Lu Rong (鹿茸) is the young antler of the deer, still in velvet, recorded as Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum. It is sweet and salty in flavour and warm in temperature, entering the Liver and Kidney channels. The catalogue files it among the substances that tonify Yang.

Pinyin

lu rong

Chinese

鹿茸

Latin Name

Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum

English Name

Deer Velvet

Japanese

rokujo

Korean

nokyong

Actions and indications

Tonifies Kidney Yang

Kidney Yang deficiency: fatigue, impotence, cold limbs, light-headedness, ringing in the ears, frequent copious clear urine, and a sore, weak lower back and knees
Deep Cold and exhaustion with aversion to cold

Warms Yang, regulates the Chong and Ren and secures the Dai vessel

Uterine bleeding or thin, clear vaginal discharge from Deficiency Cold, with weakness of the Chong, Ren and Dai vessels
Infertility from a cold uterus; may be used on its own

Tonifies the Du vessel, replenishes Jing and Blood, and strengthens sinews, bones and marrow

Depleted Jing and Blood with dizziness, ringing in the ears and profound fatigue
Developmental problems in children from Jing and Blood deficiency: failure to thrive, poor growth, late walking, late teething or late closure of the fontanel, intellectual and learning difficulties, and skeletal deformity such as rickets
Weak, brittle bones from a constitutional deficiency
Fractures that fail to knit, with Kidney deficiency and exhausted Jing; may be used on its own

Tonifies Qi and Blood and heals chronic Yin-type sores

Qi and Blood deficiency
Chronic Yin-type boils and ulcers that will not heal, especially in very deficient, cold patients; may be used on its own

Combinations

shan yao

Impotence, taken as a tincture

ren shen + gou qi zi + zhi fu zi

More serious exhaustion and impotence

ren shen + dang gui

Severe Heart and Kidney Deficiency with palpitations, low back pain and scanty, difficult urination. Raises luteinizing hormone. Increases lymphocyte transformation

tu si zi + rou cong rong

Exhaustion, aversion to Cold, low back pain, weak legs and frequent scanty urination that keeps dribbling

shu di huang

Kidney Deficiency Cold causing impotence and spermatorrhea in men, and infertility and thin vaginal discharge in women. Slow physical development in children

e jiao + dang gui + hai piao xiao

Severe Kidney Deficiency with heavy uterine bleeding

gou ji

Copious vaginal discharge.

sheng di huang

Severely Deficient Jing and Blood with aplastic anemia

wu jia pi + gu sui bu + yin yang huo

Helps fractures and other injuries from trauma heal faster

dang gui + huang qi

Chong and Ren channels failing to consolidate, with uterine bleeding. Aplastic anemia where Jing and Blood are gravely Deficient

ren shen

Tonifies Qi powerfully and warms the Ming Men so that Qi is generated. Supports Qi, Blood, Yin, Yang and Jing where there is congenital weakness or consumption acquired after birth. Yang Deficiency where Ming Men Fire is weak. For every one of these uses, it is taken in small amounts over a long time

ren shen + shu di huang + shan yao + gou qi zi + yin yang huo

Impotence. Spermatorrhea.

shu di huang + rou cong rong + hai piao xiao

Clear vaginal discharge; uterine bleeding

huang qi + dang shen + dang gui

Severe anemia.

suo yang + huai niu xi + shu di huang + xu duan + ji xue teng

Wei (atrophy) syndrome.

huang qi + wu jia pi + gu sui bu + yin yang huo

Broken bones that are slow to heal

Age

Raw

Granule

Tincture

Concentrate

Frequency

Any 3-5g; Powders or Pills: 1-3g; Tincture: 1-2.5ml

3-5 g

—

1-2.5 ml

—

Cautions

contraindication Heat from Yin deficiency

contraindication Bleeding driven by Yin-deficiency Fire

contraindication Heat at the Blood (Xue) level

contraindication Lung Phlegm-Heat

contraindication Blazing Stomach Fire

contraindication Warm febrile disease; also best avoided during acute infections

contraindication Internal Excess Heat, an exterior condition not yet resolved, or a rash that has not fully come out

caution Begin with a small dose and build up. Too much Yang at the outset can stir Wind, with dizziness and red eyes, or damage Yin so that Empty Fire flares, with headache, restlessness or even bleeding

caution Derived from an animal (antler velvet of young deer), so unsuitable for vegans and vegetarians

caution Naturally contains IGF-1, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency; athletes who are drug-tested have been warned about deer velvet products

lu rong

About lu rong

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Tonifies Kidney Yang

Warms Yang, regulates the Chong and Ren and secures the Dai vessel

Tonifies the Du vessel, replenishes Jing and Blood, and strengthens sinews, bones and marrow

Tonifies Qi and Blood and heals chronic Yin-type sores

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

About lu rong

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Tonifies Kidney Yang

Warms Yang, regulates the Chong and Ren and secures the Dai vessel

Tonifies the Du vessel, replenishes Jing and Blood, and strengthens sinews, bones and marrow

Tonifies Qi and Blood and heals chronic Yin-type sores

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Related

Used in 2 formulas