What are the effects, functions and contraindications of safflower?

Safflower is a very ancient Chinese medicinal material and has been used for thousands of years in my country. However, some people in life do not use safflower in a standardized manner, which leads to some adverse reactions. So here we will introduce the effects and contraindications of safflower.

The efficacy and function of safflower

Safflower is warm in nature and spicy in taste. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, relieving menstruation, dispersing blood stasis and relieving pain. It is often used for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, lochia retention, chest pain, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, stabbing pain in the chest and flanks, bruises, swelling and pain in sores, etc. When the ancients dealt with blood stasis, they often wrapped a handful of safflower in gauze and boiled it. This could be used for soaking feet twice a day. It is suitable for various congestion diseases such as varicose veins, peripheral neuritis, poor blood circulation, numbness or cyanosis of the legs and feet, and can accelerate blood circulation in the feet.

According to modern scientific analysis, safflower contains two pigments, yellow and red. The yellow pigment is soluble in water and acidic solutions and cannot be used as a dye, but is a safe additive commonly used in food pigments. The red pigment is easily soluble in alkaline aqueous solutions and precipitates in neutral or weakly acidic solutions, forming a bright red lake that is deposited on the fibers, thereby playing a role in dyeing clothing.

Taboos on eating safflower

Pregnant women should never take safflower as it may cause adverse effects on both the pregnant woman and the fetus. Safflower has a stimulating effect on the uterus and intestines, which can easily lead to ischemia and hypoxia of the fetus in the uterus, causing fetal maldevelopment and deformity, and even causing miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

Nowadays, some people take safflower as a health product for a long time. However, they don’t know that long-term use of safflower may cause symptoms of chronic safflower poisoning. Modern medicine has confirmed that long-term consumption of safflower can cause serious damage to the nervous, urinary and digestive systems, and can be accompanied by adverse reactions such as skin allergies and anaphylactic shock. People with ulcers and hemorrhagic diseases should use safflower with caution and the dosage should not be large, 3 to 9 grams is appropriate.