Fluid-Replenishing Decoction

Fluid-Replenishing Decoction

Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Dang Gui) 3-5 qian (9~15g), Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niu Xi) 2 qian (6g), Cistanches Herba (Rou Cong Rong) 2-3 qian (6~9g), Alismatis Rhizoma (Ze Xie) 1.5 qian (4.5g), Cimicifugae Rhizoma (Sheng Ma) 5 to 7 fen or 1 qian (1.5~3g), Aurantii Fructus (Zhi Qiao) 1 qian (3g)

Prepare it as a decoction.

Warms the kidney and supplements essence, moistens the intestines to promote defecation.

This formula is indicated for deficiency of kidney yang, essence, and blood. The symptoms are dry stool, clear and profuse urine, soreness and weakness of lower back and knees, dizziness, a pale tongue with a white coating, and a deep, slow and weak pulse.

This is a pattern of constipation caused by the weakness of kidney yang, deficiency of essence and blood, and a disorder of the opening and closing aspect of the kidney. The kidney governs the five fluids, has its orifice in urethra and anus, as well as controls urination and bowel movement. Deficient kidney yang cannot control qi transformation so that fluids cannot spread. They then flow down to the unconfined bladder and turn into clear and profuse urine. The loss of fluids spreading into the large intestine and the deficiency in essence and blood may cause the intestines to lose moisture and inhibit their descending ability making the stools too dry to be expelled. Other symptoms such as soreness and weakness of lower back and knees, dizziness, a pale tongue body with a white coating, and a deep, slow or deep, thready pulse are evidence of deficient kidney yang, essence and blood. The therapeutic principles used to remedy this pattern are to warm the kidney and supplement the essence, as well as moisten the intestines to promote defecation.

1. Essential pattern differentiation Ji Chuan Jian serves as the most commonly prescribed formula for constipation due to kidney and essence deficiency. This clinical pattern is marked by dry stool, clear and profuse urine, achy, weak waist and knees, white tongue coating, deep, slow, and weak pulse. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of kidney and essence deficiency: habitual constipation, senile constipation, and postpartum constipation. 3. Cautions and contraindications It should not be used to treat constipation caused by pathogenic heat damaging fluids or by yin deficiency.