Kidney Qi Pill

Kidney Qi Pill

Prepared rehmannia root 8 qian, cornelian cherry fruit 4 qian, Chinese yam 4 qian, cloud fungus 4 qian, alisma 4 qian, moutan bark 5 qian, processed aconite 3 qian, cinnamon 2 qian.

The kidneys are water organs, and among them, true yang is the mother of breathing. When water is sufficient and yang is concealed, breathing becomes fine and body fluids are balanced. If true yang is not concealed, water will overflow and fire will surge, so cloud fungus and alisma are used to manage water and drink; rehmannia and cornelian cherry fruit are used to nourish water yin; Huai medicine is used to enter the spleen, transporting water to the kidneys; moutan bark is used to enter the heart, clearing fire and stabilizing the kidneys. With six herbs to nourish the kidneys, the kidney water is sufficiently balanced. However, there’s still a concern that the small amount of true yang in the water may not be able to generate life, so aconite and cinnamon are used to supplement it. If achyranthes is added, it can guide fire back to its origin. If zhimu and phellodendron are added, it can also treat upper-jiao heat and lower-jiao cold. If cinnamon and aconite are removed and replaced with ophiopogon and schisandra, it becomes purely yin-nourishing, also benefiting the lungs.

[Comment] This formula originates from “Jingui Yaolue.” It’s made by adding cinnamon and aconite to the Six Herbs Pill. The Six Herbs Pill nourishes kidney water, while cinnamon and aconite supplement true yang. In this way, when water is sufficient and yang is concealed, breathing becomes fine and body fluids are balanced. Otherwise, symptoms of water overflowing and fire surging will occur.