This is an information page about Di Huang Yin Zi. By FDA regulations I can’t name any disease it may treat, only symptoms.
Di Huang Yin Zi is first seen in a formula book from 1117 AD. (The Comprehensive Recording Sagely Beneficence from the Zhenghe Era)
The formula treat Yin Fei 喑痱or “mute paraplegia”. Our main book from Eastland Press lists the indications as: “Stiffness of the tongue with an inability to speak, disability or paralysis of the lower extremities, a dry mouth with an absence of thirst, a greasy, yellow tongue coating, and submerged, slow, thin and frail pulse.”
We don’t have to have all the indications to use the formula but it helps us to understand and modify it. I am going to focus on the first indication of “Stiffness of the tongue with an inability to speak”. In Chinese Medicine, this comes from 3 issues: The kidney channel which ends at the root of the tongue, phlegm blocking the throat and Heart Qi unable to reach the tongue.
Di Huang Yin Zi is a very “warm” formula to get the Kidney Qi mobilized. For that reason, the formula is often modified for long term use beyond a few weeks. People may find themselves warm after taking it. Note that one can switch around the formulas- taking one for a few days or weeks and then the other.
If warmth is the issue, or simply for long term use, we offer two modifications:
First Modification Di Huang Yin Zi:
and an even less warm version.
(Ji Jian means ingredients taken out)
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Every person is unique of course and other symptoms show up or become from predominate.
One specific symptom is that of phlegm in the throat.