Imperata 10

Imperata 10 is designed to inhibit bleeding and is based on Ningxue Tang (Blood Calming Decoction), with agrimony, biota leaves, rehmannia, and imperata. From the traditional viewpoint, bleeding may occur when there is too much heat in the blood, causing the blood to flow "recklessly" and escape the vessels (treated by cooling herbs, such as raw rehmannia, scute and imperata). The blood cooling herbs are combined with hemostatics, such as lotus node, cephalanopolus, and biota leaf. Some herbs are said to have both properties: sophora flower and sanguisorba cool blood and are hemostatic. From the modern viewpoint, basic actions that the hemostatic herbs contribute are: they can shorten bleeding time by promoting the coagulation of platelets at the site of bleeding; they can prevent bleeding from fragile capillaries; and they can inhibit infection and inflammation that leads to vessel leakage and damage (this may correspond, in part, to the cooling action of the herbs). Bleeding occurs secondary to many disorders, including lack of platelets (thrombocytopenia); ulcerative disorders of the intestines, bladder, urethra, or uterus; lung and sinus infections; and menstruation-related disorders due to hormone imbalances or fibroids. While herbal formulas to inhibit bleeding are suitable for eliminating minor bleeding or for limiting more substantial bleeding, ultimately, the disease that causes bleeding must be resolved. Some conditions, like large fibroids, may continue to produce uterine bleeding even with use of the hemostatics. Tien-chi Ginseng (Pine Mountain) can be used along with or in place of Imperata 10 as a hemostatic therapy; tien-chi (also called san-chi) is used to vitalize blood and inhibit bleeding. In general, blood vitalizing therapies and hemostatic therapies can be used together.