Use of Di Huang (unprepared rehmannia) in TCM
Please note that you should never self-prescribe TCM ingredients. A TCM ingredient is almost never eaten on its own but as part of a formula containing several ingredients that act together. Please consult a professional TCM practitioner, they will be best able to guide you.
Preparation: Remove impurities, wash, cut in thick slices and dry.
Dosage: 9 - 30 grams
Main actions according to TCM*: Expels Heat by Cooling Blood. Tonifies Yin by promoting Fluid production. Soothes the Heart by calming Blazing Fire. Cools and nourishes.
Primary conditions or symptoms for which Di Huang may be prescribed by TCM doctors*:
Palpitations
Nosebleed
Fever
Insomnia
Diabetes
Dermatitis
Contraindications*: This herb should not be used by those with Spleen Qi or Yang Deficiency especially when there is Dampness in conditions such as diarrhea, lack of appetite or Excess Phlegm. It should also be avoided by
pregnant women.
Common TCM formulas in which Di Huang is used*
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Bai He Gu Jin Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Bai He Gu Jin Tang, Di Huang strongly enriches the Yin and tonifies the Kidneys. It also cools the Blood to stop the bleeding since, according to Chinese medicine, excessive Heat in the Blood damages the vessels and leads to bleeding.
Read more about Bai He Gu Jin Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, Di Huang nourishes the Yin and clears Heat. It enriches the Kidney Yin (water), which is then able to control the disturbance of the Mind due to Fire. It is also effective in nourishing the Blood.
Read more about Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Qing Re Tiao Xue Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Qing Re Tiao Xue Tang, Di Huang clears Heat and cools Blood
Read more about Qing Re Tiao Xue Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Liang Di Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Liang Di Tang, Di Huang nourishes Yin, cools Blood and therefore stops bleeding
Read more about Liang Di Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang, Di Huang is sweet, bitter, and cooling. It enriches the Yin Body Fluids to support the normal Qi while cooling the Blood and resolving toxicity to dispel the pathogenic Qi.
Read more about Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Zhu Yu Zhi Xue Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Zhu Yu Zhi Xue Tang, Di Huang nourishes and cools Blood.
Read more about Zhu Yu Zhi Xue Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Yi Wei Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Yi Wei Tang, Di Huang is sweet, cooling and moistening. It addresses both the root (Yin Deficiency) and the branch (internal Heat) of the pattern this formula targets.
Read more about Yi Wei Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Qing Re Gu Jing Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Qing Re Gu Jing Tang, Di Huang cools the Blood by clearing Heat. Together with Donkey-hide gelatin, they treat Heavy period due to Empty-Heat.
Read more about Qing Re Gu Jing Tang
Di Huang is a king ingredient in Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang, Di Huang sweet, bitter, and cooling. It is also particularly useful in treating Empty Heat from Yin Deficiency.
It enriches and nourishes the Yin Fluids, Blood, and Essence. The combination of prepare and unprepared Rehmannia nourishes water, which enables it to control the Fire.
Read more about Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, Di Huang cools the Blood, stops bleeding, nourishes the Yin Fluids, and clears Heat. Nourishing the Yin Fluids is particularly important because they suffer greatly from severe Heat and Blood loss.
Read more about Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Zeng Ye Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Zeng Ye Tang, Di Huang nourishes the Yin, clears Heat, and cools the Blood.
Read more about Zeng Ye Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang, Di Huang calms the Liver to extinguish Wind.
Read more about E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, Di Huang cools the Blood and clears Heat. It enables the formula to eliminates Blood Stagnation without harming the Yin and Blood.
Read more about Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang, Di Huang nourishes the Yin and clears Heat from Deficiency.
Read more about Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Qing Ying Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Qing Ying Tang, Di Huang cools the Blood and tonifies Yin.
Read more about Qing Ying Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Dao Chi San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Dao Chi San, Di Huang enters the Heart to cool the Blood as well as the Kidneys to nourish the Yin and generate Fluids (strengthening the Kidney Water), which controls Heart Fire.
Read more about Dao Chi San
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang, Di Huang expels Heat by cooling Blood and tonifies Yin by generating Body Fluids.
Read more about Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Zeng Ye Cheng Qi Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Zeng Ye Cheng Qi Tang, Di Huang promotes defecation and urination. It also eliminates harbored food from the Stomach.
It helps the key herbs in nourishing the Yin, generate Body Fluids and promote bowel movement.
Read more about Zeng Ye Cheng Qi Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Cong Bai Qi Wei Yin. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Cong Bai Qi Wei Yin, Di Huang nourishes the Blood and Yin, so as to supply Body Fluids, which is the source of sweating.
Read more about Cong Bai Qi Wei Yin
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Qing Wen Bai Du Yin. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Qing Wen Bai Du Yin, Di Huang clears Heat from the blood level according to the Four Levels Theory.
Read more about Qing Wen Bai Du Yin
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Bai He Di Huang Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Bai He Di Huang Tang, Di Huang is sweet and cooling. It cools the Heat in the Blood, so as to calm the Mind, and enriches the Yin Body Fluids, by guiding Heat from the Nutritive and Blood levels back toward the Qi level. The Heat then gets released via the urine and bowels by the Heat-clearing actions of Lily bulb of this fomula.
