Da Bu Yuan Jian 大补元煎
Great Tonify the Source Decoction

Tradition:

TCM

Source / Author:

Jing Yue Quan Shu (1624 CE) by Zhang Jingyue

* The first column is the traditional dose; the second column is the typical clinical dose used today.

Preparation:

Decoction

Function:

Tonifies Kidney Essence (Jing), nourishes Blood and Yin, strengthens Ancestral (Yuan) Qi

Use:

1. Chronic Exhaustion
2. Severe Fatigue
3. Premature aging, with premature greying of hair,
4. Lower back and knee weakness with pain
5. Infertility related to deep deficiency
6. Habitual Miscarriage from severe Kidney deficiency
7. Postpartum severe exhaustion and depletion
8. Dizziness, Vertigo, chronic Tinnitus associated with severe depletion or Kidney deficiency

Dose:

The above is decocted down to half and taken over the course of the day.
A more economical way is to take Ginseng powder (2–4 grams) with the remaining herbs decocted.

Cautions:

1. Avoid in Dampness or Stagnation
2. Not used in Heat conditions
3. Not used in acute diseases (Cold and Influenza)

Modifications:

1. For extreme deficiency with exhaustion, the dose of Rehmannia Shu Di Huang is increased up to 60 grams, and the dose of Ginseng can be increased up to 30 grams)
2. If deficiency is not severe, Ginseng is typically substituted with Codonopsis Dang Shen
3. For loose stool, remove Dang Gui and add Atractylodes Bai Zhu and blast-fried Ginger (Pat Jiang)
4. To moderate the heavy, cloying nature, add Costus (Mu Xiang) and Citrus Chen Pi.
5. Nausea, bloating and poor appetite, add fresh Ginger, Amorim Sha Ren and Citrus Chen Pi.
6. For internal Cold, add Aconitum Fu Zi and Cinnamon
7. For deficiency Heat with night sweats and hot flushes or burning feet at night), use Rehmannia Sheng Di instead of Shu Di and add Anemarrhena Zhi Mu.
8. Severe, chronic Lower Back pain and Knee weakness, add Mistletoe (Sang Ji Sheng) and Dipsacus Xu Duan
9. Severe Lower Back pain with degeneration, take with Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong) powder
10. Chronic deficiency Cough, or breathlessness and wheezing, add Schisandra Wu Wei Zi and Walnuts.

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