This category of herbs is mostly sweet, salty or pun-gent in flavor, and warm or hot in nature, with the action of warming and nourishing yang of the body. As kidney-yang is the master of yang qi all over the body, the nourishing of the kidney-yang is to warm all other organs so as to get rid of or improve all syndromes of yang-deficiency all over the body simultaneously. In this way, they focus on nourishing and tonifying kidney-yang. They are fit for deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as cold extremities, backache, lack of sexual desire, impotence, emission, sterility, frequent micturition, or enuresis; and failure of the kidney to receive qi due to deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as chronic cough and dyspnea; and failure of the spleen to warm and transport due to deficiency of kidney-yang marked by cold abdominal pain and morning diarrhea; and deficiency of body essence due to deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as dizziness, tinnitus, early whitening of hair, flaccidity of extremities or maldevelopment, delayed walking,  delayed teeth eruption and closure of fontanel in infants, etc..

They are mostly warm and dry in nature, which tends to flourish fire and hurt yin, so it's unfit for the case with hyperactive fire due to deficiency of yin.

Lurong  Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum

The source is from the horn of male beast of Cervus Nippon Temminck or C. elaphus L. family Cerrridaae. The producing areas are in Northeast, Northwest, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and mountainous areas of Southwest in China. The medicinal material is cut in summer and autumn, dried after being processed, and used in the form of slices or powder.

Medicinal Properties  Sweet and salty in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the liver and kidney meridians.

Actions  Nourish kidney-yang, promote the production of the essence and blood, strengthen tendons and bones.

Application

It is applied for deficiency of kidney-yang or deficiency of the essence and blood manifested as chill, cold limbs, impotence, emission, sterility due to uterine cold, frequent micturition, dizziness, tinnitus, or fatigue. It can be ground into powder and used alone, or used together with Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Shudihuang ( Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ), etc., such as Shen Rong Guben Wan (Pill).

For deficiency of the liver and kidney manifested as flaccidity of extremities, or maldevelopment, delayed walking, delayed teeth eruption and delayed closure of fontanel in infants, it is often used with Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ) , Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), and Shanzhuyu ( Fructus Corni ), etc., such as Jiawei Dihuang Wan (Pill).

It is applied for deficiency and coldness of thoroughfare and conception vessels in women manifested as metrorrhagia and metrostasis and leucorrhagia due to weakness of belt vessel. For the former, it is used with Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini ), Wuzeigu (Os Sepieltae seu Sepiae), etc., such as Lurong San (Powder) ; for the latter, used with Gouji (Rhizoma Cibotii), Bailian (Herba Potygalae Japonica).

Besides, it is useful for treating unhealed skin lesions.

Usage and Dosage 1 - 3 g of its powder is for drinking; or in a pill or powder.

Notes  Contraindicated in the case with deficiency of yin and hyperactivity of yang, blood-heat, hyperpyrexia of the stomach, cough due to phlegm-heat, or febrile disease due to exogenous pathogenic factors. The amount used in the course should start gradually from small to large.

Bajitian  Radix Morindae Officinalis

The source is from the root of Morinda officinalis How, family Rubiceae. The medicinal material is mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian, etc., available all year round. The one after being dried, steamed, and its wood centre removed is named as Bajirou. It is cut into fragments and dried, used crudely or soaked in a salty solution.

Medicinal Properties  Sweet and pungent in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and attributive to the kidney and liver meridians.

Actions  Nourish kidney-yang, strengthen tendons and bones, and eliminate wind and dampness.

Application

It is applied for deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as impotence, sterility, irregular menstruation, or cold pain in lower abdomen. In the case of impotence and sterility, it is used with Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Shanyao ( Rhizoma Dioscoreae ),  and Roucongrong  ( Herba Cistanchis), etc.; for cold pain in lower abdomen or irregular menstruation, used with Gaoliangjiang (Rhizoma Alpiniae Officinarum ) , Rougui ( Cortex Cinnamomi ), Wuzhuyu (Fructus Evodiae), etc., such as Baji Wan (Pill).

For deficiency of kidney-yang accompanied by lumbago or fatigue, it is used with Bixie (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Duzhong ( Cortex Eucommiae), etc., such as Jingang Wan (Pill).

Usage and Dosage  3 - 9 g is used in decoction.

Notes  It is not suitable for the case with deficiency of yin causing hyperactivity of yang or for that with damp-heat.

Yinyanghuo  Herba Epimedii

The source is from the branch and leaf of Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc. ) Maxim. or E. brevicornum Maxim. , Epimedium pubescens Maxim., wushan Epimedium, and Epimedium Koreanum Nakai . family Berberidaceae. The medicinal material is mostly produced in Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Shanxi, and Guangxi, etc., harvested in spring and autumn in bloom, and dried after removal of stem and other undesired part. It is used crudely or roasted with sheep fat.

Medicinal Properties  Pungent and sweet in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the liver and kidney meridians.

Actions Invigorate the kidney and strengthen yang, eliminate wind and dampness.

Application

For impotence due to deficiency of the kidney manifested as soreness of the waist and knees, frequent micturition, or sterility, it can be soaked alone in spirit for drinking, or used with Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ), Shanzhuyu ( Fructus Corni ), Xianmao (Rhizoma Curcutignis), and Gouqizi ( Fructus Lycii) , etc..

For Bi-syndrome of wind-cold-dampness type with sp