Source: Jingui Yaolue (Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet).

Ingredients:
No.1  Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae) 240 g
No.2  Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae) 120 g
No.3  Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni) 120 g
No.4  Zexie (Rhizoma Alismatis) 90 g
No.5  Fuling (Poria) 90 g 
No.6  Mudanpi (Cortex Moutan Radicis) 90 g
No.7  Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) 30 g
No.8  Fuzi (Radix Aconiti) 30 g

Administration:
Grind the above drugs into fine powder and mix up with honey to make pills; take 6 g each time and twice daily with warm boiled water or light salty water. Or prepare them into decoction with dosages in proportion to the original recipe.

Actions: Warming and invigorating kidney-yang.
   
Clinical Application:
This recipe is indicated for syndrome of deficiency of kidney-yang marked by soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, cold feeling in the lower body, contracture of the lower abdomen, dysuria or polyuria, pale and large tongue, feeble pulse with deep and faint chi pulse, as well as phlegm-retention, edema, diabetes, beriberi and dysuria with lower abdominal colic. It is applicable to chronic nephritis, nephrogenic edema, diabetes, hypothyroidism, neurosism, hypoadrenocorticism, recurrence of bronchial asthma, menopausal syndrome and others, which pertain to deficiency of kidney-yang. Presently the prepared form of the first ingredient is often used clinically.

Ingredient No. 7 may be replaced with Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi), aiming to enhance the effect of warming yang. In case of severe edema, add Cheqianzi (Semen Plantaginis) and Niuxi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae) to promote diuresis and relieve edema, forming another recipe entitled Jiawei Shenqi Wan. If concomitant with sexual impotence, add Yinyanghuo (Herba Epimedii), Buguzhi (Furctus Psoraleae) and Bajitian (Radix Morindae Officinalis) to strengthen kidney-yang.

Elucidation:
The syndrome is caused by deficiency of kidney-yang, which fails to activate qi to promote diuresis. It should be treated by warming and invigorating kidney-yang. Ingredients No. 8 and No. 7 are monarch drugs with the effects of warming and invigorating kidney-yang. The first three ingredients function as minister drugs to nourish kidney-yin. The combination of monarch and minister drugs is meant to warm kidney-yang while nourishing kidney-yin so as to enhance the former’s effect. Since the recipe consists of fewer ingredients for invigorating yang than those for nourishing yin, it can slightly generate fire so as to activate kidney-qi.

Used as adjuvant drugs, ingredients No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 can promote diuresis and blood circulation on the one hand, and prevent tonics from generating dampness on the other. The combined application of all ingredients, which are warm but not dry and tonic but not induce dampness, activates kidney-yang and healthy qi so that all symptoms are relieved.

Cautions:
This recipe is contraindicated for patients with dry throat and mouth, reddened tongue and little fur.