Carthamus Flos, Safflower, Hong Hua 红花 Bastard or Wild Saffron; Cnicus, Crocus Saracenicus, Cartamus Kusumbha, Vahinshikha (Ayurveda) Qurtum, Asfar (Unani) Chendurakam (Siddha) Gur Gum གུར་གུམ་ (also used for Saffron) Rtsa Gur Gum རྩ་གུར་གུམ་ (Carthamus, Tibet) Hong Hua (TCM)

Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Above: Safflower Left: dried whole Safflower flower (Adam, 2016, 2018)

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Botanical name:

Carthamus tinctorius

Parts used:

Flower
Seed also Safflower Seed

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Pungent
“Hot in the first and dry in the second degree” (Avicenna)

Classifications:

2D ATTENUATERS OF CONGEALED BLOOD
2L. EMOLLIENT
TCM:
K. Move the Blood

Uses:

1. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation, Eases Pain:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea with clotting or dark blood
-delayed or obstructed Menstruation
-Endometriosis, Fibroids, Uterine Tumors

2. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis:
-Blood stasis, Trauma, Hematoma
-Chest Pain, sharp stabbing pain from Blood stasis
-‘it functions on the Heart and nourishes it’. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-Hardness, Tumors (movable and static), Fibroids; adjunct in Cancer
-promotes eruption of Measles, Scarlet Fever, Chickenpox, Small Pox etc. (not used once full eruption has occurred)
-smaller doses can be used for Bleeding due to excess Heat or Blood obstruction
-‘it dredges the channels’. (Li Shi Zhen)
-accepted substitute for Saffron

3. Benefits the Liver:
-One of the Six Excellent Medicines of Tibetan Medicine
-in Tibetan Medicine, Safflower (or Saffron) is the Excellent Medicine associated with the Liver. It treats all Liver disease and supports Liver function. It is regarded as a regulating tonic for the Liver.
-has been used for Jaundice, Hepatitis (Tibet)

4. Externally:
-used externally in oils and plasters for Blood Stasis, Trauma, Bruising and Pain
-“It clears Freckles and Pityriasis” (Avicenna)
-“Safflower is applied on ringworm”. (Avicenna)

Dose:

1. Small doses nourish and regulate the Blood, moderate doses move the Blood, large doses break blood accumulation and dissolve Tumors. ‘If the drug is heavily dosed, it functions to remove the blood stasis. If the dosage is small, it has the function of nourishing the blood’. (Zhu Zhen Heng)
2. It may be decocted in wine or made into a tincture to increase its blood-moving effect.
Decoction: 1–9 grams; 1–2 grams (low doses); 3–5 grams (moderate dose); 7–9 grams (large dose)
Powder: 500mg–5 grams; 500mg–1 gram (low dose); 1–2 grams (moderate dose); 3–5 grams (large dose)

Correctives:

Aniseed (Unani)

Substitutes:

1. Safflower is a substitute for Saffron. In cases with severe blood stagnation, chest pain, or the elderly with Melancholy, Saffron can be used in its place.
2. Calendula
3. Pistachia terebinthus (Unani)
4. Safflower seed has the same effect as Safflower flower (Su Song)

Preparation:

1. Wine-prepared Safflower:
  Safflower can be sprinkled with wine, then gently dried or stir-fried. This increases its blood moving effect and functions better on the Blood. Taken as a tincture or decocting in wine also achieves this.
2. Ghee-prepared Safflower:
  When used in rejuvenating compounds, Safflower is soaked in ghee. (Tibet)

Main Combinations:

Peach kernel / Bitter Almond kernel & Saffron / Safflower

Safflower is often combined with Peach kernel (Tao Ren) in TCM. This is similar to the combination of Saffron and Bitter Almond in the Western Tradition. Both work to open obstructions, move the Blood, and ease pain. Safflower is penetrating, but dry. Almond or Peach kernel are heavy, oily and slippery. They thereby correct each other to enhance the effect. Used for fixed, sharp pain; congealed and bruised blood; menstrual pain with dark, clotted menstruation as well as Fibroids and Tumors.

Gynecology:
1. Amenorrhea, Obstructed or painful Menstruation:
i. Safflower with Rice Wine (or other alcohol) (as in Hong Lan Hua Jiu from Jin Gui Yao Lue [Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer]).
ii. Safflower with Peach kernel (or Bitter Almond), Dang Gui, Peony (Bai Shao), Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong (as in Tao Hong Si Wu Tang from Yi Zong Jin Jian [Golden Mirror of Orthodox medicine]),
iii. Safflower with Peach kernel (or Bitter Almond), Dang Gui, Peony (Bai Shao) and Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu) (TCM)
iv. Safflower, Bdellium, Myrrh, Turmeric, Rose, Cyperus rotundus
2. Postpartum abdominal pain:
i. Safflower with Dang Gui, Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao)
ii. Safflower with Cattail pollen (Pu Huang), Tree Peony root bark (Mu Dan Pi), Lotus leaf (He Ye) (as in Hong Hua San from Huo Fa Ji Yao [Essentials of Flexible Methods]).

