Herbs that Tonify Yang

 

Lù Róng

Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum

 

Taste:        Sweet, salty

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies the kidneys and fortifies yang
  
• Tonifies the Du channel, augments the essence and blood, strengthens sinews and bones
  
• Regulates chong and ren and stabilizes Dai; infertility, cold deficient vaginal discharge, uterine bleeding
  
• Tonifies qi and blood
  

 

Dose:        3-5 g decocted; 1-3 g powdered

Contra:    any heat pattern or yang rising

Cooking:    Usually decocted separately; can be soaked in wine; can be taken separately as a powder

Modern:     Tested against liver disease with good results (jaundice, inflammation, fatty liver cells, etc)

Identification: Good quality slices are porous, slightly oily, and with furry edges

        Expensive ($96.00 per 100 grams of powder at Evergreen)

 

 

Gé Jiè

Gecko

 

 

Taste:        Salty

Temp:        Neutral (notice not warm)

Channels:    Lung, Kidney

 

Actions:    

 

• Benefits kidneys and helps them grasp the lung: for asthma, wheezing
  
• Tonifies the lungs: for cough with consumption and blood
  
• Assists kidney yang and augments essence and blood
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

  Dose:    9 – 15 g (3-7 g as a powder)
  

  Identification:    They come in pairs, nailed to a cross – keep tightly covered because cats like to get into them
  

 

Dōng Chóng Xià Cǎo

Cordyceps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"winter bug summer herb"

the dried fungus Cordyceps Sinensis that grows on the larvae of a caterpillar

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Lung, Kidney

 

Actions:    

 

• Augments kidneys and tonifies yang – impotence, involuntary emission, pain in loins and knees
  
• Augments lung yin and transforms phlegm – cough due to consumption, coughing of blood; dilates bronchi
  
• Safe to use long term, other than its expense (about $900 per pound)
  
• Chinese athletes use them for endurance!
  

 

Dose:        4.5 – 12 g

Cooking:    Sometimes cooked into a stew with chicken or duck meats to fortify weakness, dizziness, general debility

Identification:

 

Ròu Cóng Róng

Cistanches Herba

The fleshy stem of the broomrape plant, a parasitic plant in the Orobanchaceae family, very similar botanically to the Scrophulariaceae family (Xuan Shen). The underground structure attaches itself to the host plant, which can vary by species.

 

Taste:        Sweet, Salty

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Large Intestine, Kidney

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney and strengthens yang: men, impotence, premature ejaculation, urinary incontinence
  
• Warms the womb; infertility, cold discharge and uterine bleeding
  
• Moistens intestines, for dry constipation due to deficiency of blood or qi
  
• "Nutritious but not harsh and has qualities of ease and smoothness" - Hsu
  

 

 

Dose:        9-21 g

Cooking:    Sometimes treated with salt for excessive urination or spermatorrhea

Modern:     Both water and alcohol extracts of this herb decrease blood pressure

Identification: Blackish brown roots

Suǒ Yáng

Cynomorii Herba

Also a fleshy stem, of cynomorium in the cynomoriaceae family: also a parasitic plant utilizing many leguminosa and composite plants; in medieval times, it was called a Maltese mushroom because it does not resemble a flowering plant; roots are used in some African cuisines as a condiment

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Large Intestine, Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies the kidney yang
  
• Nourishes blood and essence, strengthens sinews, tendons and bones
  
• Moistens intestines, as above (Rou Cong Rong is $9-15/lb, while Suo Yang is $3.00; less expensive and a little less moistening)
  

 

 

Dose:        4.5-15 g

Identification: Smells like Da Huang (Rhubarb root)

 

 

Yín Yáng Huò

(Xian Ling Pi)

Epimedii Herba

"licentious goat wort"

 

 

 

Taste:        Pungent, Sweet

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies the kidneys and the yang
  
• Expels wind damp cold Bi
  
• Tonifies the yin and yang and "harnesses" rising liver yang; for hypertension due to liver yang rising
  
