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Herba Epimedii
Indication
Invigorating the kidney to strengthen yang, strengthening the muscles, tendons and bones, and dispelling wind to eliminate dampness (relieve rheumatic condition). Impotence and nocturnal emission, deficient-cold sterility, frequent urine and incontinence, asthma and cough due to kidney deficiency, soreness of the lower back and knees, arthralgia due to wind-dampness, hemiplegia, numbness of the limbs.

Pharmacological action

1. The applicable part of Herba Epimedii is the leaf. Researchers think flavonoids, icariin, and polysaccharides are the active constituents. Some evidence suggests Herba Epimedii might cause peripheral vasodilation, increase coronary blood flow, increase platelet aggregation and improve male sexual function.
2. Herbal Epimedii also seems to inhibit catecholamine effects. It seems to have some hypotensive, immunomodulating, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitussive and expectorant effects. Evidence suggests Herba Epimedii might have activity against HIV.

Fructus Rosae Laevigatae
Indication

1. Relieve nocturnal emission and leucorrphagia, and reduce the frequency of urination; for kidney deficiency manifested as nocturnal emission, enuresis and leucorrphagia, usually used with Semen Euryales together.
2. Astringe the intestine to relieve diarrhea; for chronic diarrhea due to spleen deficiency.
3. For chronic dysentery.

Pharmacological Action

1. Its decoction inhibits the growth of influenza virus and Bacillus dysenteriae in vitro.
2. Promoting the secretion of gastric juice and enhancing the digestive function, also as an astringent.

Fructus Rubi
Indication

1. Benefit the kidney, preserve essence and decrease micturition; for kidney deficiency manifested as nocturnal emission, enuresis and frequent micturition, usually used together with Fructus Alpiniae and Ootheca Mantidis; for impotence, premature ejaculation and seminal emission due to kidney deficiency, used together with Semen Cuscutae and Semen Astragali Cornplanati.
2. Promote visual acuity for blurring of vision due to deficiency of liver and kidney, used together with Fructus Lycti, Fructus Schisandrae and Cuscutae.

Pharmacological Action
Possessing an estrogen-like effect.

Fructus Psoraleae
Indication

1. Invigorate the kidney and strengthen yang. For sufficiency of kidney-yang manifested as cold pain of the waist and knees, impotence, emission, enuresis, frequent micturition, cough, dyspnea and shortness of breath, metorrphagia and sterility.
2. Warm the spleen and kidney to stop diarrhea; for chronic diarrhea and diarrhea before dawn due to insufficiency of spleen-yang and kidney-yang. Recently also used for leukocytopenia, bronchial asthma and metorrhagia. External application of its alcoholic infusion for corns and leukoplakia vulvae; intramuscular injection and external application of psoralen for leukoderma and psoriasis.

Pharmacological Action

1. Corylifolinin (isobavachalacone, one of the components) dilates coronary artery significantly.
2. Promoting phagocytosis of macrophage.
3. Exciting the intestine smooth muscles in vivo and in vitro and relaxing the uterus of guinea pigs in vitro.

Radix morindae Officinalis
Indication

1. Warm the kidney and strengthen yang; for deficiency of kidney-yang manifested as impotence, emission, enuresis, frequent micturition and sterility.
2. Strengthen the tendons and bones, expel cold and dampness; for hypofunction of liver and kidney manifested as weakness of extremities, lassitude and cold pain of the waist and knees; or chronic rheumatism with arthralgia, weakness, cold pain of the joints, fatigue and pale tongue.

Pharmacological Action

1. Exerting androgen-like effect.
2. Promoting the luteinizing action of the hypothalamus-pituitary system.
3. Promoting the development of immature granulocytes.

Fructus Schisandrae
Indication

1. Benefit vital energy and promote production of body fluid; for insufficiency of vital energy and body fluid manifested as fatigue, shortness of breath and feeble pulse, palpitation, hyperhidrosis (spontaneous persperation or night sweat), thirst, diabetes, etc., usually used together with Radix Ginseng and Radix Ophiopogonis.
2. Astringe lung-energy, relieve dyspnea and cough; for cough and dyspnea of lung-deficiency type, lung-cold type and the dype of deficiency of both lung and kidney.
3. Invigorate kidney and preserve essence; for kidney-deficiency syndrome with emission, chronic diarrhea, leucorrphagia, etc.
4. Nourish the heart and calm the mind; for heart-deficiency syndrome with palpitation, insomnia and dreaminess. In addition, its powder preparation is used for chronic hepatitis with elevation of serum transaminase.

