Yu Nu Jian: Chinese Herb Medicine for Balancing Stomach Heat and Kidney Yin

Hongji Medical
Feb 4
4 min read

Chinese Herb Medicine, Yu Nu Jian, a time-honored Chinese medicine formula, originates from the Jingyue Complete Works by Zhang Jingyue, a renowned Ming Dynasty physician. This prescription is designed to clear excess stomach heat while nourishing kidney yin, restoring balance to the body’s yin and yang energies.

Composed of five key herbs—gypsum, Rehmannia root, Ophiopogon japonicus, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, and Achyranthes bidentata—Yu Nu Jian effectively addresses symptoms of heat and yin deficiency.

Ingredients and Their Roles

Yu Nu Jian’s formula combines herbs with specific functions to target stomach heat and kidney yin deficiency:

Gypsum (Main Herb)Nature: ColdFunction: Clears heat and reduces fire, particularly in the stomach.Benefits: Relieves symptoms like headaches, toothaches, and irritability caused by excessive stomach heat.
Rehmannia Root (Minister Herb)Nature: Slightly warmFunction: Nourishes kidney yin and replenishes yin fluids.Benefits: Alleviates fever, dry mouth, and thirst due to kidney yin deficiency.
Ophiopogon Japonicus (Adjuvant Herb)Nature: ColdFunction: Nourishes yin in the lungs and stomach while clearing heat.Benefits: Eases fever, thirst, and cough caused by lung and stomach yin deficiency.
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides (Adjuvant Herb)Nature: ColdFunction: Enhances gypsum’s heat-clearing effects.Benefits: Reduces fever and thirst linked to excessive stomach heat.
Achyranthes Bidentata (Adjuvant Herb)Nature: ColdFunction: Guides heat and blood downward.Benefits: Mitigates headaches and toothaches by redirecting stomach fire.

Indications and Benefits of Chinese Herb Medicine Yu Nu Jian

Yu Nu Jian treats conditions caused by “Shaoyin deficiency and Yangming excess,” where excessive stomach heat and insufficient kidney yin disrupt the body’s balance. Common symptoms include:

Pain: Headaches, migraines, toothaches, swollen gums, trigeminal neuralgia, red or painful eyes, and low back pain.
General Symptoms: Fever, dry mouth, thirst, irritability, nosebleeds, coughing up blood, mouth sores, bad breath, gum bleeding, and weight loss.
Tongue and Pulse: Red tongue with yellow coating, rapid pulse.

農本方 - 玉女煎

Buy Now

In modern medicine, Yu Nu Jian is used for conditions such as:

Oral Health: Oral ulcers, stomatitis, periodontal disease, and glossitis.
Digestive Issues: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding, hematemesis, and epistaxis.
Respiratory Conditions: Chronic bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, and viral myocarditis.
Other Conditions: Diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney-related low back pain, and hypertension-related disorders.

How It Works

The formula addresses the root cause of symptoms by:

Clearing Stomach Heat: Excessive heat in the Yangming stomach meridian can rise, causing headaches, toothaches, and gum bleeding. Gypsum and Anemarrhena work together to cool this heat.
Nourishing Kidney Yin: Stomach heat depletes yin fluids, leading to kidney yin deficiency, which manifests as fever, dry mouth, or loose teeth (since kidneys govern bone health). Rehmannia root and Ophiopogon japonicus restore yin to counter this.
Guiding Heat Downward: Achyranthes bidentata ensures heat and blood are redirected, preventing it from affecting the head and face.

This dual action of clearing heat and nourishing yin restores harmony to the body.

海天 - 玉女煎

Buy Now

Modern Applications of Chinese Herb Medicine Yu Nu Jian

Yu Nu Jian remains relevant in modern medicine, effectively treating:

Oral and Dental Issues: Ulcers, gum swelling, and periodontal disease.
Digestive Disorders: Bleeding in the upper digestive tract.
Respiratory Conditions: Chronic bronchitis and tuberculosis.
Metabolic and Systemic Diseases: Diabetes, osteoporosis, and kidney-related back pain.

台灣漢立方 - 玉女煎

Buy Now

Precautions

Due to its cold nature, Yu Nu Jian should be used cautiously in certain cases:

Loose Stools or Spleen/Stomach Deficiency: The formula may worsen symptoms of coldness or digestive weakness.
Pregnant Women: Consult a practitioner, as the cold herbs may affect the fetus.

Always seek guidance from a qualified practitioner to ensure the formula suits the patient’s condition.

Conclusion

Yu Nu Jian is a powerful and versatile Chinese medicine formula that clears stomach heat and nourishes kidney yin. By addressing symptoms like headaches, toothaches, gum issues, and systemic conditions such as diabetes and periodontal disease, it promotes balance and health. With proper use and professional guidance, Yu Nu Jian continues to be a valuable tool in both traditional and modern medicine.

