Herbs that Tonify Yang

Yì Zhì Rén

Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus

 

 

"Benefit Intelligence Nut"

 

Taste:        Pungent, intensely aromatic

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Spleen

 

Actions:    

 

• Warms kidneys, retains Jing, astringes sperm, holds in urine; combine with Wu Yao (Qi regulator for cold kidneys)
  
• Warms spleen, stops diarrhea (use as you would an interior warmer): combine with Bai Zhu, Gan Jiang; for morning diarrhea, abdominal pain, water overflowing (saliva, edema); for specific type of stringy white saliva with unpleasant taste in mouth; the aromatic flavor handles this
  

 

Dose:        3-9 grams

Cooking:    Crush seeds before use

Modern:    Anti-diuretic, inhibits saliva

 

Identification:    Fragrant dried "pods"

Compare to other Alpinia herbs:

Cao Dou Kou (Semen Alpiniae Katsumadai) – aromatically transforms dampness and warms the middle jiao, like nutmeg, cardamom, etc.

Gao Liang Jiang (Rz Alpiniae Officinari) – lesser galangal rhizome, used in Indian and Thai cooking – warms interior, like dry ginger

 

Xiān Máo

Curculiginis Rhizoma

"Immortal Grass"

 

 

 

 

 

Taste:        Pungent, toxic

Temp:        HOT!

Channels:    Kidney, Liver (some say Spleen)

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney yang: infertility, cold womb, cold jing; use with Yin Yang Huo
  
• Expels wind/damp/cold bi: weak cold bones and sinews; cold low back PAIN
  
• Cold abdomen; cock's crow diarrhea
  

 

Dose:        3-9 grams

Contra:        Toxic, harsh, cannot use long term

Other uses:    PH calls this an aphrodisiac, but "cannot be used continuously on its own due to some slight cumulative toxicity"

Cooking:    Often soaked in wine

Identification:    Curly logs    

 

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

 

Dù Zhòng

Eucommiae Cortex

 

 

 

photo courtesy of S. Dharmananda, ITMonline.org

 

 

Taste:        Sweet, sl pungent

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney and liver, strengthens sinews and bones; cold arthritis pain
  
• Promotes circulation of qi and blood to assist in alleviating Bi pain
  
• Calms the fetus (important) when pregnancy is threatened due to bleeding, agitated fetus, or severe cold back pain in the pregnant woman)
  

 

Dose:        9-15 grams; 15-30 g as a single

Recently used for hypertension and dizziness due to liver yang rising

Fried herb is more effective for hypertension, and decoction is better than tincture

 

Frequently used with Sang Ji Sheng (the mulberry mistletoe)

Part of a famous patent formula called "Compound Cortex Eucommiae Pills" consisting of Du Zhong (50%), Gou Teng (20%), Huang Qin (10%) and Xia Ku Cao (20%) to treat hypertension.

Modern:    Dilates blood vessels, lowers cholesterol, sedates nervous system

 

Identification:    Bark held together with rubber strands; good quality must be flexible and stretchy; if the rubber is dry, it has no qi

 

This is not really a rubber tree, although it does produce an inferior form of rubber that is not economically useful. True rubber trees are widely distributed over the southern hemisphere and number in species 1,800

 

 

 

Gǒu Jǐ

Cibotii Rhizoma

"Dog Spine"

A tropical tree fern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taste:        Bitter, Sweet (astringent)

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver (Du)

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney and liver, strengthens sinews and bones – stiffness, atrophy, weak low back pain, scoliosis; a MAIN HERB FOR PAIN IN BACK
  
• Expels wind and dampness (Bi pain), relaxes tendons
  
• Stabilizes kidneys for urinary incontinence (minor); contains tannins
  

 

 

Dose:        4.5 – 9 grams

Contra:    Heat from deficiency, difficulty urinating (because this tends to astringe)

Identification:    indescribably beautiful, with spiny protrusions in curving patterns. Could look a little like Suo Yang in shape, but the latter does not have the two-tone striations. Can be long (8") or broken into pieces, but will always have the characteristic spines, which are like rivers of golden yellow velvet.

 

 

Xù Duàn

Dipsaci Radix

"Restore What is Broken"

 

Taste:        Bitter, pungent

Temp:        Slightly warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney and liver, strengthens sinews and bones; tonifies without causing stagnation (because of pungent); weakness, soreness
  
• Stops uterine bleeding and calms fetus – deficient uterine bleeding and white vaginal discharge; bleeding during pregnancy, bleeding between periods
  
• Promotes movement of blood (in channels and collaterals to mend trauma), alleviates pain, generates flesh (sores); use topically or internally
  
• Expels wind and dampness (Bi pain)
  

 

Dose:        6-21 grams

Contra:    Heat from deficiency

Cooking:    Fry in vinegar to enhance blood invigoration; roast with salt to more easily enter the kidney; char for excessive uterine bleeding.