• Can be used as a single herb tea to increase libido in men or women
  

 

 

Dose:        6-15 g

Contra:    Do not use in patients with fire from yin deficiency, can damage the yin, even though can also tonify the yin

Cooking:    Steep in wine to make it more tonifying and better for obstruction (Bi)

Other uses:    Aphrodisiac, sexual tonic

Identification: Looks like shiny bay leaves, although thinner. Can be green or brown depending on its age

 

Bā Jī Tiān

Morindae Officinalis Radix

 

 

 

 

Taste:        Pungent, sweet

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidneys and yang: male or female infertility, dribbling urination, impotence, cold pain in joints and bones
  
• Strengthens sinews and bones
  
• Disperses wind damp bi pain
  

 

 

Dose:        6-15 g

Identification:     Looks like a muscle with a tendon inside!

 

Hú Lú Bā

Trigonellae Semen

Fenugreek Seed

 

Taste:        Bitter (pungent)

Temp:        Warm (very)

Channels:    Kidney, Liver (note: as a gastrointestinal stimulant, it must also enter the spleen)

Actions:    

• Warms the kidney, disperses damp and cold, stops pain, cold swollen legs
  
• Tonify spleen yang with cold pain, diarrhea, digestive complaints such as abdominal pain and distention, hernial pain (liver channel)
  

 

Dose:        3-9 grams

Contra:        Yin deficiency

Cooking:    Crush seeds before use

Add to foods, such as lamb soup in winter; acts as an interior warming herb. Similar to a pepper in cooking!

Part of a modern protocol for smoking cessation. Crush seeds; make tea using 1-2 teaspoons per cup. Drink often during the first few weeks after stopping smoking. It is good to help the lungs clear out old gummy mucus. Tastes great too.

 

Traditionally used as an aphrodisiac

 

Identification:    golden-brown seeds, delicious spicy fragrance

Note:     Compare functionally to herbs such as fennel seed/Xiao Hui Xiang and Evodia/Wu Zhu Yu (for liver/stomach cold)

 

Hú Táo Rén

Juglandis Semen

Walnut

"Barbarian Peach Pit"

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Large Intestine, Lung

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidneys, strengthens back and knees, tonifies marrow (the lobes resemble the brain)
  
• Warms the lung and helps kidneys grasp the lung Qi (cough, asthma); combine with gecko
  
• Use only for cold-type asthma, not hot or phlegm-type
  
• Moistens intestines: cook with oatmeal, for constipation
  

 

 

Dose:        9-30 g

Modern:     Fatty oils 40-50%

Identification: Walnut halves

 

 

Bǔ Gǔ Zhī

Psoraleae Fructus

 

Taste:        Pungent, bitter

Temp:        Very Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Spleen

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney yang: impotence, premature ejaculation, cold low back & knee pain
  
• Stabilizes Jing and astringes lower jiao (urine, spermatorrhea, bedwetting)
  
• Tonifies and warms spleen yang; cold, deficient diarrhea
  
• Helps the kidneys grasp Qi (wheeze, asthma worse with inhalation)
  

 

Dose:        3-9 grams

Contra:        Yin deficiency

        Extremely large doses caused birth defects in animals

Cooking:    Crush seeds before use

Use with walnuts in soup in winter, for cold deficient asthma

Modern:     Benefits the heart (dilates coronary blood vessels, increases heart muscle contractions); bronchial relaxant

Topically for Psoriasis, Vitiligo, Alopecia; promotes production of melanin

 

Formulas: Bu Gu Zhi is the ONLY yang tonic that is part of a State Board Formula: Si Shen Wan ("Four Miracle Pill"): Bu Gu Zhi, Wu Wei Zi, Wu Zhu Yu, Rou Dou Kou) to warm and astringe cold morning diarrhea

Also part of the patent formula "Sheng Fa" for hair loss

 

Identification:    Bitter, clove-like flavor