Pharmacological Action

1. Its decoction exerts bacteriostatic effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aurous, Flexner's bacillus and Typhoid bacillus in vitro.
2. Schizandrin, one of its active components, can protect liver from damage.
3. Enhancing lymphocyte-blastogenesis rate.
4. Cardiotonic and sedative.

Fructus Ligustri Lucidi
Indication

1. Tonify the liver and the kidney, darken the hair and promote visual acuity; for deficiency of liver-yin and kidney-yin manifested as dizziness, tinnitus, blurring of vision, weakness of the loin and knees, hectic fever, nocturnal emission, alopecia and poliosis, usually used with Herba Ecliptae. Recently used for seborrheic alopecia, central retinitis, early cataract, etc.
2. Tranquilize the mind by nourishing the heart; for insufficiency of heart-yin manifested as insomnia, palpitation and precordial pain. Recently, also used for angina pectoris, hyperlipemia and neurasthenia, especially those of in-deficiency type. In addition, also used for leukocytopenia, viral hepatitis with yin-deficiency syndrome; its component oleanolic acid for various kinds of hepatitis.

Pharmacological Action

1. Its component oleanolic acid can prevent and relieve cyclophosphamide-induced leukocytopenia in mice.
2. Enhancing the anoxia tolerance of mice under atmospheric pressure.

Semen Cuscutae
Indication

1. Invigorate the kidney and supplement essence; for insufficiency of kidney-yang or kidney essence manifested as ipotence, emission, enuresis, frequent micturition, sterility, leucorrhagia, soreness of the loin and knees, blurred vision, tinnitus and deafness.
2. Soothe the fetus; for deficiency of the liver and kidney manifested as threatened abortion and habitual abortion, used together with Ramulus Taxilli, Radix Dipsaci and Colla Corri Asini.
3. Nourish the liver and improve visual acuity; for blurring of vision and hypopsia due to insufficiency of the liver and kidney.
4. Benefit the spleen to relieve diarrhea; for loose stools or diarrhea due to deficiency of the spleen and kidney, usually used together with Fructus Psoraleae, Semen Myristicae and Phizma Atractylodis Macrocephalae. Recently, also used for aplastic anemia and chyluria.

Pharmacological Action

1. Cardiotonic.
2. Promoting lymphocyte-blastogenesis.

Radix Astragali
Indication

1. Invigorate vital energy and spleen; for spleen-deficiency with poor appetite, loose stools, fatigue and bleeding, usually used together with Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae; for deficiency of both vital energy and blood, used together with Radix Angelicae Sinensis.
2. Invigorate vital energy to activate yang; for collapse of middle-jiao energy manifested as prolapse of rectum, hysteroptosis or gastroptosis, usually used together with Codonopsis Pilosulae, Rhizoma Cimicifugae and Radix Bupleuri.
3. Invigorate vital energy to strengthen the body; for common cold in debilitated patient, superficies-asthenia with profuce sweating, usually used together with Atractylodis Macrocephalae.
4. Relieve skin infection and promote tissue regeneration; for unruptured abscess, unhealed carbuncle, skin erosion, unhealed wound, eruptive diseases and skin infection of yin-type. Recently, used for peptic ulcer and atrophic gastritis.
5. Promote diuresia and relieve edema; for edema of spleen-deficiency type. In addition, it can invigorate vital energy to promote production of body fluid and quench thirst and is indicated for diabetes; hemiplegia due to deficiency of vital energy and blood stasis. Also used for asthma and leukocytopenia.
6. Others; for albuminuria in chronic nephritis, diabetes caused by internal heat.

Pharmacological Action

1. Increasing the amount of leukocytes and polymorphocytes in peripheral blood and promoting lymphocyte-blastogenesis.
2. Its polysaccharide promotes the healing of skin ulcer.
3. Cardiotonic.
4. Dilating coronary artery and capillaries.