Invigorate the Blood (huo xue)

These herbs treat blood stasis conditions such as stabbing pain, abscesses and ulcers, abdominal masses, angina and ischemia often via the cardiovascular and haematological systems by exerting vasodilatory (e.g. chuan xiong (Ligusticum wallichii)), antiplatelet (e.g. hong hua (Carthamus tinctorius)), anticoagulant (e.g. dan shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)) and thrombolytic (e.g. e zhu (Curcuma zedoaria)) effects.