Restore the Left (Kidney) Pill
Chinese Prescription: Zuo Gui Wan
English Translation: Restore the Left (Kidney) Pill
Formula Type: Nourish and Tonify the Yin
Actions: Nourishes the yin, enriches the Kidneys, fills the essence, & augments the marrow.
Indications: Lightheadedness, vertigo, tinnitus, soreness & weakness in the lower back & legs, spontaneous & nocturnal emissions, spontaneous & night sweats, dry mouth & throat, thirst, a red shiny tongue, & a thin, rapid pulse.
Contraindications: Use with caution in cases with Spleen & Stomach deficiency, & then only with modifications. This formula should only be considered in patterns without any signs of excess heat such as a yellow tongue coating or a wiry & rapid pulse.
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Shu Di Huang / Rehmannia Root, cooked in wine |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood |
Dosage9-30g |
Actions1. Tonifies the blood: for blood deficiency with such symptoms as pallid complexion, dizziness, palpitations, & insomnia. Very commonly used when blood deficiency leads to such problems as irregular menstruation, uterine bleeding, & post partum bleeding.
2. Nourishes the yin: for Kidney yin deficiency with such symptoms as night sweats, nocturnal emissions, steaming bone disorder, & wasting & thirsting disorder.
3. Nourishes the blood & tonifies the essence: for low back pain, weakness of the lower extremitites, lightheadedness & dizziness, tinnitus, diminished aural acuity, & premature graying of hair due to exhaused blood & essence. |
MeridiansHeart, Kidney, Liver |
CautionsUse with caution in cases of Spleen &/or Stomach deficiency, & in cases of stagnant qi or phlegm. Overuse can lead to abdominal distention & loose stools. Toxicity: Side effects from using shu di huang are mild & include diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, lack of energy, & palpitations. These symptoms usually disappear with continued administration of the herb. |
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Shan Yao / Dioscorea Opposita |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Qi |
Dosage9-30g, 250g decoction daily |
Actions1. Tonifies & augments the Spleen & Stomach: for Spleen & Stomach deficiency with such symptoms as diarrhea, fatigue, spontaneous sweating, & lack of appetite.
2. Tonifies the Lung qi & augments the Lung yin: for chronic cough or wheezing due to Lung deficiency.
3. Tonifies the Kidneys & also stabilizes & binds: because this herb moistens & is neither hot nor cold, it benefits both the yin & the yang of the Lungs & Kidneys. It is therefore often used in treating wasting & thirsting disorder. It also binds the essence & treats spermatorrhea, frequent urination, & vaginal discharge. |
MeridiansKidney, Lung, Spleen |
CautionsContraindicated in cases of excess, especially when there is fullness due to dampness, stagnation, or accumulation. May antagonize gan sui. |
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Gou Qi Zi / Lycii-Wolfberry Fruit |
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Taste: Sweet • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Blood/Yin |
Dosage6-18g |
Actions1. Nourishes & tonifies the Liver & Kidneys: for such patterns of yin & blood deficiency with such symptoms as sore back & legs, low-grade abdominal pain, impotence, nocturnal emission, wasting & thirsting disorder, & consumpion. Since this herb is neither hot nor cold, it is commonly used in treating Liver & Kidney deficiency.
2. Benefits the essence & brightens the eyes: for Liver & Kidney deficiency patterns where the essence & blood are unable to nourish the eyes. Manifestations include dizziness, blurred vision, & diminished visual acuity. 3, Enriches the yin & moistens the Lungs: for consumptive cough. |
MeridiansLiver, Lung, Kidney |
CautionsContraindicated in cases with externally contracted excess heat patterns, & cases of Spleen deficiency with dampness & loose stools. |
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Shan Zhu Yu / Cornus Fruit |
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Taste: Sour • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Stabilize & Bind • Sub Category: |
Dosage3-12g, 30-60g in cases of shock |
Actions1. Stabilizes the Kidneys & retains the essence: for leakage of fluids due to weak essence with such symptoms as excessive urination, incontinence, spermatorrhea, & excessive sweating.
2. Stops excessive sweating & supports that which has collapsed: for excessive sweating, especially in cases of devastated yang & collapsed qi, as in shock.
3. Tonifies & augments the Liver & Kidneys: for Liver & Kidney deficiency with such symptoms as lightheadedness, dizziness, sore & weak lower back & knees, or impotence. This herb both tonifies the essence & assistes the yang.
4. Stabilizes the menses & stops bleeding: for deficiency patterns of excessive uterine bleeding & prolonged menstruation. It has only a weak effect on the bleeding. |
MeridiansKidney, Liver |
CautionsContraindicated in cases with painful & difficult urination or those with damp-heat. May antagonize jie geng, fang feng, & fang ji. |
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Chuan Niu Xi / Cyathula Root or Szechuan Ox Knee |
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Taste: • Temperature: • Category: Regulate Blood • Sub Category: Invigorate Blood |
Dosage4.5-9g |
Actions |
Meridians |
Cautions |
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Tu Si Zi / Cuscuta Seeds, Dodder Seeds- powder |
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Taste: Acrid, Sweet • Temperature: Neutral • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Yang |
Dosage9-15g |
Actions1. Tonifies the Kidneys, augments the yin, secures the essence, & reserves the urine: for deficient Kidney yang patterns with such symptoms as impotence, nocturnal emission, premature ejaculation, tinnitus, frequent urination, sore painful back, or vaginal discharge.
2. Tonifies the Kidneys & Liver & improves vision: for patterns of deficient Liver & Kidney yin & yang (e.g. deficient essence) with such symptoms as dizziness, tinnitis, blurred vision, or spots in front of the eyes.
3. Benefits the Spleen & Kidneys & stops diarrhea: for diarrhea or loose stools with a lack of appetite from deficiency of both the Spleen & Kidneys.
4. Calms the fetus: an important herb for habitual or threatened miscarriage. |
MeridiansKidney, Liver |
CautionsEven though this is a neutral herb, it leans toward tonifying the yang. For this reason it should not be used for fire from yin deficiency or in patients with constipation & scanty, dark urine. |
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Lu Jiao Jiao / Deer Antler Glue |
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Taste: Sweet, Slaty • Temperature: Slightly Warm • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Yang & Blood (Stop Bleeding) |
Dosage6-12g melted form, usually in yellow wine |
ActionsNot as strong as the velvet (lu rong) in tonifying the Kidney yang, but it is able to nourish & tonify essence & blood, and is effective for stopping bleeding. It is most commonly used for deficient & wasted essence & blood with bleeding or yin-type sores. It is combined with a glue made of gui ban to tonify both the yin & the yang. |
MeridiansKidney, Liver |
Cautions |
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Gui Ban Jiao / Turtle Shell Gelatin |
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Taste: Salty, Sweet • Temperature: Cold • Category: Tonic • Sub Category: Tonify Yin |
Dosage3-9g, dissolved in wine or the decoction of the other herbs before ingesting |
ActionsSee gui ban. same properties as gui ban, but is richer, more cloying & almost exclusively enriches the yin. |
MeridiansHeart, Kidney, Liver |
CautionsSee gui ban. |