Chinese: 通乳丹
Pinyin: Tōng Rǔ Dān
Other names: Penetrating the Breast Special Pill, Unblock Breast Stagnation Pill,
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that regulate Blood, Formulas that regulate Qi, Formulas that tonify Qi and Blood
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: Low breast milk supply
- Tonifies the Qi and Blood
- Removes Stagnation from the breast connecting Meridians
Source date: 1826 AD
Source book: Fu Qing Zhu's Gynecology
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Tong Ru Dan is a 6-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Ginseng (Ren Shen) and Milkvetch Roots (Huang Qi) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1826 AD, it belongs to the categories of formulas that regulate Blood, formulas that regulate Qi and formulas that tonify Qi and Blood. Its main actions are: 1) tonifies the Qi and Blood and 2) removes Stagnation from the breast connecting Meridians.
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Tong Ru Dan is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Qi and Blood Deficiency. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as low breast milk supply for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the six ingredients in Tong Ru Dan, we review the patterns and conditions that Tong Ru Dan helps treat.
The six ingredients in Tong Ru Dan
Ren Shen is a king ingredient in Tong Ru Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Ginseng (Ren Shen)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSpleen
Category: Tonic herbs for Qi Deficiency
Ren Shen tonifies Qi. This is necessary in this breastmilk-boosting formula because Qi is the ultimate source of milk.
Huang Qi is a king ingredient in Tong Ru Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Milkvetch Roots (Huang Qi)
Huang Qi , much like Ginseng (the other key herb here) tonifies Qi which is the ultimate source of breast milk.
Dang Gui is a deputy ingredient in Tong Ru Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Dong Quai (Dang Gui)
Part used: Dried root
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: HeartLiverSpleen
Category: Tonic herbs for Blood Deficiency
In general Dang Gui's main actions are as follows: "Tonifies the Blood. Lubricates the Intestines. Relieve constipation. Promotes circulation and dispels Bi Pain. Reduce Dysmenorrhea and help with irregular menstruation."
In the context of Tong Ru Dan, it is used because it nourishes Blood and supports the flow os Body Fluids.
Mai Dong is a deputy ingredient in Tong Ru Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
4. Dwarf Lilyturf Roots (Mai Dong)
Part used: Dried root tuber
Nature: Cool
Meridian affinity: HeartLungStomach
Category: Tonic herbs for Yin Deficiency
In general Mai Dong's main actions are as follows: "Replenishes Yin Essence and promotes secretions. Lubricates and nourishes the Stomach. Soothes the Lung. Nourishes the Heart."
In the context of Tong Ru Dan, it is used because it , like Dong Quai (another deputy ingredient), nourishes Blood and supports the flow of Body Fluids..
Mu Tong is an assistant ingredient in Tong Ru Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
5. Akebia Stems (Mu Tong)
Part used: Dried stem
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: HeartLungSmall intestine
Category: Herbs that drain Dampness
In general Mu Tong's main actions are as follows: "Encourages urination and clears Heat. Clears Heat and inflammation of the Heart. Promotes lactation. Moves and smoothes the flow of Blood. Used for painful obstruction associated with either Dampness, Blood Stagnation, Wind or Heat."
In the context of Tong Ru Dan, it is used because it removes Stagnation from the breast-connecting Meridians.
Jie Geng is an envoy ingredient in Tong Ru Dan. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
6. Platycodon Roots (Jie Geng)
In general Jie Geng's main actions are as follows: "Opens the Lungs and smoothes the flow of Lung Qi. Expels Phlegm and pus from the Lungs and throat, can be used for either Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat according to the other herbs in the formula. Directs the actions of other herbs to the Upper Warmer."
In the context of Tong Ru Dan, it is used because it plays the role as a carrier to direct the herbs to the Upper Burner.
Tong Ru Dan is used to treat Qi and Blood Deficiency
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Tong Ru Dan is mostly used to treat the pattern "Qi and Blood Deficiency" which we describe below.
But before we delve into Qi and Blood Deficiency it is worth mentioning that it is often associated with the condition "low breast milk supply". Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Tong Ru Dan treats low breast milk supply". Rather, Tong Ru Dan is used to treat Qi and Blood Deficiency, which is sometimes the root cause behind low breast milk supply.
Now let's look at Qi and Blood Deficiency, a pattern that TCM practitioners commonly treat with Tong Ru Dan.
Qi is one of Chinese Medicine's vital subtances. Learn more about Qi in Chinese Medicine
Qi and Blood Deficiency
Pulse type(s): Slowed-down (Huan), Weak (Ruo), Fine (Xi)
Tongue coating: Partial absence of coating
Tongue color: Pale
Symptoms: Edema Fatigue Vertigo Anxiety Insomnia Dry hair Dry skin Dry lips Tingling Numbness Dry eyes Pale face Dizziness Pale lips Hair loss Tiredness Sore back Weak voice Sore knees Depression Low energy Poor memory Pale tongue Watery milk Palpitations Listlessness Loose stools Poor appetite Scanty periods Blurred vision Low milk supply Pale complexion General weakness Aversion to speak Pale color periods Shortness of breath Numbness in the skin Spontaneous sweating Lower abdominal pain Pale menstrual blood Numbness in the limbs Dream disturbed sleep Dull menstrual cramps Feeling of bearing down Thin and watery periods Withered and brittle nails Thin body lacking strength Pain relieved with massage Lethargic and withdrawn state Spontaneous flow of breast milk Menstruation decreases gratually No feeling of distension of the breasts Insufficient or absent lactation after childbirth
Tong Ru Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Qi and Blood Deficiency. This pattern leads to symptoms such as general weakness, fatigue, weak voice and pale face. Patients with Qi and Blood Deficiency typically exhibit slowed-down (Huan), weak (Ruo) or fine (Xi) pulses as well as Pale tongue with thin white coating .
The Qi and Blood are from the some origin and these two elements are transformable between each other. The Qi creates the Blood, and vice versa the Blood supplies Qi. Therefore it is quite common both patterns appear at the same time.
When general Qi is Deficient, the patients lack the energy to... read more about Qi and Blood Deficiency
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