This category of herbs is mostly sweet, salty or pun-gent in flavor, and warm or hot in nature, with the action of warming and nourishing yang of the body. As kidney-yang is the master of yang qi all over the body, the nourishing of the kidney-yang is to warm all other organs so as to get rid of or improve all syndromes of yang-deficiency all over the body simultaneously. In this way, they focus on nourishing and tonifying kidney-yang. They are fit for deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as cold extremities, backache, lack of sexual desire, impotence, emission, sterility, frequent micturition, or enuresis; and failure of the kidney to receive qi due to deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as chronic cough and dyspnea; and failure of the spleen to warm and transport due to deficiency of kidney-yang marked by cold abdominal pain and morning diarrhea; and deficiency of body essence due to deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as dizziness, tinnitus, early whitening of hair, flaccidity of extremities or maldevelopment, delayed walking, delayed teeth eruption and closure of fontanel in infants, etc..
They are mostly warm and dry in nature, which tends to flourish fire and hurt yin, so it's unfit for the case with hyperactive fire due to deficiency of yin.
Lurong Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum
The source is from the horn of male beast of Cervus Nippon Temminck or C. elaphus L. family Cerrridaae. The producing areas are in Northeast, Northwest, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and mountainous areas of Southwest in China. The medicinal material is cut in summer and autumn, dried after being processed, and used in the form of slices or powder.
Medicinal Properties Sweet and salty in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the liver and kidney meridians.
Actions Nourish kidney-yang, promote the production of the essence and blood, strengthen tendons and bones.
Application
1. It is applied for deficiency of kidney-yang or deficiency of the essence and blood manifested as chill, cold limbs, impotence, emission, sterility due to uterine cold, frequent micturition, dizziness, tinnitus, or fatigue. It can be ground into powder and used alone, or used together with Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Shudihuang ( Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ), etc., such as Shen Rong Guben Wan (Pill).
2. For deficiency of the liver and kidney manifested as flaccidity of extremities, or maldevelopment, delayed walking, delayed teeth eruption and delayed closure of fontanel in infants, it is often used with Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ) , Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), and Shanzhuyu ( Fructus Corni ), etc., such as Jiawei Dihuang Wan (Pill).
3. It is applied for deficiency and coldness of thoroughfare and conception vessels in women manifested as metrorrhagia and metrostasis and leucorrhagia due to weakness of belt vessel. For the former, it is used with Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini ), Wuzeigu (Os Sepieltae seu Sepiae), etc., such as Lurong San (Powder) ; for the latter, used with Gouji (Rhizoma Cibotii), Bailian (Herba Potygalae Japonica).
Besides, it is useful for treating unhealed skin lesions.
Usage and Dosage 1 - 3 g of its powder is for drinking; or in a pill or powder.
Notes Contraindicated in the case with deficiency of yin and hyperactivity of yang, blood-heat, hyperpyrexia of the stomach, cough due to phlegm-heat, or febrile disease due to exogenous pathogenic factors. The amount used in the course should start gradually from small to large.
Bajitian Radix Morindae Officinalis
The source is from the root of Morinda officinalis How, family Rubiceae. The medicinal material is mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian, etc., available all year round. The one after being dried, steamed, and its wood centre removed is named as Bajirou. It is cut into fragments and dried, used crudely or soaked in a salty solution.
Medicinal Properties Sweet and pungent in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and attributive to the kidney and liver meridians.
Actions Nourish kidney-yang, strengthen tendons and bones, and eliminate wind and dampness.
Application
1. It is applied for deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as impotence, sterility, irregular menstruation, or cold pain in lower abdomen. In the case of impotence and sterility, it is used with Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Shanyao ( Rhizoma Dioscoreae ), and Roucongrong ( Herba Cistanchis), etc.; for cold pain in lower abdomen or irregular menstruation, used with Gaoliangjiang (Rhizoma Alpiniae Officinarum ) , Rougui ( Cortex Cinnamomi ), Wuzhuyu (Fructus Evodiae), etc., such as Baji Wan (Pill).
