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A Little Story about Rehmannia Glutinosa
Legend has it that when Sun Simiao was 101 years old, he still traveled everywhere. One evening, he arrived at a small village by a river and saw an old man holding a dragonfly in his left hand and crying loudly while covering his buttocks with his right hand. Sun Simiao, seeing that the old man was older than himself, approached to comfort him: “Old man, why are you crying so much?” The old man replied: “My grandfather hit me.” Sun Simiao was shocked: “How old are you?” The old man said: “I just celebrated my 365th birthday. Because I was too playful, I forgot to drink Rehmannia tea, so I got hit.” After saying this, he cried again. Sun Simiao was curious: “Where is your grandfather?” The old man pointed: “The person lying at the door counting stars is him.” Sun Simiao walked over and saw that the person lying on the straw mat was focused on counting stars, looking much younger than the previous old man, and beside him sat a little girl who was using a fan to swat mosquitoes. Sun Simiao asked the little girl: “Who are you swatting mosquitoes for?” The little girl said: “This is my great-grandson, he has a bad temper and often hits children. Sigh! How can you educate children like this? It’s all because my old grandfather spoils him.” Sun Simiao was even more curious: “Where is your old grandfather?” The little girl said: “He went to catch fish by the river.” Sun Simiao asked: “Can you tell me what Rehmannia tea is?” The little girl said: “It is porridge made from Rehmannia Glutinosa and rice. We use it in spring to harmonize the stomach and reduce fire, in summer to cool down and relieve irritability, in autumn to nourish yin and eliminate dryness, and in winter to nourish blood and dispel cold. It must be eaten every morning. Today, the naughty child forgot to drink it and should be punished!”。
Sun Simiao was deeply moved. He originally thought he was already very old, but unexpectedly there are always people older than oneself. So he asked the little girl for a bag of Rehmannia Glutinosa and, based on the characteristics of Rehmannia and his lifelong learning, developed the processing technique of nine steams and nine suns for Rehmannia Glutinosa.
Rehmannia Glutinosa Encyclopedia
Rehmannia Glutinosa is a processed product of the plant Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang).
【Properties and Meridian Affinities】Sweet, slightly warm. Enters the Liver and Kidney meridians.
【Characteristics】This herb is moist, sticky, and sweet, with a slightly warm nature and strong medicinal power, entering the Liver and Kidney meridians. It is excellent for nourishing blood, enriching yin, and replenishing essence and marrow, making it a key herb for treating blood deficiency, essence deficiency, or insufficient yin fluids. However, it can be sticky and obstruct the stomach, so caution is advised for those with weak spleen and stomach.
【Functions】Nourishes blood, enriches yin, benefits essence, and fills marrow.
【Indicationsand Symptoms】
1. Blood deficiency with symptoms of pale complexion, dizziness, palpitations, irregular menstruation, and excessive bleeding.
2. Kidney yin deficiency with symptoms of tidal fever, night sweats, nocturnal emissions, and thirst.
3. Essence and blood deficiency with symptoms of sore lower back, weakness in the legs, dizziness, tinnitus, and premature graying of hair.
【Dosage and Administration】9-15g. It is best used with spleen and stomach strengthening herbs such as Amomum (Sha Ren) and dried Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi).
【Precautions】This herb is sticky and moist, which can easily obstruct digestion; therefore, it should be avoided by those with spleen and stomach qi stagnation, phlegm-damp obstruction, abdominal distension, poor appetite, or loose stools.
【Origin】Mainly produced in Wenxian, Boai, Wuzhi, and Mengxian in Henan Province, with high yield and quality.
【Processing】Fresh Rehmannia is steamed until black and moist, or stewed with wine until the wine is absorbed, then taken out, dried until 80% dry or until the outer skin is slightly dry, cut into thick slices or pieces, and then dried.
