Pinyin: Tu Si Zi  Chinese: 菟丝子
Pharmaceutical: Semen Cuscutae
English: Chinese Dodder Seeds

Tastes: Sweet, astringing, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Strengthens Yang, nourishes Yin, astringes Jing and urine and benefits the marrow
   Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence, nocturnal emissions, premature ejaculation, tinnitus, urinary frequency, sore painful back and vaginal discharge
2. Tonifies the Kidneys and Liver and improves vision
   Deficient Liver and Kidney Yin, Yang and Jing with dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision or spots before the eyes
3. Benefits the Kidneys and Spleen and stops (astringes) diarrhoea
   Diarrhoea, loose stools and anorexia from Spleen and Kidney Deficiency
4. Calms the fetus
   Habitual or threatened miscarriage
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, brighten the eyes, make the body light and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with effulgent fire and difficult urination because of its warm property and tonifying and astringing actions.

Pinyin: Sang Ji Sheng  Chinese: 桑寄生
Pharmaceutical: Herba Taxilli
Taxonomy: Taxillus chinensis
English: Mulberry Mistletoe Stems

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, sweet, mild
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin, strengthens the sinews and bones and expels Wind-Dampness
   Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency with Bi pain (lower back and leg soreness and pain, joint problems, numbness and weakness and atrophy of the sinews and bones) (whether or not Wind-Dampness is present)
2. Nourishes the Blood and benefits the skin
   Blood Deficiency with dry, scaly skin
   Hypertension or high blood sugar due to Blood Deficiency (Qin et al., 2022)
3. Calms the womb and promotes lactation
   Restless fetus due to Blood Deficiency or metrorrhagia during pregnancy
   Insufficient lactation due to Blood Deficiency

Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Xu Duan  Chinese: 续断
Pharmaceutical: Radix Dipsaci
English: Himalayan Teasel Root

Tastes: Sweet, pungent, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys and strengthens the sinews and bones
   Liver and Kidney Deficiency with sore and painful lower back and knees, stiffness in the joints and weakness in the legs
   Urinary dribbling from Kidney Deficiency
2. Stops uterine bleeding, calms the fetus and prevents miscarriage
   Bleeding during pregnancy
   Restless fetus
   Threatened miscarriage
   Ren channel Deficiency related uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge
3. Promotes the movement of Blood, alleviates pain, generates flesh and reconnects the sinews and bones
   Trauma (topical and internal) especially pain and swelling in the lower back and limbs
   External sores (topical)
   Bi pain
4. Reduces swellings, abscesses and sores
   Toxic abscesses and sores
5. Expels Gu Parasites
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
6. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, boost the Qi and physical strength. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: E Jiao  Chinese: 阿胶
Pharmaceutical: Colla Corii Asini
English: Donkey-Hide Gelatin / Ass-Hide Glue

Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Lung, Liver, Kidney and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Blood
   Blood Deficiency with dizziness, sallow or pale complexion and palpitations
2. Nourishes the Blood and stops bleeding
   Any kind of bleeding, especially consumptive disorders with hemoptysis, hemafecia, menorrhagia or metrorrhagia
3. Nourishes and moistens Yin
   Yin Deficiency with irritability and insomnia in the aftermath of a Warm febrile disease
4. Moistens the Lungs and Large Intestine
   Dry Lung coughs due to Yin Deficiency or consumption

Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for spleen and stomach deficiency, poor appetite, loose stool due to spleen deficiency because it is greasy and will produce indigestion.

Animal products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only. It may be substituted with a variety of Blood and Yin tonics depending on the formula, or gelatin from other animal sources such as pigs or cows included as dietary advice, provided it is not supplied by the herbalist as part of the prescription.