Resolve (Upper)™

TCM herbal formula for fibrocystic breast changes, breast lumps, breast cysts, mastitis, mastalgia, fibroadenomas, and lymphadenopathy — dispels qi, blood, and phlegm stagnation; disperses nodules and masses; unblocks Liver qi; clears heat and detoxifies

⚠️ Formulated for initial and early stages of breast masses or lymphadenopathy — patients with breast lumps or large cysts should seek medical treatment to rule out tumor or cancer. Contraindicated during pregnancy and nursing. Use with caution during menstruation as it may cause excessive bleeding. Not for long-term use — discontinue when desired effects are achieved. Take with food if you have a sensitive stomach. Contains Dang Gui Wei (Extremitas Radix Angelicae Sinensis) which invigorates blood — use with caution or avoid with Coumadin (warfarin) or anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy due to higher risk of bleeding and bruising. Use of Dang Gui in patients with hormone-dependent cancer warrants caution pending further study due to conflicting and insufficient data.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

* Fibrocystic disorders: breast pain, breast cysts, breast lumps, and palpable masses of the breast

* Fibroadenomas: small, slippery, painless lumps of the breast

* Mastitis: breast infection with redness, swelling, distension, and pain

* Mastalgia: breast pain that can be localized or diffuse, affecting one or both breasts

* Lymphadenopathy characterized by swollen and enlarged lymph nodes with nodules or fibroids

Background: Fibrocystic changes, fibroadenomas, mastalgia, and mastitis are all common breast disorders. Though the names differ in Western medicine, they all refer to abnormal growth of tissues that may be accompanied by pain and inflammation. In TCM, these are diagnosed as "blood stasis and phlegm stagnation." Fibrocystic disorders in the upper half of the body are often characterized by prolonged Liver qi stagnation with blood and phlegm obstruction.

Clinical notes: Upon resolution of cysts or fibroids, continue Resolve (Upper) for another 2 weeks to consolidate the effects. Patients with deficiencies or weak constitutions should be treated concurrently with Imperial Tonic, C/R Support, or Immune+ to ensure maximum effectiveness. This is a strong formula — best used at the beginning stages of the disease. Patients under constant stress and anxiety are at higher risk of developing Liver qi stagnation — prolonged stagnation prevents recovery and contributes to continued deterioration. Manage stress for maximum clinical effect. Do not wear underwire bras, as they contribute to local qi stagnation.

Key herb-level clinical data:

— Bai Hua She She Cao (Herba Hedyotis): antitumor — increases white blood cells; inhibits mitosis of tumor cells causing degeneration and necrosis; inhibits growth of 8 cancer cell lines by inducing apoptosis; methylanthraquinone exhibits potent anticancer activity including human breast cancer cells (MCF-7)

— Feng Fang (Nidus Vespae): eliminates toxicity; treats mastitis — relieves inflammation of the mammary glands; clinically: 26 women with acute mastitis treated with dry-fried powder 1–2g every 6 hours with grain liquor — 23 complete recovery, 1 significant improvement, 2 no response; 92.3% effective rate

— Lou Lu (Radix Rhapontici): softens nodules to facilitate dissipation

— Zhe Bei Mu (Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii): softens nodules to facilitate dissipation; anticancer and antitumor — induces apoptosis in K562 cells

— Tu Fu Ling (Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae): clears toxic heat in nodules; significant antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities — suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells; anti-inflammatory — inhibits nitric oxide, TNF, and interleukin

— Pu Gong Ying (Herba Taraxaci): clears toxic heat in nodules

— Wang Bu Liu Xing (Semen Vaccariae): strong blood invigorating effect — dissolves stagnation and alleviates pain; antiangiogenic

— Dang Gui Wei (Extremitas Radix Angelicae Sinensis): strong blood invigorating effect — dissolves stagnation and alleviates pain; analgesic effect approximately 1.7x stronger than acetylsalicylic acid; anti-inflammatory effect approximately 1.1x stronger than acetylsalicylic acid

— Niu Bang Zi (Fructus Arctii): relieves toxic heat accumulation; anti-inflammatory — inhibits nitric oxide, TNF, and interleukin via arctigenin

— Zhi Zi (Fructus Gardeniae): relieves toxic heat accumulation; anticancer and antitumor — DNA topoisomerase 1 inhibition; antiangiogenic via geniposide

— Zao Jiao Ci (Spina Gleditsiae): dissolves phlegm; invigorates qi circulation in the chest; anticancer — inhibits colon cancer via ERK1/2, G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest, and p53 expression; anti-inflammatory — inactivates NF-kappaB

— Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri): unblocks stagnant Liver qi; relieves distension and pain; strong antiproliferative properties against several human tumor cell lines; enters the Liver meridian which passes through the breast

— Qing Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae Viride): unblocks stagnant Liver qi; relieves distension and pain; antiproliferative against gastric cancer; induces apoptosis; anti-leukemia; enters the Liver meridian

— Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis): unblocks stagnant Liver qi; relieves distension and pain; anti-inflammatory — inactivates NF-kappaB via 4-O-methylhonokiol; antiangiogenic via honokiol (inhibits TNF-alpha-stimulated NF-kappaB); enters the Liver meridian

