TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE HERBAL STRATEGIES FOR ANEMIA

摘要

Anemia in conventional medicine is defined as a lack of red blood cells, and is often described as synonymous with Blood Deficiency in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Blood deficiency however, is a much broader concept that includes the Western definition of anemia and much more. Thus there is no single pattern of Blood deficiency which corresponds to the anemia of conventional medicine. Blood Deficiency as defined by TCM may involve: a lack of production of vital substances needed to produce adequateblood, deficiency or dysfunction of the Zang-Fu organs, Blood stagnation where the presence of old stagnant Blood interferes with the generation of new blood, and blood loss without adequate replacement. The Blood of Chinese medicine is composed of Bloodand Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) which circulate throughout the body together, and are often referred to as ying-blood. Ying Qi functions to provide nourishment for the entire body and to serve as a component for the generation of Blood.