Author: Chen Chuxiong
Reviewed by: Qiu Kaifeng
Institution: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
Source: Yixian Pharmacy
Yin deficiency constitution refers to a condition where there is insufficient yin fluid in the body due to dysfunction of the organs, leading to symptoms such as thirst, dry throat, and internal heat caused by yin deficiency. Common manifestations include flushed cheeks, heat in the palms and soles, night sweats, and signs of internal heat; the tongue is red with little moisture and coating, and there may be constipation or dry stools. Individuals may appear thin, have a short temper, feel irritable, and experience short sleep duration; they often complain of dry and tired eyes, blurred vision, dizziness, tinnitus, and dry skin; men may experience nocturnal emissions, while women may have scanty menstruation.
In daily life, we should conserve energy and protect our “yin”. One should not assume that being in good spirits and having a strong body means one can expend energy freely; often, we are overextending ourselves without realizing it. For example, long-term consumption of spicy and warming foods can easily deplete the body’s fluids, promoting or worsening a yin deficiency constitution; excessive exercise and sweating can lead to excessive loss of yin fluids; prolonged illness, staying up late, and emotional instability can easily lead to a yin deficiency constitution.
The key to nourishing a yin deficiency constitution lies in replenishing yin, following the principles of nourishing yin and clearing heat, and nourishing the liver and kidneys. Foods that are sweet, cool, and neutral are good companions for those with yin deficiency. Individuals with yin deficiency should choose foods such as: Tremella (Tremella fuciformis), bird’s nest (Colla Corii), lily bulb (Lilium brownii), mung beans (Vigna radiata), peas (Pisum sativum), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), bamboo shoots (Phyllostachys edulis), water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), lotus root (Nelumbo nucifera), winter melon (Benincasa hispida), loofah (Luffa cylindrica), bitter melon (Momordica charantia), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), nori (Porphyra), snow pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), pomelo (Citrus maxima), white radish (Raphanus sativus), tofu (Glycine max), soy milk (Glycine max), Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa), and water bamboo shoots (Zizania latifolia).
Below, Yixian pharmacists introduce ten herbs that nourish yin for your reference.
Shashen (Glehnia littoralis) is mentioned in ancient medical literature as a guide for shashen, later classified into two types in the “Compendium of Materia Medica” as Bei Shashen (Northern Glehnia) and Nan Shashen (Southern Glehnia). Both types have similar properties and effects, primarily used for lung and stomach yin deficiency. The main difference is that Bei Shashen has a stronger effect in nourishing the lung and stomach, suitable for lung and stomach yin deficiency with heat; Nan Shashen also has the effect of benefiting qi and resolving phlegm, thus more suitable for cough with phlegm due to both qi and yin deficiency.
Mai Dong (Ophiopogon japonicus) is a perennial herb of the lily family, with sweet and slightly bitter, slightly cold properties. It enters the lung and stomach meridians. It nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, benefits the stomach, and clears heat. It can be used for dry cough with phlegm due to lung yin deficiency, cough with blood due to exhaustion, etc. Mai Dong can benefit the stomach and generate fluids, clear heat and moisten dryness, making it an excellent remedy for symptoms of stomach yin deficiency, such as thirst, dry throat, and constipation. It can also be used for heart yin deficiency and heat disturbance due to warm diseases, leading to irritability and insomnia, with a dry and red tongue.
Mai Dong and Tian Dong (Asparagus cochinchinensis) are both yin-nourishing herbs, but many people cannot distinguish between them. Mai Dong is slightly cold and tends to nourish yin fluids, while Tian Dong is very cold and tends to moisten dryness and clear heat. Mai Dong is more about supporting the righteous qi, while Tian Dong is more about expelling evil. Mai Dong nourishes lung yin, but can also nourish stomach yin and heart yin.
Yu Zhu (Polygonatum odoratum) is a perennial herb of the lily family, with sweet and slightly cold properties. It has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening dryness, clearing heat, generating fluids, and stopping cough. It is primarily used for dry cough with little phlegm due to lung yin deficiency, heat injury to fluids, irritability, thirst, and diabetes, and can be used as a tonic with health benefits.
