Herbs That Tonify Yin

Front 1

Channels: LU, ST

Properties: Sweet, Cool, Slightly Bitter, Bland

Primary herb to tonify Yin, especially of Lungs & Stomach

A&I:
* Moistens the Lungs & stops coughs: dry non-productive cough from Lung yin xu. Also consumptive cough with bloody sputum

~ Nourishes the Stomach, generates fluids, & clears heat: aftermath of febrile diseases, yin xu causes dryness of the mouth or throat. Also for accompanying constipation

- Moistens the exterior: dry itchy skin

C&C: cough from wind-cold
- Spleen cold from xu
- antagonizes: fang ji
- incompatible: li lu

Dosage: up to 15g
fresh: up to 30g

Back 1

Sha Shen
"Sand Root"
Adenophora Root, Glehnia Root
Radix Adenophorae seu Glehniae

Front 2

Channels: KI, LU

Properties: Sweet, Bitter, Very Cold

A&I:
* Nourishes Kidney yin & clears Lung heat: yin xu with heat signs in upper jiao (dry mouth, thick or blood streaked sputum, difficult to expectorate)

~Moistens the Lungs, nourishes the Kidneys, & generates fluids: Lung & Kidney yin xu, Xiao Ke Bing, & consumption with low-grade afternoon fever. Also constipation from dry intestines.

C&C: cold from Spleen & Stomach xu with loss of appetite & diarrhea
- Wind-cold cough

Dosage: up to 15g

Back 2

Tian Men Dong
"Lush Winter Aerial Plant"
Asparagus Tuber
Tuber Asparagi Cochinensis

Front 3

Channels: HT, LU, ST

Properties: Sweet, Slightly Bitter, Slightly Cold

A&I:
* Moistens the Lungs & stops cough: Injured Lung Yin ( fry cough, thick sputum - difficult to expectorate, coughing up blood)

~ Augments the Stomach yin & generates fluids: Insufficient Stomach yin (dry tongue & mouth)

~ Clears the Heart & eliminates irritability: yin xu or warm-febrile disease at nutritive (Ying) level (fever & irritability both worse at night)

- Moistens the Intestines: constipation from Yin xu or aftermath of febrile disease

C&C: diarrhea from deficient cold
- congested fluids
- antagonizes: kuan dong hua
- counteracts: ku shen, bai mu er

Dosage: up to 15g
- wine-fry to reduce cold property for tonification formulas

Back 3

Mai Men Dong
"Lush Winter Wheat"
Ophiopogon Tuber
Tuber Ophiopogonis Japonici

Front 4

Channels: KI, ST

Properties: Sweet, Slightly Salty, Bland, Cold

A&I:
* Nourishes the yin, clears heat, & generates fluids: yin xu (parched mouth, severe thirst, or intractible fever)

~ Nourishes Stomach yin xu: Stomach ache, dry heaves, shiny tongue with little coat. Also Xiao Ke Bing (MJ)

- Also brightens vision & strengthens the lower back (Kidney yin xu)

C&C: xu without heat signs or excess heat
- early stages of febrile disease

Dosage: up to 12g
- fresh: up to 30g
- add first

Back 4

Shi Hu
"Bushel of Stone"
Dendrobium Stem
Herba Dendrobii

Front 5

Channels: LU, ST

Properties: Sweet, Slightly Cold

A&I:
*Nourishes the yin & moistens dryness: Lung & Stomach dry-heat or yin xu (cough, dry throat, irritability, & thirst) Also Steaming Bone Disorder, Xiao Ke Bing with intense hunger & constipation

~ Extinguishes wind & softens & moistens the sinews: wind generated from insufficient fluids leading to pain & spasms in the sinews. Also dizziness. Also treat yin xu constitution patients with external wind-heat

C&C: Phlegm in Stomach
- Cold in middle burner

Dosage: up to 15g
- raw: clear heat
- steam: enrich yin & tonify MJ

Back 5

Yu Zhu
"Jade Bamboo"
Solomon's Seal Rhizome, Polygonatum
Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati

Front 6

Channels: HT, LU

Properties: Sweet, Slightly Bitter, Slightly Cold

A&I:
* Moistens the Lungs, clears heat, & stops cough: dry Lung or Lung-heat coughs & sore throat

* Clears the Heart & calms the spirit: febrile disease aftermath (intractable low-grade fever, insomnia, restlessness, & irritability). Also palps from insufficient qi & yin

- mild constipation

C&C: wind-cold or phlegm cough
- diarrhea from Spleen or Stomach xu

Dosage: up to 30g

Back 6

Bai He
"Hundred Meetings"
Lily Bulb
Bulbus Lilii

Front 7

Channels: KI, LIV

Properties: Bitter, Neutral

A&I:
* Tonifies the Liver & Kidneys, strengthens the sinews & bones, & expels wind-dampness: Liver & Kidney Yin xu (soreness & pain in lower back & knees, joint problems, numbness, & weakness & atrophy of sinews & bones)

~ Nourishes the blood & calms the womb: restless fetus or uterine bleeding during pregnancy

