he ren yin

Polygonum Multiflorum Root and Ginseng Decoction

About he ren yin

He Ren Yin, Polygonum Multiflorum Root and Ginseng Decoction, is He Shou Wu, Ren Shen, Dang Gui, Chen Pi and roasted ginger. The catalogue classes it among the formulas that tonify Qi and Blood.

Ingredients

Herb	Amount
he shou wu	9 g
ren shen	9 g
dang gui	6 g
chen pi	6 g
wei jiang	6 g

Actions and indications

Tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood

Chronic malarial disorder (nue) past its acute stage, now kept going by deficient Qi and Blood rather than an active pathogen
Long-running bouts of intermittent fever and chills in a wan, emaciated patient who tires easily, where the least exertion sets off another episode
Fatigue and weakness that exertion makes worse
Pale, wan complexion and wasting from the drawn-out illness
Tongue pale; pulse large but deficient, broad yet empty under pressure

Symptoms

Emaciation
Fatigue
Pallor
Weakness

Modifications

A gentler or cheaper Qi tonic preferred: + dang shen, − ren shen

Cautions

contraindication Malarial disorder still in its early, active phase, or a patient who is not yet deficient: tonics given too soon may trap the pathogen
contraindication Excess or Heat patterns, since this is a warm, rich tonic
caution He Shou Wu is linked to idiosyncratic liver injury, with both raw and processed forms implicated: watch for tiredness, nausea, dark urine or jaundice over longer use
contraindication Existing liver disease, because of He Shou Wu
caution The rich tonics can weigh on a weak Spleen; modify if bloating or poorer appetite appear
caution To be prescribed and supervised by a qualified practitioner
caution Does not replace antimalarial medicine; malaria needs biomedical diagnosis and treatment

Preparation

Decoction, sometimes cooked in water mixed with wine, taken two to three hours before the next expected bout of fever and chills; the Sheng Jiang is roasted

Names

Pinyin	he ren yin
English Name	Polygonum Multiflorum Root and Ginseng Decoction

Classification

Category: Tonify the Qi and Blood