Hong Hua (Flos Carthami) is from the flower of Carthamus tinctorius L., family Compositae. The medicinal material is picked in the summer when the flower changes from yellow into bright red. It is dried in the shade and used in its crude form.
Category: Blood Regulating – Blood Invigorating.
Common Name: Safflower; Carthamus.
Channels Entered: Heart and Liver.
Properties and Functions: Hong Hua is pungent in flavour and warm in nature. It acts to promote blood circulation to remove Blood stasis; It promotes menstruation and can alleviate pain.
Indications: It is clinically used for the following:
- Blood-stasis syndrome with dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea, postpartum abdominal pain with masses, dizziness and joint pain.
- Darkish skin eruptions due to Heat and Blood stasis such as carbuncles, dark purplish erythema, incomplete expression of rashes.
- Painful obstruction of the chest due to Blood stasis such as angina pectoris.
Cautions and Contra-Indications: Its use is contra-indicated during pregnancy and in cases of haemorrhagic disease or peptic ulcers.