Blood Stasis:
3. Abdominal pain from Blood stasis, Safflower with Peach kernel (Tao Ren), Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Dang Gui, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Bitter Orange Zhi Ke. (as in Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang)
4. Chest pain, Angina Pectoris:
i. Safflower with Salvia Dan Shen. This is also used for Myocardial Ischemia and inhibits thrombosis (TCM)
II. Safflower, Salvia Dang Shen, Borneo Camphor (Bing Pian)
iii. Safflower, Bdellium, Arjuna (Ayurveda)
iv. Safflower, Galangal, Sandalwood
v. Safflower, Myrrh, Musk
5. Internal Bruising:
i Safflower with Dang Gui, Peach kernel and Rhubarb (TCM)
ii. Safflower, Bitter Almond, Lacca, Madder (West)
iii. Safflower, Madder, Rhubarb, Myrrh
6. Post-Stroke:
i. Safflower, Astragalus Huang Qi
ii. Safflower, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Notoginseng San Qi, Salvia Dan Shen

Other:
7. To promote eruption in Eruptive Fevers:
i. Safflower with Mint, Long Pepper
ii. Safflower with Balm, Elder flower, Violet leaf and Licorice.
8. As a Liver tonic:
i. Safflower with Sandalwood, Clove, Costus, and Triphala (as in Safflower 13 of Tibetan Medicine)
ii. Safflower, Swertia, Emblic Myrobalan
9. To nourish and regulate the Blood, Safflower with Dang Gui

Major Formulas

Qi Li San
Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang
Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang

Antelope Horn 14 (Rgya ru bcu bzhi) (Tibetan) 
Antidotal 18 (Gnyen po bco brgyad)
Barberry 8 Powder (Skyer sun brgyad pa) (Tibetan)
Coptis 5 Pill (Tibetan)
Joyful 16 Pill (Dg’a ba bchu drug) (Tibetan)
Minister 3 (Tibetan)
Minister 9 (Tibetan)
Raisin 7 (Tibetan)
Safflower Supreme 7 (Gur gum mchog bdun) (Tibetan)
Sandalwood 8 (Tsan dan brgyad pa) (Tibetan)
Six Excellent Medicines (Tibetan)
Undying Aloeswood 8 (Chi med a gar brgyad pa)

Cautions:

1. Not used in Pregnancy.
2. Avoid in Bleeding
3. Gastric Ulcers

Drug Interactions:

Due to its blood thinning effects it must be used very cautiously in people taking blood thinning medication such as heparin and warfarin.
Effects of safflower injection on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of warfarin in rats.

Main Preparations used:

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1. REVIEW: –Study on chemical constituents of Carthamus tinctorius. –Studies on chemical constituents from the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius L. –Studies on chemical components of Carthamus tinctorius petals. –Chemical constituents from flowers of Carthamus tinctorius. –Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Carthamus tinctorius L. –Medical uses of Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower): a comprehensive review from Traditional Medicine to Modern Medicine. –Phytochemistry, pharmacology and medicinal properties of Carthamus tinctorius –Towards a better understanding of medicinal uses of Carthamus tinctorius L. in traditional Chinese medicine: a phytochemical and pharmacological review. –Research of Chinese medicine pairs (VIII)–Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Carthami flos. 2. ANTIOXIDANT/FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING: –Study on material base of Carthamus tinctorius with antioxidant effect based on selective knock-out –Component analysis and free radical-scavenging potential of Panax notoginseng and Carthamus tinctorius extracts. –Antioxidant and neuroprotective activities of Mogami-benibana (safflower, Carthamus tinctorius Linne). –Study on the antioxidative effect of Safflor Yellow. 3. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY: –Anti-inflammatory active constituents of Carthamus tinctorius (2). –Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of extract and two isolated flavonoids of Carthamus tinctorius –Anti-inflammatory activity of a new triterpenoid saponin from carthamus tinctorius linn. –Polyacetylene glucosides from the florets of Carthamus tinctorius and their anti-inflammatory activity. –Anti-inflammatory action of methanol extract of Carthamus tinctorius involves in heme oxygenase-1 induction. 4. ANTINOCICEPTIVE: –Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of extract and two isolated flavonoids of Carthamus tinctorius 5. ANTI-ANXIETY: –Short communication-Evaluation of antianxiety and antidepressant properties of Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) petal extract. 6. ANTI-DEPRESSANT: –Hydroethanolic extract of Carthamus tinctorius induces antidepressant-like effects: modulation by dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in tail suspension test in mice. –A novel compound N(1),N(5)-(Z)-N(10)-(E)-tri-p-coumaroylspermidine isolated from Carthamus tinctorius L. and acting by serotonin transporter inhibition. –Short communication-Evaluation of antianxiety and antidepressant properties of Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) petal extract. –Safflower extracts functionally regulate monoamine transporters. 7. BLOOD STASIS / ANTICOAGULANT / THROMBOLYTIC: –In Vitro Anticoagulant Activity and Active Components of Safflower Injection. –Herb pair Danggui-Honghua: mechanisms underlying blood stasis syndrome by system pharmacology approach. –Enhancement of thrombolytic activities of Carthamus tinctorius processed with fermentation with a bacillus sp. C2-13 –Effects of extracts and isolated compounds from safflower on some index of promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation. –Antithrombotic effects of Danggui, Honghua and potential drug interaction with clopidogrel. –Pharmacokinetic comparisons of hydroxysafflower yellow A in normal and blood stasis syndrome rats. 8. CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA: –Protective effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A on experimental cerebral ischemia in rats. 9. BRAIN INJURY: –Hydroxysafflor yellow A attenuates lymphostatic encephalopathy-induced brain injury in rats. –Hydroxysafflor yellow A exerts antioxidant effects in a rat model of traumatic brain injury. 10. LUNG INJURY: –Three Ingredients of Safflower Alleviate Acute Lung Injury and Inhibit NET Release Induced by Lipopolysaccharide.  11. ANTI-DIABETIC: –Antidiabetic effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Carthamus tinctorius L. in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

