Safflower (Honghua)
Carthamus tinctorius L. (Fam. Asteraceae)
Pharmaceutical Name: Flos Carthami
Botanical Name: Carthamustinctorius L. (Fam. Asteraceae)
Common Name: Carthamus, Safflower.
Source of Earliest Record: Kaibao Bencao.
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The flowers are gathered in summer, when they turn bright red. They are then dried in the shade.
Properties & Taste: Pungent and warm.
Meridians: Heart and liver.
Functions: 1. To invigorate blood and release stagnation; 2. To promote menstruation
Indications & Combinations:
1. For dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea due to Blood Stasis, postpartum abdominal pain due to retention of Blood Stasis, masses in the abdomen, and traumatic pain, it is used with Semen Persicae (Tao Yen), Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui), Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong (Chuan Xiong), and Radix Peoniae Rubra (Chi Shao).
2. For chest pain due to obstruction of Qi in the chest, it is used with Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Dan Shen), Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong (Chuan Xiong), and Radix Peoniae Rubra (Chi Shao). For pains in the hypochondria due to Blood Stasis, it is used with Gummi Olibanum (Ru Xiang) and Myrrha (Mo Yao). For traumatic pain, it is used with Lignum Sappan (Su Mu), Sanguis Draconis (Xue Jie), and Moschus (She Xiang).
Dosage: 3-10 g, decocted in water for an oral dose.
