Can I eat safflower when I am preparing for pregnancy?

Many medicines will have different effects when used at different times, so we must be able to discern. If we really don’t know how to use the medicine, we must consult a doctor before using it, otherwise it will easily cause harm to the body. So how should we make good use of safflower, a medicine like this? Safflower has very high medicinal effects, but at the same time its side effects are also very obvious.

Safflower has a good effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. We often see safflower in the treatment of many diseases. However, if we take safflower improperly, it can easily cause miscarriage in pregnant women.

Safflower (Scientific name: Carthamus tinctorius L.), also known as red and blue flower, thorny red flower, is a plant of the Asteraceae family and the genus Safflower. It has dry tubular flowers, orange-red in color, with narrow tubes, 5 lobes at the tip, narrow linear lobes, yellow anthers, united into a tube, protruding beyond the lobes, with a stigma exposed in the center. It has a unique aroma and a slightly bitter taste. The best ones are those with long petals, bright red color and soft texture.

It is mainly produced in Henan, Hunan, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Guizhou and other places. It promotes blood circulation and menstruation, dissipates blood stasis and relieves pain. It helps to treat amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, lochia retention, chest pain, heart pain, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, stabbing pain in the chest and flanks, bruises, and swelling and pain of sores. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, dispersing dampness and reducing swelling. Pregnant women should avoid using it, otherwise it will cause miscarriage.

What are the effects and functions of the traditional Chinese medicine safflower? Traditional Chinese medicine believes that safflower is pungent in taste, warm in nature, and enters the heart and liver meridians. It has a fragrant aroma and can disperse the qi. When it enters the blood, it has the effects of promoting blood circulation, dredge menstruation, remove blood stasis and relieve pain. It is mainly used to treat dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, postpartum blood loss, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, chest pain and heart pain, blood stasis, bruises and swelling, joint pain, stroke paralysis, and purple macules. The specific effects of the prescription based on safflower are as follows:

1. The recipe of red and blue flower wine (from "Golden Chamber Synopsis") has the functions of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, promoting qi and relieving pain.

2. Taohong Siwu Decoction (Yi Zong Jin Jian), nourishes blood, promotes blood circulation, and removes blood stasis.

3. Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (from "Yi Lin Gaicuo"), promotes blood circulation, removes blood stasis, promotes qi and relieves pain. It is mainly used to treat blood stasis in the chest, poor blood circulation, chest pain, headache that does not heal for a long time, and pain like a needle prick in a fixed place.

4. Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction (from "Yi Lin Gaicuo"), which promotes blood circulation and opens the orifices, is mainly used to treat headache and dizziness caused by blood stasis in the head and face, or vitiligo, as well as dry blood tuberculosis in women and malnutrition in children.

5. Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang (from "Yi Lin Gaicuo"), which promotes blood circulation and qi movement, removes blood stasis and dredges the meridians, relieves numbness and relieves pain. It is mainly used to treat shoulder pain, arm pain, back pain, leg pain, or body pain caused by qi and blood stagnation in the meridians, which does not heal for a long time.

6. Fuyuan Huoxue Decoction (Medical Inventions), promotes blood circulation, removes blood stasis, soothes the liver and dredges the meridians. It is mainly used to treat injuries caused by falls, blood stasis in the hypochondrium, and unbearable pain.

7. To treat red swelling on half of the body that gradually spreads and does not stop: apply a mixture of red and blue flower powder and vinegar to the affected area. ("General Prescriptions for Children's Health").

8. To treat long-term pus discharge from the ear that is constantly foul-smelling: 1 fen of safflower and 1 liang of alum (burned to ash). Grind the above ingredients into powder and put a small amount into the ear each time.

9. To treat throat obstruction and impending death: take red and blue flowers, crush them and squeeze out one liter of juice, then take it gradually until the disease is cured. If there are no wet flowers in winter, you can soak and dry them, squeeze out the juice and take it as before.

Above we introduced that we must use the medicine in the correct way. If you really don’t understand, you should consult a doctor. The safflower mentioned above has very good effects of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. However, if pregnant women consume too much safflower, it may cause miscarriage. Female friends can eat safflower when preparing for pregnancy.