12. PULMONARY FIBROSIS: –Inhibitory effect of safflor yellow on pulmonary fibrosis. 13. REPRODUCTIVE –Effects of Carthamus tinctorius L. on the ovarian histomorphology and the female reproductive hormones in mice. –Effects of Carthamus tinctorius on Semen Quality and Gonadal Hormone Levels in Partially Sterile Male Rats. 14. NEUROPROTECTIVE: –Antioxidant and neuroprotective activities of Mogami-benibana (safflower, Carthamus tinctorius Linne). –Neuroprotective Effects of Safflower Flavonoid Extract in 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Model of Parkinson’s Disease May Be Related to its Anti-Inflammatory Action. –Neuroprotective Effects of a Standardized Flavonoid Extract from Safflower against a Rotenone-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease. –Neuroprotective Effects of A Standardized Flavonoid Extract of Safflower Against Neurotoxin-Induced Cellular and Animal Models of Parkinson’s Disease. –Effects of Carthamus tinctorius injection on bcl-2, caspase-3 expression related to neurons apoptosis after local cerebral ischemia. –Protective effects of effective ingredients of Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) and Honghua (Flos Carthami) compatibility after rat hippocampal neurons induced by hypoxia injury. –Neuroprotective effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A: in vivo and in vitro studies. 15. CARDIOPROTECTIVE/MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA: –Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Carthamus tinctorius aqueous extracts and compatibility on rat myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury. –Protective effects of Carthamus tinctorius injection on isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury in rats. –Evaluation of the anti-myocardial ischemia effect of individual and combined extracts of Panax notoginseng and Carthamus tinctorius in rats. –Virtual screening of components of safflower against myocardial ischemia based on molecular docking technology. –Protective effects of purified safflower extract on myocardial ischemia in vivo and in vitro. 16. LOWERS HEART RATE: –The effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A on blood pressure and cardiac function. 17. ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE: –The effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A on blood pressure and cardiac function. 18. HEPATOPROTECTIVE: –Hepatoprotective effects of kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside from Carthamus tinctorius L. on CCl(4)-induced oxidative liver injury in mice. –Protective effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Carthamus tinctorius extract against lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury. –Restorative effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A on hepatic function in an experimental regression model of hepatic fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride. 19. OSTEOPROTECTIVE: –Carthamus tinctorius flower extract prevents H2O2-induced dysfunction and oxidative damage in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. 20. CANCER: BREAST: –The inhibitory effect of a herbal formula comprising ginseng and carthamus tinctorius on breast cancer. –Safflower polysaccharide inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of MCF-7 breast cancer cell. LUNG:–Safflower polysaccharide induces NSCLC cell apoptosis by inhibition of the Akt pathway. –Anti-tumor activity of safflower polysaccharide (SPS) and effect on cytotoxicity of CTL cells, NK cells of T739 lung cancer in mice. LEUKEMIA: –Effects of safflower injection on HEL leukemia cell proliferation and apoptosis and relevant molecular mechanisms. 21. ANTI-METASTATIC: –Safflower Yellow Prevents Pulmonary Metastasis of Breast Cancer by Inhibiting Tumor Cell Invadopodia. 22. ANTI-MELANOGENESIS: –Inhibitory effects of active compounds isolated from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seeds for melanogenesis. 23. ANTI-ULCER: –Antiulcer screening of Carthamus tinctorius on volume and acidity of stimulated gastric secretion in rats. 24. TENDON INJURY: –An experimental study on the effect of safflower yellow on tendon injury-repair in chickens. 25. PROMOTES HAIR GROWTH –Hair growth-promoting effect of Carthamus tinctorius floret extract.