Other uses:    Use with Gu Sui Bu as a partner to mend bones

        

 

Identification:    my sample is chopped in little pieces, but it can be seen as long logs, unbroken (sort of like Dang Shen but darker brown).

 

 

 

Gǔ Suì Bǔ

Drynariae Rhizoma

 

"Mends Shattered Bones"

 

 

Taste:        Bitter (astringent)

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney, promotes mending of sinews and bones (falls, fractures, contusions, sprains); including teeth, back/knee pain, tinnitus, hearing loss
  
• Helps recovery from such injuries by generating strength; use with Mo Yao, Ru Xiang (Frankincense and Myrrh) to generate tissue
  
• Astringent for bleeding gums, toothache from cold, loose teeth
  
• Stimulates hair growth; topical for Alopecia; part of Sheng Fa formula
  

 

Dose:        6-18 grams

Other uses:    Use with Xu Duan as a partner to mend bones; lowers blood cholesterol; also contained in Yunnan Baiyao, to stop bleeding, swelling, pain

Identification:    

 

Tù Sī Zǐ

Cuscutae Semen

 

 

 

Taste:        Pungent, sweet

Temp:        Neutral

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Very harmoniously natured, this is one of the MOST important yang tonics, along with Du Zhong

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney, augments yin, secures Jing, holds in urine; improves sexual energy
  
• Tonifies kidney and liver and improves vision (use with Gou Qi Zi, for blood) – contains Vit A
  
• Benefits spleen and kidney, stops diarrhea
  
• Calms the fetus (major) – use with Du Zhong for cold and yang deficient patient with threatened miscarriage
  

 

Dose:        9-15 grams

Contra:    Though it is called neutral, it leans toward yang; therefore use with caution in yin deficiency fire

Other uses:    Can benefit heart and lower blood pressure

Identification:     Can sometimes be supplied as a pressed cake (like a biscuit), but usually is loose seeds

 

 

Shā Yuàn Jí Lí

(also known as Sha Yuan Zi)

Astragali Complanati Semen

 

Taste:        Sweet

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonify kidney yang; astringe essence – to enhance this effect, combine with astringent herbs such as Qian Shi, Lian Zi and Fu Pen Zi; inhibits secretion of urine
  
• Strengthen kidney/liver relationship – tendon and bone weakness (combine with Du Zhong)
  
• Dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo, VISION PROBLEMS, tired eyes – combine with Gou Qi Zi, Shu Di Huang; also contains Vit A, as does Tu Si Zi
  

 

 

Dose:        9-15 grams

Contra:    Heat from deficiency, hyperactive sex drive

Other Uses:    A good use is to combine with its cousin, Huang Qi, for overall qi and yang deficiency, people who catch cold easily, with underlying kidney deficiency

 

Identification: tiny black seeds; compare to Tu Si Zi, Hu Lu Ba, Bu Gu Zhi, Yi Zhi Ren, Hei Zhi Ma

 

Zǐ Hé Chē

Hominis Placenta

 

Taste:        Sweet, salty

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Lung, Liver, Kidney

 

Actions:    

 

• Very very powerful: a blood tonic for women; a yang tonic for men
  
• Tonifies qi, blood, yin, yang and jing – overall weakness, debility, bleeding, infertility, mental impairment, difficulty in lactation
  
• Post partum hemorrhage, chronic fatigue, wasting away
  
• Tonifies lung – lung TB, consumption; combine with Ge Jie
  

 

Dose:        1.5 – 3 grams in powder form

If used fresh, make a soup

Modern:    Contains numerous hormones (estrogens, progesterones, andosterones, cortisones), enzymes, amino acids, polysaccharides

 

Identification: Dried, looks like a big round almond cookie! Fresh, looks like a big piece of liver.

 

Peter Holmes calls this an endocrine and immune remedy, in the same group as ginseng. He says it boosts immune system, increases resistance to measles, flu, allergies, protects liver against damage by toxins, lengthens mice's swimming times, stimulates development of uterus, vagina, mammary glands

 

Note: if using a placenta from an unknown person, it must be properly sanitized, Chen says by gamma ray sterilization, since it is a blood product. If used from a fresh birth, can be cooked at home into a soup. Some also bury it in the garden to fertilize.

 

Patent formula: "Placenta Compound Restorative Pills"

Hǎi Mǎ

Hippocampus

 

Seahorse

 

 

Taste:        Sweet, salty

Temp:        Warm

Channels:    Kidney, Liver

 

Actions:    

 

• Tonifies kidney, fortifies yang, aphrodisiac, build potency; used as sexual tonic
  
• Invigorates blood (External: abscess, boils, goiter, sores, etc of a yin nature; Internal: abdominal masses and pain)
  

 

 

Dose:        4.5 - 12 grams

Contra:    Caution in pregnancy, deficient yin with heat

Other uses:    Hormonal effects: this herb strengthened female sex organs in mice, lengthened their reproductive period (estrus), and had andronergic effect on prostate and testes in male animals (stronger than Gecko but weaker than Yin Yang Huo)