Shen Su Yin: A Classic Formula for Boosting Energy and Relieving Cold with Phlegm
- Hongji Medical
- May 23
- 4 min read
Shen Su Yin comes from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang, a Song Dynasty medical text compiled by the government to promote and standardize Chinese herbal formulas.
Shen Su Yin is one of its classic formulas, used to treat qi deficiency with external wind-cold and internal phlegm-dampness. Made from herbs like Ren Shen (ginseng), Zi Su Ye (perilla leaf), Gan Ge (kudzu root), Ban Xia (pinellia), Qian Hu, Fu Ling (poria), Zhi Ke (bitter orange peel), Jie Geng (platycodon), Mu Xiang (costus root), Chen Pi (tangerine peel), and Zhi Gan Cao (honey-fried licorice), it boosts energy, relieves surface symptoms, regulates qi, and clears phlegm.
Formula Explanation of Shen Su Yin
Shen Su Yin’s herbs are organized according to the Chinese medicine principle of “monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy”:
Monarch Herbs:
Ren Shen: Boosts middle qi, strengthens vitality, and expels pathogens. As the primary herb, it enhances qi and blood to improve overall health.
Zi Su Ye: Relieves surface cold, regulates qi, and eases chest fullness. It supports Ren Shen in clearing wind-cold and relieving chest discomfort.
Supporting Herbs:
Gan Ge: Relieves muscle tension, reduces fever, and generates fluids to quench thirst, aiding in clearing surface cold.
Ban Xia: Dries dampness, clears phlegm, calms nausea, and stops cough, focusing on phlegm and vomiting relief.
Assistant Herbs:
Qian Hu: Lowers qi, clears phlegm, stops cough, and eases asthma, addressing excessive phlegm and wheezing.
Fu Ling: Promotes water metabolism, clears dampness, strengthens the spleen, and calms the mind, tackling internal dampness and spleen weakness.
Zhi Ke: Moves qi, clears accumulation, and resolves phlegm, relieving chest fullness and poor digestion.
Jie Geng: Opens the lungs, clears the throat, expels phlegm, and drains pus, helping with cough and sore throat.
Envoy Herbs:
Mu Xiang: Moves qi, relieves pain, and aids digestion, addressing spleen-stomach qi stagnation and abdominal bloating.
Chen Pi: Regulates qi, strengthens the spleen, dries dampness, and clears phlegm, easing bloating, nausea, and hiccups.
Zhi Gan Cao: Harmonizes the formula, softens the herbs’ intensity, and boosts spleen qi, ensuring balanced effects.
Pathogenesis Analysis of Shen Su Yin
Shen Su Yin targets qi deficiency with external wind-cold and internal phlegm-dampness. When the spleen and lungs lack qi, phlegm-dampness builds up internally. If wind-cold then invades, it triggers symptoms.
Wind-cold on the body’s surface causes chills, fever, no sweating, headache, and nasal congestion (surface symptoms), while internal phlegm-dampness leads to white phlegm, cough, and chest fullness.
Indications:
Chills and fever.
No sweating.
Headache.
Nasal congestion.
Cough with white phlegm.
Chest and upper abdominal fullness.
Fatigue and weakness.
Shortness of breath and reluctance to speak.
White tongue coating.
Weak pulse.
Shen Su Yin boosts qi, relieves surface symptoms, regulates qi, and clears phlegm. Ren Shen strengthens vitality to clear surface symptoms, Zi Su Ye disperses wind-cold and eases chest fullness, and herbs like Ban Xia, Qian Hu, and Fu Ling dry dampness, clear phlegm, and promote water metabolism to support the main herbs.
Indications and Effects of Shen Su Yin
Shen Su Yin’s main effects are boosting qi, relieving surface symptoms, regulating qi, and clearing phlegm. It strengthens the body’s resistance and clears wind-cold, making it ideal for those with weak constitutions prone to colds.
When wind-cold causes chills, fever, no sweating, or headache, Shen Su Yin enhances qi and blood to relieve these symptoms.
It also regulates qi and clears phlegm, helping those with internal phlegm-dampness by smoothing qi flow, stopping cough, and easing chest fullness.
Herbs like Ban Xia, Qian Hu, and Fu Ling dry dampness, calm nausea, and clear phlegm, improving cough, excessive phlegm, and chest discomfort.
Overall, Shen Su Yin’s herbs work together to regulate qi and blood, clear phlegm-dampness, and relieve surface symptoms, effectively treating qi deficiency with wind-cold and phlegm-dampness.
Used widely in ancient times, it remains effective in modern medicine for colds and respiratory infections.
Modern Applications
In modern medicine, Shen Su Yin is widely used for colds and upper respiratory infections in patients with qi deficiency and phlegm-dampness. Specific applications include:
Colds: Effectively relieves chills, fever, no sweating, headache, and nasal congestion in qi-deficient patients.
Upper Respiratory Infections: Helps patients with cough, excessive phlegm, and chest fullness, improving respiratory symptoms.
Chronic Bronchitis: Eases cough and phlegm in qi-deficient patients with chronic bronchitis.
Digestive Issues: Mu Xiang and Chen Pi promote digestion and relieve bloating, helping with poor digestion and abdominal fullness.
Precautions
When using Shen Su Yin, consider these points:
Consult a Doctor: Seek professional advice, especially for pregnant women, the elderly, or those with weak constitutions.
Individual Differences: Adjust the formula based on the patient’s condition, particularly for those with other underlying illnesses.
Side Effects: Shen Su Yin has minimal side effects, but watch for allergic reactions or discomfort; stop use and seek medical help if issues arise.
Contraindications: Avoid in patients with severe internal heat or excess heat patterns, as it may worsen symptoms.
Conclusion
Shen Su Yin, a classic formula from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang, boosts qi, relieves wind-cold, regulates qi, and clears phlegm. It effectively treats qi deficiency with wind-cold and phlegm-dampness, relieving chills, cough, phlegm, and chest fullness.
In modern medicine, it is widely used for colds, respiratory infections, chronic bronchitis, and digestive issues, showing significant effectiveness. Proper consultation and individualized use ensure safe and optimal results.