Yu Zhu enters the lung and stomach meridians, nourishing the yin of the lung and stomach without being greasy, clearing heat without being excessively cold, making it a gentle and moistening remedy for dry cough and irritability due to lung and stomach yin deficiency. It can also treat external pathogens in yin deficiency, used in combination with exterior-releasing herbs, having the characteristic of nourishing yin without retaining evil.
Shi Hu (Dendrobium) is first recorded in the “Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica” as a top-grade herb, classified among the yin-nourishing herbs. Tie Pi Shi Hu (Iron Skin Dendrobium) is the finest variety, named for its iron-green skin.
Shi Hu has sweet and slightly cold properties. It enters the stomach, lung, and kidney meridians. Its functions include generating fluids, clearing the stomach, nourishing yin, and clearing heat. It is used for heat injury to fluids, thirst, yin deficiency with stomach pain, post-illness heat, and yin injury leading to dim vision. The “Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica” states: “It is used for injury to the middle, relieving obstruction, lowering qi, and tonifying the five organs’ deficiency and weakness, strengthening yin, and long-term use thickens the intestines and stomach, prolonging life.” Therefore, for symptoms of fluid deficiency, dry mouth, heat, irritability, dry and red tongue or no coating, Shi Hu is very effective. Shi Hu can also tonify the kidneys and brighten the eyes, treating blurred vision due to liver and kidney deficiency, especially suitable for the elderly.
Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia glutinosa) is a processed product of raw Rehmannia, with a black and shiny surface, soft and flexible texture, sweet taste, and slightly warm nature. It has the effects of nourishing yin, replenishing blood, and benefiting essence and marrow. It is used for liver and kidney yin deficiency, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, tidal fever, night sweats, internal heat leading to thirst, blood deficiency with yellowish complexion, palpitations, irregular menstruation, dizziness, tinnitus, and premature graying of hair. Shu Di Huang is sticky in nature, which can hinder digestion, so it is contraindicated for those with spleen and stomach deficiency, qi stagnation, phlegm accumulation, abdominal distension, and loose stools.
The difference between Shu Di Huang and Sheng Di Huang (raw Rehmannia) is that Sheng Di Huang is cold in nature, functions to clear heat and cool the blood, nourish yin, and generate fluids to relieve thirst; while Shu Di Huang’s nature changes from cold to slightly warm, and its function also changes to a blood tonic, with effects of nourishing yin and blood, benefiting essence and marrow, used for blood deficiency and yellowish complexion, dizziness, etc.
Xuan Shen (Scrophularia ningpoensis) is the root of the Scrophulariaceae family plants. It has sweet, bitter, and salty flavors, and a slightly cold nature, with effects of clearing heat, cooling blood, nourishing yin, and detoxifying. It is used for warm diseases with heat and blood, body heat, thirst, red tongue, rashes, bone steaming cough, irritability, constipation due to fluid damage, blurred vision, sore throat, swollen throat, scrofula, and carbuncles. The “Compendium of Materia Medica” states: “Xuan Shen, with its extreme yin nature, specializes in treating warm diseases, and its bitter taste helps to drain and descend, thus it can treat heat accumulation in the organs.” Note that it is contraindicated for those with dampness in the spleen and stomach and those with spleen deficiency and loose stools.
Ejiao (Donkey-hide gelatin) is made from the skin of the donkey after hair removal. The earliest pharmacological work in China, the “Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica”, records: “(Ejiao) is produced in Dongping County, made from boiling cowhide, originating from Dong’e.” Ejiao is a genuine medicinal material produced in Dong’e, and its name comes from its place of origin.
Ejiao is known as one of the “Three Treasures of TCM” along with ginseng and deer antler. Ejiao has the effects of nourishing blood, nourishing yin, moistening dryness, and stopping bleeding. It is used for blood deficiency with yellowish complexion, dizziness, palpitations, irritability, and insomnia, as well as dry cough due to lung dryness. Note that although Ejiao is a tonic, it is not suitable for everyone, such as those prone to heat, those with blood stasis, menstruating women, and those with colds or diarrhea should avoid Ejiao. It should be used cautiously in those with spleen and stomach deficiency, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distension, and excessive phlegm.