WESTERN THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Antitumor / anticancer / antiproliferative — Bai Hua She She Cao (8 cancer cell lines, apoptosis, methylanthraquinone breast cancer); Tu Fu Ling (breast cancer apoptosis); Zao Jiao Ci (ERK1/2, G2/M, p53); Zhe Bei Mu (K562 apoptosis); Chai Hu + Qing Pi (human tumor cell lines); Zhi Zi (DNA topoisomerase 1)

* Antiangiogenic — Hou Po (honokiol, NF-kappaB↓); Wang Bu Liu Xing; Zhi Zi (geniposide)

* Anti-inflammatory / analgesic — Dang Gui Wei (1.7x aspirin analgesic, 1.1x aspirin anti-inflammatory); Niu Bang Zi + Tu Fu Ling (nitric oxide↓, TNF↓, interleukin↓); Hou Po + Zao Jiao Ci (NF-kappaB inactivation)

* Antibiotic — Feng Fang (mastitis, mammary gland inflammation)

CHINESE THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Dispels blood, qi, and phlegm stasis (Wang Bu Liu Xing, Dang Gui Wei, Zao Jiao Ci)

* Disperses nodules and masses (Lou Lu, Zhe Bei Mu, Tu Fu Ling, Pu Gong Ying)

* Unblocks stagnant Liver qi; relieves distension and pain (Chai Hu, Qing Pi, Hou Po)

* Clears heat and detoxifies (Tu Fu Ling, Pu Gong Ying, Niu Bang Zi, Zhi Zi, Feng Fang)

DOSAGE

Standard: 3–4 capsules three times daily on an empty stomach with warm water (take with food if stomach is sensitive). Take continuously for 1–2 months before evaluating progress. Upon resolution, continue for 2 additional weeks to consolidate effects.

Supplementary formulas: Chemotherapy or radiation side effects — use C/R Support. Fatigue and immune enhancement — use Immune+ or Cordyceps 3. PMS, irritability, or anxiety — combine with Calm. Stress with insomnia in deficiency — add Calm ZZZ. Excess condition with stress, irritability, restlessness — add Calm (ES). Fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, excessive worrying, or anemia — combine with Schisandra ZZZ. Dysmenorrhea — use Mense-Ease. Amenorrhea — use Menatrol after fibrocystic condition has resolved. Hardness and nodules elsewhere in the chest or swollen lymphatic system — combine with Resolve (AI). Improve blood circulation throughout the body — add Circulation (SJ). Infection or mastitis — add Herbal ABX. Excess heat — add Gardenia Complex. Cancer with extreme weakness unable to tolerate chemotherapy or radiation — use CA Support. Minimize chemotherapy and radiation side effects — combine with C/R Support.

Nutrition: A diet based on organic fresh fruits and vegetables is highly recommended. Beneficial foods: all mushrooms (especially shiitake), whole grains, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, yellow/orange vegetables (carrots, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes), garlic, onions, fresh berries, apples, cherries, grapes, and plums. Avoid red meat, tap water, processed foods, junk foods, alcohol, caffeine, dairy products (except unsweetened low-fat yogurt), iron supplements, and produce sprayed with pesticides. Avoid hormone-treated meats — they stimulate fibroid growth. Eliminate coffee — it may contribute to fibroid growth.

Tao of Nutrition (Dr. Maoshing Ni and Cathy McNease) — Mastitis: Recommended foods — cooling foods, cabbage, cucumber, dandelion, lettuce, malt, reed root, lotus root, and honeysuckle. Make tea from malt (sprouted oat) — drink 3 times daily. Apply egg whites mixed with green onions to the area, changing 2–3 times daily. Make tea from dandelion and honey — drink 3 times daily for at least 5 days. Make tea from honeysuckle, mint, and licorice — drink tea and apply the solids locally. Combine cabbage, lettuce, and dandelions to make a poultice for external application. Avoid spicy and stimulating foods, coffee, smoking, alcohol, dairy products, and breast feeding.

Lifestyle: Avoid all exposure to radiation, including microwave, television, and computer monitors. Relaxation, maintaining a positive outlook on life, and regular exercise are important to recovery and to preventing recurrences of fibroids and cysts.

CASE STUDY

— 34-year-old female (J.S.): Non-cancerous fibrocystic breast lump on the right side for 8 months — achy and tender before her period; fatigue from overworking; Spleen yang deficiency with phlegm accumulation. Resolve (Upper) 1 capsule 3x/day + Immune+ 3 capsules 3x/day. Result after 2 weeks: breast felt much better, energy greatly improved. After 1 month: only slight tenderness. Medical examination confirmed the lump had diminished in size. Patient also advised not to wear underwire bras to avoid further local qi stagnation.

Related Reading

Also see: Resolve (AI) – for hardness and nodules elsewhere in the chest or swollen lymphatic system | C/R Support – to reduce side effects of chemotherapy or radiation | Immune+ – for fatigue and immune enhancement | Cordyceps 3 – for fatigue and immune enhancement | Calm – for PMS, irritability, or anxiety | Calm ZZZ – for stress with insomnia | Calm (ES) – for excess stress and restlessness | Schisandra ZZZ – for fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, or anemia | Mense-Ease – for dysmenorrhea | Menatrol – for amenorrhea after fibrocystic condition resolves | Circulation (SJ) – to improve blood circulation | Herbal ABX – for infection or mastitis | Gardenia Complex – for excess heat | CA Support – for cancer with extreme weakness | Imperial Tonic – for deficient or weak constitution | Women's Health Collection.