- Nourishes the blood & benefits the skin: dry, scaly skin from blood xu

C&C: some toxicity

Dosage: up to 30g

Back 7

Sang Ji Sheng
"Mulberry Parasite"
Mulberry Mistletoe Stems
Ramulus Loranthi Seu Visci

Front 8

Channels: KI, LIV

Properties: Sweet, Sour, Cool

A&I:
* Nourishes & tonifies the Liver & Kidney yin: Liver & Kidney yin xu (dizziness, blurred vision, vertigo, & premature gray hair)

- Cools the blood & stops bleeding: yin xu patterns with bleeding from heat in blood (vomiting/coughing blood, nosebleed, blood in stool, uterine bleeding, bloody lin)

- Topical use for bleeding from trauma

C&C: Spleen or Kidney xu with diarrhea

Dosage: up to 15g
- fresh: up to 30g

Back 8

Han Lian Cao
Eclipta
Herba Ecliptae Prostratae

Front 9

Channels: KI, LIV

Properties: Bitter, Sweet, Neutral

A&I:
* Nourishes & tonifies the Liver & Kidneys: yin xu of Liver & Kidneys (dizziness, spots before eyes, lower back sore, premature gray hair, tinnitus)

~ Augments the Liver & Kidneys & improves vision: Liver & Kidney xu leading to diminished visual acuity (treats root and leaf)

- Augments the Liver & Kidneys and clears heat from deficiency: yin xu heat

C&C: yang xu
- diarrhea from cold from Spleen xu

Dosage: up to 15g

Back 9

Nu Zhen Zi
"Female Chastity Seed"
privet Fruit, Ligustrum
Fructus Ligustri Lucidi

Front 10

Channels: KI, LIV

Properties: Sweet, Neutral

A&I:
* Nourishes & fortifies the Liver & Kidneys: yin xu of Liver & Kidneys (blurred vision, tinnitus, & dizziness)

- Nourishes the blood & extinguishes wind: blood or yin xu (headache, dizziness, numbness)

- Moistens & lubricates the Intestines:

C&C: diarrhea

Dosage: up to 30g
- dry fired or steamed prior to use

Back 10

Hei Zhi Ma
Black Sesame Seeds
Black Semen Sesame Indici

Front 11

Channels: HT, KI, LIV

Properties: Salty, Sweet, Cold

A&I:
* Nourishes the yin & anchors the yang: yin xu with ascendant yang (night sweats, dizziness, tinnitus). Also yin xu of Liver & Kidneys that generates internal wind (facial spasms & tremors of hands & feet)

~ Benefits the Kidneys & strengthens the bones: lower back soreness, leg weakness, retarded skeletal growth in children, failure of fontanel to close

- Cools the blood & stops uterine bleeding: excessive menstruation or uterine bleeding from reckless movement of hot blood

- Nourishes the blood & tonifies the Heart: Heart xu (anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness

- non-healing sores and ulcerations

C&C: pregnancy
- damp-cold Stomach
- diarrhea from yang xu

Dosage: up to 30g
- add first (30 minutes)

Back 11

Gui Ban
Fresh Water Turtle Shell, Testudinis
Plastrum Testudinis

Front 12

Channels: LIV, SP

Properties: Salty, Slightly Cold

A&I:
* Nourishes the yin & anchors the yang: yin xu (fever, steaming bone disorder, night sweats, consumption). Also when with symptoms of internal movement of Liver wind

- Invigorates the blood, promotes menstruation, & dissipates nodules: chest & flank accumulations causing pain & ammenorrhea. Also malarial disorders with palpable masses. Excessive menstruation from hot blood

C&C: pregnancy
- spleen xu cold (diarrhea & reduced appetite)

Dosage: up to 30g
- add first (30 minutes)
- raw: enrich yin & anchor yang
- vinegar-fry: soften & reduce swellings or nodules & focus effect on Liver

Back 12

Bie Jia
Chinese Soft Shelled Turtle Shell
Carapax Amydae Sinensis

Front 13

Channels: LU, SP

Properties: Sweet, Neutral

A&I:
* Moistens & cools the Lungs & nourishes Lung yin: hot coughs especially fei yin xu

- Dissipates nodules: phlegm nodules in the neck - scrofula

C&C: none noted

Dosage: up to 15g (1/2 to 2 pieces)

Back 13

Luo Han Guo
"Arhat Fruit"
Momordica Fruit
Fructus Momordicae Grosvenori

Front 14

Channels: LU, ST

Properties: Sweet, Bland, Neutral

A&I:
* Nourishes the Stomach yin, moistens the Lungs, & generates fluids: yin xu with ascendant yang. Often used for Lung consumption

- Nourishes the Lung yin: Lung heat with a dry, non-productive cough or blood-streaked sputum

C&C: none noted

Dosage: up to 9g
- soak for from 1 to 3 hours to soften then cook until soft when prepared with soups.

Back 14

Bai Mu Er
"White Wood Ear"
Fruiting Body of Tremella, Wood Ear
Fructificatio Tremellae Fuciformis