【Quality Identification】
Rehmannia Glutinosa:Should be irregular chunks or fragments, varying in size and thickness; the surface should be black with luster and high stickiness; the texture should be soft and flexible, not easily broken, with a black and shiny cross-section; it should be odorless and sweet in taste.
1. Appearance:Good Rehmannia Glutinosa has relatively large tubers, appearing very black and shiny.
2. Texture:Good Rehmannia Glutinosa looks moist, and pressing it with a finger should create a dent, not feel hard.
【Modern Pharmacological Research】
Rehmannia Glutinosa contains a small amount of iridoid glycosides, such as Leonurus (Yi Mu Cao) glycoside, peach leaf coral glycoside, Rehmannia glycoside, and Rehmannia lactone, as well as monoterpenes (焦地黄素, 焦地黄内酯, 地黄苦甙元, etc.), amino acids, and sugars. Modern studies show that Rehmannia Glutinosa has anti-aging, immune-regulating, anti-tumor, metabolism-promoting, and hematopoietic effects.
【Clinical Applications】
1. For symptoms of deficiency and slippery (such as leucorrhea, enuresis):Rehmannia Glutinosa combined with Chinese Yam (Shan Yao) nourishes the Liver and Kidney, while Chinese Yam benefits the Kidney and secures essence, thus both herbs together nourish yin, tonify the Kidney, and effectively stop enuresis.
2. For both qi and blood deficiency, symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, pale complexion, and palpitations:Rehmannia Glutinosa combined with Ginseng (Ren Shen) nourishes blood and enriches yin, while Ginseng tonifies qi and strengthens the spleen and lung qi, greatly replenishing original qi. Together, they benefit qi, nourish blood, and balance yin and yang.
3. For symptoms of both yin and yang deficiency:Rehmannia Glutinosa combined with Cinnamon (Rou Gui) nourishes the Kidney and fills essence, while Cinnamon warms and tonifies Kidney yang to dispel cold. The combination of Rehmannia Glutinosa’s nourishing properties and Cinnamon’s warming properties enhances the nourishing function of the Liver and Kidney, balancing yin and yang.
Rehmannia Glutinosa Dietary Recipes
1. Four Substance Lamb Soup:
Ingredients:500g lamb leg meat, 10g Angelica (Dang Gui), 10g White Peony (Bai Shao), 20g Rehmannia Glutinosa, 8g Chuanxiong (Chuan Xiong), half an onion, 1 carrot, and other seasonings such as cooking wine, star anise, fennel, ginger, etc. to taste.
Steps:① Soak the herbs in cold water for 30 minutes, clean the lamb meat, and cut it into pieces for later use;
② Put all the ingredients into a stew pot, add cooking wine and appropriate water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour;
③ Add the stir-fried carrot and onion into the lamb soup and continue to simmer for 30 minutes;
④ Add salt, sesame oil, and soy sauce to taste.
Effects: Benefits qi, warms yang, nourishes blood, and regulates menstruation. Effective for cold intolerance, deficiency, and dysmenorrhea in winter.
2. Rehmannia and Soft-Shelled Turtle Stew:
Ingredients:One soft-shelled turtle, 20g Goji Berries (Gou Qi Zi), 10g Rehmannia Glutinosa, appropriate amounts of scallion ginger juice, yellow wine, salt, and clear soup.
① Clean the Goji Berries and Rehmannia Glutinosa, clean the soft-shelled turtle, scald it in boiling water, then remove the internal organs, claws, shell, and head;
② Add clear soup to a clay pot, place the soft-shelled turtle inside, add appropriate yellow wine and scallion ginger juice, boil over high heat, and remove the foam;
③ Add Goji Berries and Rehmannia Glutinosa, simmer for 1.5-2 hours, and season with salt.
Effects: Strengthens the body, nourishes yin, and tonifies the Kidney. Can enhance physical strength.
Note: Not suitable for pregnant women or those with yang deficiency of the spleen and stomach.
