Chinese Herbal Formulas for High Cholesterol: A Traditional Approach

Chinese Herbal Formulas for High Cholesterol: A Traditional Approach

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), high cholesterol isn't a single disease but a manifestation of patterns like Phlegm-Damp obstruction, Blood Stasis, Liver Qi Stagnation, or Spleen/Kidney Deficiency. Treatment is individualized.

Common Patterns & Formulas

Pattern	Key Symptoms	Representative Formula
Phlegm-Damp	Overweight, chest oppression, greasy tongue coat	Wen Dan Tang / Er Chen Tang + hawthorn
Blood Stasis	Fixed chest pain, dark complexion, purple tongue	Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang + salvia, notoginseng
Liver Qi Stagnation	Stress-related, rib-side distension, wiry pulse	Chai Hu Shu Gan San + bupleurum, cyperus
Spleen/Kidney Yang Def	Fatigue, cold limbs, pale tongue	Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan + cinnamon, aconite

Frequently Used Single Herbs (Pinyin)

• Shan Zha (Crataegus) – lipid-lowering, digestion.
• Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) – blood circulation, endothelial protection.
• He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) – liver/kidney tonic, antioxidant.
• Ze Xie (Alisma) – diuretic, lipid excretion.
• Jue Ming Zi (Cassia) – clears liver heat, lowers lipids.

Why See a Practitioner

TCM diagnosis requires pulse, tongue, and detailed history. Wrong formula can worsen imbalance. A qualified herbalist creates a custom formula (8–15 herbs) that addresses root cause, not just lab numbers.

Adjuncts

Acupuncture (ST40, SP9, LV3), dietary therapy (reduce damp foods: dairy, fried, sugar), exercise.

TCM offers a holistic framework—find a licensed acupuncturist/herbalist (NCCAOM certified) for personalized care.