Nature: sweet, bitter, cold

Enters: Heart, Liver, Kidney, Spleen

Actions: Nourishes Yin, generates body fluids; clears heat; cools the blood; cools upward-blazing heart fire; slightly promotes bowel movement (by generating fluids).

Indications:
• Ying or Xue level heat: feverish body, dry mouth, deep red tongue, hemorrhage.
• Heat in the blood: epistaxis, hematemesis, hematuria, uterine bleeding.
• Heart fire blazing upward: mouth and tongue sores, irritability, insomnia, afternoon or low grade fever, malar flush.
• Injury of Yin or body fluids by heat: constipation, dry mouth, red tongue, thirst, continuous low-grade fever.
• Yin deficiency: wasting and thirsting disorder, throat pain.
• Sheng di huang’s ability to nourish Yin is relatively weak compared to most herbs classified as Yin tonics.
• Hepatitis: Sheng di is a liver protectant.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: May reduce joint pain and swelling, improve function, nodules, and rash, and decrease temperature. May reduce ESR to normal.
• Eczema.
• Ulcerative colitis.
MLT: Antifungal, antibacterial.
• Normalizes blood sugar for diabetes mellitus.
• Stimulates new growth of flesh and bone for injuries.
PFGC: Moistens the skin, promotes a glossy appearance.
• In patients with weak stomach Qi, it may cause poor appetite.
• Can be used to gently clear away exuberant Qi – after taking it, it will bring about temporary peace.
• Contains iron – partly responsible for its ability to generate and cool the blood.
• Boosts the vessels, generates jing and marrow, brightens the eyes, clears the ears, treats taxation heat.
Hsu: Hemostatic, diuretic, lowers blood sugar.
DY: In the beginning of treatment, it can cause loose stools for 1-3 days. This side effect usually goes away on its own.
HF: An An Shen (spirit calming) herb, important in Gu Zheng (Gu parasite) formulas (because of emotional disturbance common in patients with Gu).

Dose: 9-30g