From the New Journal of TCM, vol. 29, No. 6, 1997, pgs. 19 and 20.

Case from an article about the use of Tao Hong Ma Bian Tang to treat Endometriosis

Case: 27 year old woman who had been married for 3 years without becoming pregnant.  She had a history of dysmenorrhea for 4-5 years. Her period was often late with lower abdominal pain that was difficult to bear. Her menstrual bleeding was heavy with purple blood clots, and her genitals had a sinking, distended feeling.  She also experienced low back and sacral pain.  There was a time that she did a 3 month course of medication, which temporarily stopped the pain.  Then, someone introduced her to my clinic.  I first saw her during the second day of her period.  She was experiencing heavy bleeding that was dull purple in color, her lower abdomen had a severe sinking, distending pain.  Her face color was grey-white, she had a cold sweat, as well as low back and sacral pain.  Her tongue was dull purple with stasis speckles, and her pulse was stringlike and rough.  A gynecological exam showed that her uterus was a normal size and had a posterior displacement. Both fallopian tubes were partially blocked and were thicker than normal. There was pain with light pressure and the posterior fornix had several nodes.  An ultrasound showed that her right ovary had a chocolate cyst that was 37mm by 23mm. 

Her western medical diagnosis was endometriosis with primary infertility.  Her Chinese differential diagnosis is dysmenorrhea with primary infertility.  The pattern belongs to the category of blood stasis abdominal mass.  The treatment is Tao Hong Ma Bian Tang modification.  Ingredients: Tao Ren, Hong Hua, Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, Yan Hu Suo, 10 g each, Ma Bian Cao 30g, Chi Shao, Bai Shao 12g each, Dan Shen, Lu Lu Tong, Pao Chuan Shan Jia 15 g each, Zhi Ru Xiang, Zhi Mo Yao 6g each.  She took 1 packet a day as a water decoction. 

After taking 4 packs her lower abdominal pain clearly lessened, her blood clots were reduced and the blood color changed to red.  During her menstruation over the next four months she took 4 or 5 packets of the above formula. After 4 months the dysmenorrhea symptoms stopped. A gynecological examination showed that both fallopian tubes were open.  The right ovarian chocolate cyst had disappeared.  After the four months of treatment for her dysmenorrhea, I regulated her period and supplemented the kidney to aid pregnancy. A follow up visit 1 year later revealed that she was pregnant.