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Name: Shudi (熟地)
Taste and Properties: Sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature; enters the Liver and Kidney meridians.
Primary Herb for Nourishing Yin and Blood
It is often said that when supplementing the kidneys, one must not forget Shudi Huang, as the famous Ming dynasty physician Zhang Jingyue stated: “It greatly nourishes blood, supports Kidney fire, fills the bone marrow, and benefits true essence, specifically supplementing the original Qi of the kidneys.” The “Benjing Fengyuan” also records, “Shudi Huang, processed with fire to steam and dry, has a bitter taste that transforms into sweetness, representing the Yang within Yin, thus it can replenish the original Qi of the kidneys.” Shudi Huang has been widely used to treat deficiencies of Liver and Kidney Yin blood, and is known as the ‘master of nourishing water and the king of blood supplementation.’
Shudi Huang Profile
Shudi Huang is processed from Sheng Di Huang (生地黄), which is primarily produced in Henan, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi. It belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family, and the medicinal part is the tuberous root of Di Huang. The medicinal forms of Di Huang include Sheng Di Huang, Shudi Huang, and Sheng Di Huang Charcoal. Shudi Huang is made by mixing dried Sheng Di Huang with yellow wine, steaming it until it becomes black and moist inside and out, then drying it to about 80% dryness and cutting it into thick slices. When Shudi Huang is directly stir-fried into charcoal or calcined in a sealed container, it is referred to as Shudi Charcoal.
Functions and Indications:
Functions: Shudi Huang nourishes blood and Yin, benefits essence, and fills the marrow; Shudi Charcoal stops bleeding.
Indications: 1. Used for blood deficiency leading to yellow or pale complexion, dizziness, palpitations, and insomnia. 2. Used for Kidney Yin deficiency causing thirst (diabetes) and night sweats. 3. Used for Liver and Kidney essence and blood deficiency leading to dizziness, tinnitus, premature graying of hair, and weakness in the lower back and knees. 4. Used for women with menstrual irregularities and infertility due to Yin blood deficiency. 5. Used for Kidney deficiency-related cough and asthma.
Additionally,
Identification and Selection
The main difference between Sheng Di Huang and Shudi Huang lies in their functions: Sheng Di Huang is processed and has a sweet and bitter taste, is cold in nature, and has a slight nourishing quality. Its primary function is to clear heat, cool the blood, and nourish Yin, often used for heat-related bleeding or conditions like high fever, dry mouth, and purple tongue. Therefore, Sheng Di Huang is a key herb for nourishing Yin and cooling the blood. In contrast, Shudi Huang, after processing, has a sweet taste and slightly warm nature, can nourish blood and Yin, and is suitable for all conditions of essence, blood, and Yin deficiency that are slightly cold or mild heat, making it a key herb for blood supplementation. Although Sheng Di Huang and Shudi Huang come from the same plant, their functions differ, so it is essential to differentiate and treat accordingly, and not to confuse the two.
Precautions:
1. This product is nourishing and may easily cause digestive discomfort; it is advisable to use it with Chen Pi (陈皮) or Sha Ren (砂仁) to promote digestion. 2. It should be avoided by those with Qi stagnation, phlegm accumulation, bloating, poor appetite, or loose stools.
Medicinal Cuisine
1. Nourishing Kidney and Blood
Shudi Huang and Angelica Lamb Soup: 700g of lamb, 30g of Shudi Huang, 15g of Angelica (当归), 30g of Astragalus (黄芪), and appropriate ginger. Simmer on low heat for 3 hours, then add sugar, salt, jujubes, and chicken essence to taste, and simmer for another 15 minutes. This medicinal dish aims to nourish blood to achieve the goal of nourishing Yin, making it an excellent dish for spring supplementation, which can nourish the kidneys and support Yang.
2. Nourishing the Lungs and Kidney, Moistening Dryness and Stopping Cough
Cordyceps and Shudi Huang Duck Soup: 10g of Cordyceps, 40g of Shudi Huang, 6 pitted jujubes, and 1 old duck. Place the Cordyceps, Shudi Huang, and jujubes inside the duck’s abdomen, add an appropriate amount of boiling water, and steam on low heat for 3 hours. Season and enjoy the soup and meat. This soup has the effects of nourishing the kidneys, supplementing the lungs, moistening dryness, and stopping cough, suitable for dry cough, dry throat, and thirst caused by Lung and Kidney Yin deficiency.
3. Kidney Supplementation with Purple Fruit
Shudi Huang Wine: 30g of Shudi Huang and 500g of white wine, soak Shudi Huang in the wine. Suitable for Kidney deficiency with soreness in the lower back and legs.
4. Nourishing Yin and Supplementing the Kidneys
Shudi Huang Pig Trotters: 50g of Shudi Huang, 30g of Goji Berries (枸杞子), 30g of Eucommia (杜仲), 30g of Huai Niu Xi (淮牛膝), and 1 pig trotter, all stewed together. Suitable for weakness in the lower back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, and deafness caused by Liver and Kidney deficiency.
Ancient and Modern Recipes
1. Nourishing Blood and Harmonizing Blood
12g of Shudi Huang, 9g of Dang Gui (当归), 9g of Bai Shao (白芍), and 6g of Chuan Xiong (川芎), decoct in water. Suitable for dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, and women’s menstrual irregularities or amenorrhea due to blood deficiency.
2. Benefiting Qi and Nourishing Blood
9g each of Shudi Huang, Ginseng (人参), Bai Zhu (白术), Dang Gui, Bai Shao, Chuan Xiong, and Bai Fu Ling (白茯苓), 5g of Licorice (甘草), 3 slices of ginger, and 5 jujubes, decoct in water.
3. Nourishing the Kidneys and Protecting the Lungs, Stopping Cough and Resolving Phlegm
9g each of Shudi Huang, Sheng Di Huang, Dang Gui, and Mai Dong (麦冬), 12g of Lily Bulb (百合), 6g each of Bai Shao, Jie Geng (桔梗), and Fritillaria (贝母), 3g each of Xuan Shen (玄参) and Licorice, decoct in water. Suitable for cough and asthma caused by Lung and Kidney Yin deficiency, with blood in the phlegm, dry throat, and dizziness.
Blood-nourishing herbs primarily function to generate blood and treat blood deficiency conditions, including Dang Gui, Shudi Huang, Bai Shao, He Shou Wu (何首乌), Ejiao (阿胶), and Longan Flesh (龙眼肉). Blood deficiency is closely related to the Heart, Liver, and Spleen. Patients with blood deficiency syndrome in TCM may present with clinical manifestations such as a dull yellow complexion, pale lips and nails, dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, tinnitus, forgetfulness, and women’s menstrual irregularities or amenorrhea. TCM blood-nourishing herbs are not equivalent to Western medicine’s blood supplements; it is a misconception to think that TCM blood-nourishing herbs can treat all types of anemia. In clinical practice, TCM must differentiate and treat based on the patient’s symptoms, combining blood-nourishing herbs with herbs that invigorate blood, tonify Qi, nourish Yin, or regulate Qi, so patients with anemia should not use blood-nourishing herbs indiscriminately. Additionally, blood-nourishing herbs are often rich and may hinder digestion, so those with bloating, poor appetite, or diarrhea should use them cautiously, possibly combining them with digestive herbs to aid digestion, and consult a physician if necessary.
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Disclaimer: This article is reproduced from the internet and published materials. If there is any infringement, please contact us for removal. The various prescriptions and recipes mentioned are for informational sharing only and do not constitute medical advice, recommendations, or guidance. Please use them under the guidance of a physician.