Shu Di Huang: Chinese Herb Guide

Name

Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata), from Bai Hua She She Cao (Herba Oldenlandiae)

Source and quality

The root of the herbaceous plant Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch of the family Figwort, steamed and dried in the sun. It is produced in Henan and Zhejiang provinces and plucked in late autumn.

The best grade is bright black, soft and moist, with a strong sweet taste.

It is baked or dried in the sun, then mixed with millet wine and steamed until it turns black, taken out and dried in the sun, then sliced.

Nature and action

Sweet and slightly warm. It enters the kidney and liver meridians.

It tonifies blood, nourishes the yin of the liver and kidney, and supplements essence.

Indications

Blood deficiency syndrome

Because it tonifies blood, it is an important blood tonic and is widely indicated for blood deficiency syndromes of every kind, especially where both essence (yin) and blood are insufficient. It combines with Dang Gui so that the two reinforce each other.

• For a sallow complexion, vertigo, palpitation and irregular menstruation, it is combined with Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong and Bai Shao in Siwu Tang from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang.
• For qi and blood deficiency with mental fatigue and a lusterless complexion, it is usually combined with qi tonics, such as Ren Shen in Liang Yi Gao from Jing Yue Quan Shu.

Deficiency of liver and kidney yin

Because it nourishes the yin of the liver and kidney, and is especially skilled at nourishing kidney yin, it is known as the key herb for kidney yin deficiency. For soreness and limpness of the lumbar region and knees, tinnitus, deafness, and a red tongue with little coating due to liver and kidney yin deficiency, or for bone-steaming and tidal fever with a hot sensation in the palms due to effulgent fire caused by yin deficiency, it is usually combined with herbs that nourish kidney yin and clear heat, such as Shan Zhu Yu and Ze Xie in Liuwei Dihuang Wan from Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue.

Syndrome of both essence and blood deficiency

It nourishes both essence and blood. For soreness and limpness of the lumbar region and knees, premature graying of the beard and hair, and poor growth in infants and children due to deficiency of both essence and blood, it is usually combined with herbs that nourish kidney yin and supplement essence, such as He Shou Wu and Tu Si Zi.

Dosage and administration

Decoct 10~30 g.

Cautions

Use with caution in patients with spleen and stomach deficiency, with loose stool due to fullness in the abdomen, and with qi stagnation accompanied by excessive phlegm, because it is greasy and tends to impair digestion.