essence deficiency of the Liver and Kidney is the last stage. Thus, to tonify the Liver-Yin, herbs that tonify the blood and nourish the liquid-Yin and the essence are all selected. 

If there is obvious Liver-Qi stagnation but the cause is unclear, it is most likely caused by Liver-blood deficiency. In that situation, the Liver-blood is too weak to nourish the Liver, so the Qi moves slowly and tends to become stagnant. The syndrome of Liver-blood deficiency manifests as dizziness, vertigo, headache, migraine, tiredness, pale complexion, brittle nails and hair, irregular menstruation, irritability and mood swings. 

In this syndrome, each of the three factors (Liver-Qi stagnation, Liver-blood deficiency and Spleen-Qi deficiency) can influence, or be influenced by, the other two. This may lead to disharmony between the functions of the Liver and Spleen and cause related manifestations. 

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