2. For deficiency of kidney-yang accompanied by lumbago or fatigue, it is used with Bixie (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Duzhong ( Cortex Eucommiae), etc., such as Jingang Wan (Pill).
Usage and Dosage 3 - 9 g is used in decoction.
Notes It is not suitable for the case with deficiency of yin causing hyperactivity of yang or for that with damp-heat.
Yinyanghuo Herba Epimedii
The source is from the branch and leaf of Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc. ) Maxim. or E. brevicornum Maxim. , Epimedium pubescens Maxim., wushan Epimedium, and Epimedium Koreanum Nakai . family Berberidaceae. The medicinal material is mostly produced in Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Shanxi, and Guangxi, etc., harvested in spring and autumn in bloom, and dried after removal of stem and other undesired part. It is used crudely or roasted with sheep fat.
Medicinal Properties Pungent and sweet in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the liver and kidney meridians.
Actions Invigorate the kidney and strengthen yang, eliminate wind and dampness.
Application
1. For impotence due to deficiency of the kidney manifested as soreness of the waist and knees, frequent micturition, or sterility, it can be soaked alone in spirit for drinking, or used with Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ), Shanzhuyu ( Fructus Corni ), Xianmao (Rhizoma Curcutignis), and Gouqizi ( Fructus Lycii) , etc..
2. For Bi-syndrome of wind-cold-dampness type with spasm and numbness of extremities, etc., it is used together with Weilingxian (Radix Clematidis), Cang'erzi (Fructus Xanthii ), etc., such as Xianlingpi San (Powder).
In addition, it is used with Xianmao (Rhizoma Curcutignis ), Bajitian ( Radix Morindae Officinatis ), etc., named as Erxian Tang (Decoction) ; and is effective for climacteric hypertention; also applied for cough and asthma due to deficiency of yang in the combination with Buguzhi ( Fructus Psoraleae), Hutaorou (Juglandis Regiae), and Wuweizi (Fructus Schisandrae), etc..
Usage and Dosage 3 - 9 g is used in decoction;or soaked in spirit for drinking; or decocted into extract or in pills and powder.
Roucongrong Herba Cistanchis
The source is from the fleshy stem of Cistauche deserticola Y. C. Ma, family Orobanchaceae. The medicinal material is mostly produced in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Qinghai of China, etc., and is dug out in spring when there is no bud coming out, then cleaned and cut in-to thick pieces. It is used crudely or soaked in spirit.
Medicinal Properties Sweet and salty in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the kidney and large intestine meridians.
Actions Invigorate kidney-yang, supplement the essence and blood, moisten the intestine and relax bowels.
Application
1. It is applied for the deficiency of kidney-yang and insufficiency of the blood and essence manifested as impotence, sterility, soreness of waist and knees, or flaccidity of tendons and bones. For impotence, it is combined with Shudihuang ( Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ), Tusizi (Semen Cuscutae ), and Wuweizi ( Fructus Schisandrae), etc., such as Roucongrou Wan (Pill); for sterility, usually with Lujiaojiao (Colla Comus Cervi), Danggui ( Radix Angelicae Sinensis ), Ziheche ( Placenta Hominis), etc.; for soreness of waist and knees, or flaccidity of tendons and bones, with Bajitian (Radix Morindae Officinalis ), Bixie ( Rhizoma Dioscoreae ), and Duzhong (Cortex Eucommiae ), etc., such as Jingang Wan (Pill).
2. For constipation due to dryness of the intestine, particularly in the aged with deficiency of kidney-yang and insufficiency of the blood and essence, it is usually combined with Danggui (Radix Angelieae Sinensis ), Zhike (Fructus Aurantii ), etc., such as Jichuan Jian (Decoction).
Usage and Dosage 10 -15 g is used in decoction.
Notes Contraindicated in the case with hyperactive fire due to deficiency of yin, or loose stool and also in the case with damp-heat in the intestine or stomach.
