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Rehmannia, Sheng Di Huang 生地黄
Chinese Foxglove
Sheng Di Huang (TCM)
Sheng Di Huang (TCM)
Edwards’s Botanical Register (1837)
Botanical name:
Rehmannia glutinosa
Parts used:
Dried, unprepared root
Note the prepared Root is Rehmannia Shu Di Huang
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, moist. Sweet, Bitter
Classification:
B. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood B. Clears Deficient Heat
Rehmannia glutinosa
Parts used:
Dried, unprepared root
Note the prepared Root is Rehmannia Shu Di Huang
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, moist. Sweet, Bitter
Classification:
B. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood B. Clears Deficient Heat
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood:
-Febrile diseases where heat has penetrated to the Blood with High Fever, Thirst, red Tongue, Mouth Ulcers, irritability
-Heat-type Bleeding including Hemorrhagic Fevers, Coughing or Vomiting Blood, Uterine Bleeding etc.
-also used for Heart Fire, Insomnia, Irritability
-"good for treating all kinds of heart pain, no matter whether it is a chronic disease or newly contracted". (Su Song)
2. Nourishes Yin, Generates Fluids:
-low-grade Fever, Night-sweats
-chronic Throat pain or inflammation
-signs of Yin-deficiency with Heat
-chronic Inflammation such as Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
-Wasting and Thirsting Disorder; Diabetes
-chronic Constipation associated with dryness
-it is regarded as nourishing Yin and Essence while clearing Heat.
Dose:
1. In China, the fresh root is available and is regarded as stronger to clear Heat and nourish Fluids.
2. When the root is processed by steaming with alcohol, it forms Shu Di Huang, stronger to nourish Blood and Yin.
Decoction: 9–15 grams (20–60 grams fresh)
Powder: 1–4 grams
Correctives:
1. Alisma Ze Xie prevents the heavy, cloying effect, as in Liu Wei Di Huang Wan.
2. Amomum Sha Ren or Costus (Mu Xiang) is added to prescriptions with Rehmannia to avoid the heavy, cloying effect and promote digestion, and to moderate its coldness.
3. The addition of fresh Ginger to decoctions with Rehmannia likewise promotes digestion and enhances bioavailability while lessening the heavy, cloying effect.
Substitutes:
Scrophularia Xuan Shen is used similarly.
1. In China, the fresh root is available and is regarded as stronger to clear Heat and nourish Fluids.
2. When the root is processed by steaming with alcohol, it forms Shu Di Huang, stronger to nourish Blood and Yin.
Decoction: 9–15 grams (20–60 grams fresh)
Powder: 1–4 grams
Correctives:
1. Alisma Ze Xie prevents the heavy, cloying effect, as in Liu Wei Di Huang Wan.
2. Amomum Sha Ren or Costus (Mu Xiang) is added to prescriptions with Rehmannia to avoid the heavy, cloying effect and promote digestion, and to moderate its coldness.
3. The addition of fresh Ginger to decoctions with Rehmannia likewise promotes digestion and enhances bioavailability while lessening the heavy, cloying effect.
Substitutes:
Scrophularia Xuan Shen is used similarly.
Main Combinations:
1. Chronic, sore, dry Throat; or Dry moist with red tongue and fast but weak pulse from Yin-deficient Heat, combined Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Scrophularia Xuan Shen (Figwort root)
2. Heat with Blood deficiency, combined Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Paeonia Bai Shao.
3. Heat symptoms with Yin deficiency and dryness, combined Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Rehmannia Shu Di Huang.
4. High Fever from Heat penetrating the Blood, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi.
5. Delirium from High Fever, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Coptis Huang Lian, Tabasheer (Tian Zhu Huang), Calamus (Shi Chang Pu), Pearl (Zhen Zhu)
6. Hemorrhagic Fever, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Paeonia rubra Chi Shao Yao, Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Rhubarb (Da Huang), Water Buffalo horn extract.
7. Bleeding from Heat:
i. associated with Heat and Yin and/or Blood deficiency, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with E Jiao (Ass-hide gelatin)
ii. Blood in the urine, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Lotus rhizome (Ou Jie), Typha pollen Pu Huang, Talcum (Hua Shi)
iii. Coughing Blood from Lung Heat and Yin deficiency, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Mulberry leaf (Sang Ye), Loquat leaf (Pi Pa Ye), Gypsym (Shi Gao), Donkey hide-glue (E Jiao).
iv. Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Burnet (Di Yu), Scutellaria Huang Qin, Sophora Huai Hua
v. Excess Menstrual bleeding, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Scutellaria Huang Qin, Paeonia Bai Shao, Mugwort (Ai Ye)
8. Itchy, red and inflamed skin, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Dang Gui, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu, Sophora Ku Shen (as in Xiao Feng San)
9. Headache from Liver Heat with Yin deficiency, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Paeonia Bai Shao, Uncaria Gou Teng, Chrysanthemum Ju Hua
10. Swollen, painful gums, mouth Ulcers, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Coptis Huang Lian, Cimicifuga Sheng Ma (as in Qing Wei San)
11. Toothache from Heat and Yin deficiency, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Cimicifuga Sheng Ma, Gypsum (Shi Gao), Coptis Huang Lian.
12. Constipation from Heat and dryness or Yin deficiency:
i. Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong
ii. Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Cannabis seed (Huo Ma Ren), Dang Gui
iii. Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Dang Gui, Peach kernel (Tao Ren), Rhubarb (Da Huang)
13. Wasting and Thirsting Disorder, Diabetes mellitus and insipidus, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang with Anemarrhena Zhi Mu, Dioscorea Shan Yao, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Trichosanthes Rdaix Tian Hua Fen
14. Strengthen Kidney Yin and Yang, Nourish the Essence (Jing), Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang (2 parts), Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Lycium Gou Qi Zi, Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Dang Gui, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Amomum Sha Ren (1 part each). This is added to alcohol to make Golden Phoenix Wine, used by Taoists to increase Longevity and Sexual potency. It is taken daily for 2 weeks during which time no sex is allowed.
Major Formula:
Da Ding Feng Zhu
Bai He Gu Jin Tang
Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang
Dang Gui Yin Zi
Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang
Hei Xiao Yao San
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
Ming Mu Di Huang Wan
Tian Wan Bu Xin Wan
Qing Wei San
Xiao Feng San
Yi Guan Jian
Yang Xin Tang
Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
Cautions:
1. Damp, heavy and hard-to-digest; not used in Spleen deficiency with loose stool and abdominal fullness.
2. Avoid Onion, Garlic and Radish while using
Toxicity:
–No toxicity was noted when 60 g/kg/day was given to mice for 3 days
–No toxicity was noted in rats when 18 g/kg/day was administeered for 15 days. (Chen & Chen)
Drug Interactions:
1. Bezoar is said to antagonize Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang.
Main Preparations used:
Prepared Rehmannia Shu Di Huang
1. Damp, heavy and hard-to-digest; not used in Spleen deficiency with loose stool and abdominal fullness.
2. Avoid Onion, Garlic and Radish while using
Toxicity:
–No toxicity was noted when 60 g/kg/day was given to mice for 3 days
–No toxicity was noted in rats when 18 g/kg/day was administeered for 15 days. (Chen & Chen)
Drug Interactions:
1. Bezoar is said to antagonize Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang.
Main Preparations used:
Prepared Rehmannia Shu Di Huang