Chinese Name	玉女煎
Phonetic	Yu Nu Jian
English Name	Jade Lady Decoction
Classification	Heat-clearing formulas
Source	《The Complete Works of [Zhang] Jing-yue》Jing Yue Quan Shu《景嶽全書》
Combination	Gypsum Fibrosum (Shi Gao) 3-5 qian (9-15g), Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (Shu Di Huang) 3-5 qian or 1 liang (9-15g or 30g), Ophiopogonis Radix (Mai Dong) 2 qian (6g), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhi Mu) 1.5 qian (5g), Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niu Xi) 1.5 qian (5g)
Method	Decoct one dose of the formula with 1.5 zhong of water, and boil it until the volume shrinks to about 70%. The decoction can be taken either warm or cool. (Modern use: use water to decoct the medicinals.)
Action	Clears stomach heat and nourishes kidney yin.
Indication	This formula is indicated for stomach heat and yin deficiency. The symptoms are toothache, headache, loose teeth, gingival bleeding, vexing heat and thirst, a red tongue with a dry yellow coating, xiao ke, and swift digestion with rapid hungering.
Pathogenesis	This is a pattern of shaoyin deficiency and yangming excess. Since the yangming channels go upward to the head and face, excessive heat of yangming stomach attacks upward to the head and face causing toothaches and headaches. Heat burns the blood vessels along the stomach channel, which caused gingival bleeding. Kidney yin deficiency causes the teeth to become loose. The stomach governs the intake of food and drink, excessive stomach heat causes swift digestion with rapid hungering. Heat consumes yin and fluids, causing vexing heat, thirst, and a red tongue with a dry yellow coating. This pattern is caused by the interaction between excessive fire and yin deficiency, with stomach heat as the main cause. Therefore, the therapeutic method is to clear stomach heat as the primary focus, and nourish kidney yin as the supplementary focus.
Application	1. Essential pattern differentiation Yu Nu Jian is a commonly used formula used to treat toothache, gingival bleeding, and xiao ke caused by stomach heat and yin deficiency. This clinical pattern is marked by loosening of the teeth, vexing heat and thirst, red tongue body with dry yellow coating. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders when the patient shows signs of stomach heat and yin deficiency: gingivitis, diabetes mellitus, acute stomatitis, and glossitis. 3. Cautions and contraindications Do not use the formula for patients with thin, unformed stool caused by deficiency of the spleen.

See All

Tian Ma: The TCM Herb for Calming Wind and Relieving Dizziness

Zhi Shi: The TCM Herb for Relieving Digestive Stagnation

Chan Tui: The TCM Herb for Relieving Wind-Heat and Itchiness

Use Now

AI Chinese Medicine

Online Q&A

Use Now

AI Chinese Medicine

Online Q&A

中醫知識

Chinese Medicine - Qi

Blood and semen

Heart and lungs

Spleen and Liver

Kidney

Gallbladder, stomach, intestines, bladder

Interrelationships among the five internal organs

Other questions

Qi is the constantly moving subtle substance that constitutes the human body and maintains its vital activities.

There are three main sources of Qi in the human body: the innate essence inherited from parents, the essence of water and grain in food, and the pure Qi existing in nature.

Qi has many important physiological effects on the human body. The normal functioning of the internal organs, meridians, limbs, bones, five senses and nine orifices all depends on the physiological effects of Qi.

Generally speaking, the physiological effects of Qi include five aspects: promotion, warming, defense, consolidation, and qi transformation.

Yuan Qi is the most original Qi in the human body.

Yuan Qi is mainly composed of the essence of the kidneys and is generated from the essence of the kidneys.

The distribution of primordial energy is throughout the body, reaching everywhere. The internal organs, meridians, body parts, five senses and nine orifices are all places where primordial energy rises, falls, enters and exits.

The main physiological functions of Yuan Qi are twofold: one is to promote and stimulate the growth, development and reproduction of the human body. The other is to promote and stimulate the physiological activities of the internal organs and meridians.

If the kidneys are deficient in essence and energy due to congenital deficiency, postnatal malnutrition, or long-term illness, and the kidneys lack the source of vital energy, various diseases may occur.

Zong Qi is the Qi that accumulates in the chest. The place where Zong Qi accumulates is called "Tan Zhong" (between the two breasts). Because it is the place where Zong Qi is most concentrated, it is also called "Qi Hai".

Zong Qi is mainly composed of the fresh air from nature inhaled by the lungs and the essence of water and grain produced by the spleen and stomach from food.

