‘Cinnamon Twigs and Hoelen Pill’
Source: Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lue, 200)

Keywords
dysmenorrohea, amenorrhoea, difficult labour, retention of placenta, menopausal syndrome, strain of lumbar muscles and acnes.

Ingredients
Cinnamomum cassia (Gui Zhi, cinnamon twigs)
Poria cocos (Fu Ling, hoelen)
Paeonia suffruticosa (Dan Pi, moutan)
Prunus persica (Tao Ren, peach seed)
Paeonia sinjiangensis (Shao Yao, peony)

Major therapeutic action
Activates Blood, dissolves stagnated Blood, gradually dissolves stagnated lumps.

Indications
*  Lower abdominal masses in women, or menstrual problems.
*  With the appropriate key symptoms, this formula can be used to treat biomedical conditions such as dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea, difficult labour, retention of placenta, menopausal syndrome, strain of lumbar muscles and acnes, etc.

Key symptoms for use
*  mild, persistent uterine bleeding of purple or dark blood during pregnancy accompanied by abdominal pain that increases with pressure
*  immobile masses in the lower abdomen with pain and tenderness
*  abdominal spasms and tension
*  amenorrhoea with abdominal distension and pain
*  dysmenorrhoea
*  retention of the lochia
*  choppy pulse

Dosage
The typical dose is three grams twice daily, before meals. In severe cases or the early stages of treatment 
(the first two weeks), a 50-100% increase in dose may be used,  then reduced as the treatment takes effect.