Tonify Yin Flashcards
(34 cards)
What are 5 symptoms of lung yin xu?
- Dry cough with little phlegm
- Thirst
- Dry throat, dry skin
- Coughing up blood
What are 5 symptoms of stomach yin xu?
Remember: the stomach is the source of fluids
- lack of appetite
- irritability
- thirst
- dry mouth
- constipation (ST and LI are a yang ming pair)
5 symptoms of liver yin xu?
- Dry eyes, poor night vision
- Dizziness, tinnitus
- Dry nails
- Low grade sensation of heat
- Liver yang rising
8 symptoms of kidney yin xu?
- dizziness, tinnitus
- weak low back and legs
- heat in the palms and soles
- afternoon low grade fever/tidal fever
- night sweats
- scanty dark urine
- loose teeth
- steaming bone disorder
Yin xu herbs can be grouped into two categories based on the organs they treat. What are the two groupings?
Lung and stomach (key symptoms related to dryness and irritability, generates body fluids to moisten dryness)
Liver and kidney (key symptoms are related to heat)
What category of herbs treat heart yin xu?
Herbs that calm the spirit
What is the tongue and pulse of a patient with yin xu?
Tongue: red with little coat and possible cracks
Pulse: thin and rapid, can be floating if there is liver yang rising
What is the taste of yin tonic herbs?
sweet
What is the temperature of yin tonic herbs?
cold
What are the contraindications of yin tonic herbs?
herbs are cloying and can obstruct the spleen/stomach and cause dampness
What channels do yin tonic herbs enter?
LU, ST, LV, KD
What are 2 actions of sha shen -glehniae
- Tonify lung yin (for dry cough, dry mouth, thirst)
- tonify stomach yin and generates fluids (dry mouth, thirst, irritability)
slightly cold, sweet, sl bitter
LU, ST
9-15 g
What are the 4 main actions of mai men dong - ophiopogonis
- tonifies lung yin (dry cough, cough with thick phlegm, coughing up blood)
- tonifies stomach yin (dry mouth, dry tongue)
- clears heart heat (irritability and night fever)
- moistens the large intestine (constipation)
sl cold, sweet, sl bitter
HT, LU, ST
6-15 g
What are the 2 main actions of xi yang shen - panacis quinqufolii radix/american ginseng?
- tonifies qi
- tonifies yin (for def heat, lung qi and yin xu)
sl cold, sweet, sl bitter
HT, KI, LU
3-9 grams
What are the 2 main actions of tian men dong - asparagi radix
- tonifies lung and stomach yin (dry mouth, dry cough, cough with thick or bloody phlegm)
- tonifies kidney yin (diabetes, low grade afternoon fever, constipation)
very cold, sweet, bitter
KI, LU (ST)
6-12 g
What are the 2 main actions of yu zhu - polygonati odorati rhizoma
- Tonifies lung and stomach yin - dry cough with scanty phlegm, irritability and thirst
- Extinguishes wind, relaxes tendons - wind due to insufficient fluids leading to pain and spasm
sl cold, sweet
LU, ST
6-15 g
NOTE: not very cloying and can be helpful for external wind heat attack with underlying yin xu
What are the 2 functions of bai he - lilly bulb
- tonifies lung yin and stops cough (dry cough and sore throat, chronic cough with damaged lung yin) - honey fried
- clears heat to calm shen (irritability, restless and insomnia in the aftermath of a febrile illness) - unprepared
sl cold, sweet, sl bitter
HT, LU
9-30 grams
What are the 2 functions of mo han lian/han lian cao - ecliptae herba
- tonifies liver and kidney yin (dizziness, blurred vision, premature greying of hair)
- cools the blood and stops bleeding (nosebleed, vomiting or coughing up blood, blood in urine/stools, flooding and spotting) - charred
cool, sweet, sour
KI, LV
9-15 g
What is the main function of nu zhen zi - ligustri lucidi fructus
- tonifies liver and kidney yin
-clears xu heat
-blackens the hair and beard
-brightens the eyes
NOTE: tonifies without cloying
cool, bitter, sweet
KI, LV
9-18 g (crush first)
what are the 3 functions of hei zhi ma - black sesame seed
- tonifies liver and kidney yin
- tonifies blood and extinguishes wind - promotes lactation
- moistens the large intestine
NOTE: dry fry or toast before consuming in food
What are the 4 actions of gui ban - testudinis plastrum (freshwater turtle plastrum)
- tonifies yin and subdues yang (yin xu with yang rising/internal wind)
- tonifies kidney and strengthens bones
- stabilizes menses and stops bleeding (profuse menses due to xu heat/instability of ren and chong mai)
- tonifies heart blood to calm shen
NOTE: caution during pregnancy
cold, salty, sweet
HT, KI, LV
15-45 g (cook first)
What are the 3 actions of gui ban jiao - testudinis plastri colla (turtle shell glue)
- tonifies yin
- tonifies blood
- stops bleeding
more cloying than gui ban
cold, salty, sweet
HT, KI, LV
3-9 g (dissolve in wine or melt in strained decoction)
what are the 2 actions of bie jia - trionycis carapax (soft shelled turtle shell)
- tonifies yin and subdues yang
- softens hardness and disperses clumping
-abdominal masses
-severe blood stagnation stopping periods
contraindicated during pregnancy
sl cold, salty
LV, SP
9-30g (cook first)
What are the 3 functions of shi hu - Dendrobii Herba
- clear kidney xu heat
- augment essense/jing
- brighten vision
sweet, sl salty, bland
KD, ST
6-12 g