Bai He (Lilium brownii) has a sweet and slightly bitter flavor, and a slightly cold nature. It enters the heart and lung meridians. It has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, and calming the heart and mind. It is used for chronic cough due to yin deficiency, blood-streaked phlegm, late-stage febrile diseases, residual heat, or irritability and insomnia caused by emotional distress, as well as for abscesses and damp sores. Note that it is contraindicated for cough due to wind-cold and those with diarrhea due to cold.
Huang Jing (Polygonatum sibiricum) is the dried rhizome of the lily family plants, known by various names based on its shape, such as “Da Huang Jing” (Big Huang Jing), “Ji Tou Huang Jing” (Chicken Head Huang Jing), and “Jiang Xing Huang Jing” (Ginger-shaped Huang Jing). The “Compendium of Materia Medica” states: “Huang Jing is a superior tonic for the middle palace, benefiting qi, harmonizing the five organs, strengthening the muscles, and solidifying the bones, all of which are functions of nourishing yin.”
Huang Jing has a sweet and neutral flavor, entering the spleen, lung, and kidney meridians. It has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, benefiting the spleen, and replenishing qi. It is used for cough due to yin deficiency, dry cough due to lung dryness; spleen deficiency with fatigue, little appetite, and thirst; kidney deficiency with soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, nocturnal emissions, tinnitus, premature graying of hair, and general weakness. Note that Huang Jing is sticky in nature, which can promote dampness, so it is contraindicated for those with spleen deficiency and dampness, excessive phlegm, and diarrhea.
Gui Jia (Testudo) refers to the carapace and plastron of the turtle. It has the effects of nourishing yin, subduing yang, benefiting the kidneys, strengthening bones, nourishing blood, and stabilizing the menses. It is commonly used for yin deficiency with tidal fever, bone steaming, night sweats, dizziness, internal wind, weakness of the muscles and bones, forgetfulness due to heart deficiency, and excessive menstrual bleeding.
Gui Jia and Bie Jia (soft-shelled turtle) can both nourish yin and clear heat, subduing yang and calming wind, used for yin deficiency with fever, yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity, and internal wind. Gui Jia is particularly effective for nourishing yin, hence it is often used in yin-nourishing formulas; it can also benefit the kidneys and strengthen bones, treating soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, while Bie Jia is rarely used. Bie Jia is more effective for softening and dissipating masses, commonly used for abdominal masses and malaria, while Gui Jia does not have this effect.
Others include: Sang Shen (Mulberry fruit), which nourishes blood and yin, generates fluids and relieves thirst; Mo Han Lian (Eclipta prostrata), which benefits the kidneys and nourishes yin, cools blood and stops bleeding; Nu Zhen Zi (Ligustrum lucidum), which nourishes yin and clears heat, benefiting the liver and kidneys; Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena asphodeloides), which nourishes yin, clears heat, and moistens dryness; Gou Qi Zi (Lycium barbarum), which nourishes the liver and kidneys, benefits essence and brightens the eyes; Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus officinalis), which nourishes the liver and kidneys, and secures essence.
There are many Chinese patent medicines for yin deficiency, and they need to be selected based on syndrome differentiation. For dizziness and tinnitus due to liver and kidney yin deficiency, as well as soreness and pain in the lower back and knees, insomnia with vivid dreams, and night sweats, one can choose Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six Flavor Rehmannia Pill); for yin deficiency with excess heat, one can choose Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan (Anemarrhena and Phellodendron Pill) or Da Bu Yin Wan (Great Tonifying Yin Pill); for true yin deficiency, one can choose Zuo Gui Wan (Left Restore Pill); for insomnia due to heart yin deficiency, one can choose Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan (Heavenly Emperor Heart-Tonifying Pill); for cough due to lung and kidney yin deficiency, one can choose Bai He Guo Jin Wan (Lily and Gold Pill) or Yang Yin Qing Fei Wan (Nourishing Yin and Clearing the Lungs Pill); for stomach pain due to stomach yin deficiency, one can choose Yin Xu Wei Tong Jiao Nang (Yin Deficiency Stomach Pain Capsule).
Images sourced from the internet, thanks to the image authors. The varieties mentioned related to manufacturers are for educational understanding only and do not represent a recommendation!
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