The main functions of Zong Qi are twofold:

1. It is to walk the Xi Dao to control breathing. All breathing, speech, and voice are related to the Zong Qi. When the Zong Qi is abundant, the breathing is slow and the rhythm is even, the speech is clear and the voice is loud; otherwise, the breathing is short and the voice is low.

Second, it is to circulate Qi and blood through the heart meridians. All the beating of the heart and the circulation of Qi and blood are related to Zong Qi. If the pulse is gentle, the rhythm is consistent, and there is spirit and root, it is a manifestation of abundant Zong Qi. On the contrary, if the pulse is agitated, scattered, weak, or irregular, it means that the Zong Qi is insufficient or even weak.

Zhongqi refers to the Qi of the middle burner. Because the spleen and stomach are located in the middle burner, the Qi of the spleen and stomach is generally called "Zhongqi".

It is generally believed that the formation of Zhong Qi is formed by the combination of the Yuan Qi distributed in the Zhongjiao and the water and grain essence produced by the spleen and stomach.

The middle qi is mainly distributed in the middle burner, spreading between the spleen, stomach, and intestines, and it rises and falls, constantly mediating.

The main functions of Zhongqi include three aspects:

1. It controls the rise and fall of Qi. The middle burner is the hub of the rise and fall of Qi. When the middle Qi is abundant and harmonious, the Qi of the liver and spleen will rise healthily, and the Qi of the lungs and stomach will descend smoothly. When the rise and fall are smooth, all organs will be at peace.

Second, it stimulates the spleen and stomach to absorb and transport. When the middle qi is abundant, the spleen rises and the stomach descends normally, the water and grain are received and transported normally, and the essence of water and grain is continuously produced to generate qi and blood, nourishing the whole body.

Third, it maintains the position of the internal organs. The reason why the internal organs maintain their relatively constant position depends on the rise and fall of the qi of the middle jiao spleen and stomach.

Ying Qi, also known as "Rong Qi", is the Qi that flows in the veins.

The distribution and movement of Ying Qi are clearly discussed in Suwen Bi Lun, which points out that Ying Qi "harmonizes the five internal organs, flows through the six bowels, and then enters the meridians."

It explains that the nutrient energy enters the meridians, circulates throughout the body, flows into the internal organs, and reaches the limbs, repeating the cycle over and over again.

The main functions of Ying Qi:

1. It is the transformation of blood.

Second, it nourishes the whole body. The nourishing qi enters the blood vessels and causes the body fluids to penetrate into the blood vessels. The two combine to form blood.

The so-called Qi can produce blood, mainly refers to: Ying Qi transforms into blood. Ying Qi is produced by the refined part of the essence of grains, and is a nutrient necessary for physiological activities such as viscera and meridians, and plays an important role in maintaining human life activities.

The Inner Canon of Medicine states that the Nutritive Qi "harmonises the five internal organs, and spreads throughout the six bowels", "nourishes the four extremities", etc., which emphasizes that the Nutritive Qi has a nourishing effect.

Wei Qi is the Qi that circulates outside the veins. It is so called because it protects the skin and resists external pathogens.

The distribution of Wei Qi is fast, smooth and agile, and is not restricted by blood vessels, so it can "flow through the skin, between the flesh, fumigate the peritoneum, and spread to the chest and abdomen" (Suwen Bi Lun). This shows that Wei Qi spreads throughout the body, externally between the skin and muscles, and internally to the peritoneum of the chest and abdomen - the area inside the diaphragm of the chest cavity.

The main physiological functions of Wei Qi are three-fold:

First, it protects the skin and prevents the invasion of external pathogens. In clinical practice, if a patient is prone to colds and fever, the treatment is usually based on the theory that the Wei surface is not solid. The theoretical basis is here. Second, it warms the internal organs, muscles, fur, etc. Wei Qi has a strong warming effect. If Wei Yang is deficient, the warming power is weakened, and cold symptoms such as cold body, cold limbs and low body temperature may appear. If Wei Qi is stagnant and turns into heat, hot symptoms such as fever and malignant fever may appear.

Third, it regulates the opening and closing of pores and controls sweat excretion, which is what Lingshu Benzang says about the Wei Qi having the function of “controlling opening and closing”.

Yu Nu Jian: Chinese Herb Medicine for Balancing Stomach Heat and Kidney Yin

Ingredients and Their Roles

Indications and Benefits of Chinese Herb Medicine Yu Nu Jian

How It Works

Modern Applications of Chinese Herb Medicine Yu Nu Jian

Precautions

Conclusion

Related Posts

中醫知識

The concept of Qi

Vitality

Zong Qi

Middle Qi

Ying Qi

Health

Be the first to receive promotional offers and rewards in your inbox. Subscribe to our emails today.Whatsapp us to learn more