Together, this combination effectively eliminates pathogenic Heat in the Blood and Nutritive levels without damaging the Body Fluids.
Read more about Bai He Di Huang Tang
Di Huang is a deputy ingredient in Zhi Gan Cao Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Zhi Gan Cao Tang, Di Huang sweet and cooling. It enriches and moistens so as to restore the Heart Yin and tonifies the Blood.
Together with Zhi Gan Cao, it fills the vessels with Qi and Body Fluids, providing the basis for returning the pulse to its normal status.
Read more about Zhi Gan Cao Tang
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
Read more about Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Long Dan Xie Gan Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Long Dan Xie Gan Tang, Di Huang supplements the Yin to counteract the effect of the bitter, drying herbs in the formula.
Read more about Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang, Di Huang nourishes the Yin and increases the Fluids and thereby softens the Liver and relaxes the sinews.
Read more about Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang, Di Huang relieves the thirst and bitter taste in the mouth. It also protect the Body Fluids from the dry nature of the other herbs.
Read more about Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Run Chang Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Run Chang Wan, Di Huang nourishes the Yin which is the root of this condition.
Read more about Run Chang Wan
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan, Di Huang nourish the Blood and Yin.
The combination of Unprepared Rehmannia, White peony root and Liquorice tonifies Deficiency and generate Blood, thereby providing a tonifying dimension to this formula to counterbalance its attacking aspect.
Read more about Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Huang Tu Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Huang Tu Tang, Di Huang nourishes the Yin and Blood and stop bleeding. Long-term blood loss can lead to Liver Yin and Blood Deficiency, which risks the development of internal Heat.
This herb is added because the warming and acrid herbs in this formula poses
a problem when there is bleeding, as they accentuate the depletion of the Blood and Yin that occurs just from the loss of blood itself.
In addition, their warming nature can incite the reckless movement of Blood that can lead to further bleeding.
Together with other assistant herb of the formula, it counterbalance the warming and drying nature of Atractylodes rhizome and Prepared aconite.
Read more about Huang Tu Tang
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Xiao Feng San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Xiao Feng San, Di Huang
cools the Blood. All assistant herbs help the Blood as a means of extinguishing the Wind.
Read more about Xiao Feng San
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang, Di Huang is sweet and cooling. It tonifies the water to stop the thirst and extinguish the Wind.
Its sweetness is restrained by the sourness of Chinese plum and guided toward transformation into Yin.
Read more about Wu Shi Lian Mei Tang
Di Huang is an assistant ingredient in Dang Gui Yin Zi. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Dang Gui Yin Zi, Di Huang
cools the Blood and clears Heat. It also nourishes Yin and generate Body Fluids.
Read more about Dang Gui Yin Zi
Key TCM concepts behind Di Huang's properties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Di Huang belongs to the 'Herbs that cool the Blood' category. Herbs in this category are used to clear inflammatory and infectious conditions, referred to as 'Internal Heat' in TCM. This is why most of the herbs in this category will have both antibacterial and antiviral properties. In TCM one has too much 'Internal Heat' in their body as a result of a deficiency of 'Yin' (which is Cold in nature, see our explanation on Yin and Yang) or, more commonly, an Excess of Yang (Hot in nature). Herbs that cool the Blood treat the latter and as such tend to be Cold or Neutral in nature.
As suggested by its category Di Huang is Cold in nature. This means that Di Huang typically helps people who have too much 'Heat' in their body. Balance between Yin and Yang is a key health concept in TCM. Those who have too much Heat in their body are said to either have a Yang Excess (because Yang is Hot in nature) or a Yin deficiency (Yin is Cold in Nature). Depending on your condition Di Huang can help restore a harmonious balance between Yin and Yang.
Di Huang also tastes Sweet. The so-called 'Five Phases' theory in Chinese Medicine states that the taste of TCM ingredients is a key determinant of their action in the body. Sweet ingredients like Di Huang tends to slow down acute reactions and detoxify the body. They also have a tonic effect because they replenish Qi and Blood.
The tastes of ingredients in TCM also determine what Organs and Meridians they target. As such Di Huang is thought to target the Heart, the Kidney and the Liver. In addition to regulating Blood flow, in TCM the Heart is believed to be the store of the 'Mind' which basically refers to someone's vitality. The Kidneys do not only regulate the urinary system but also play a key role in the reproductive system and the growth and aging process of the body. The Liver is often referred as the body's "general" because it is in charge of regulating the movements of Qi and the Body Fluids. It also takes a leading role in balancing our emotions.
Research on Di Huang
Shufeng Liangxue Decoction (consisting of rehmannia root) is effective and safe in treating hormone dependence dermatitis.1
Ziyin Tongbi Decoction (consisting of rehmannia root) is effective and safe for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.2
Sources:
1. Bai YS, Zhou CY, Wang JQ. (2008). Clinical observation on auxiliary treatment of hormone dependence dermatitis by shufeng liangxue decoction. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. , 28(12):1121-3.
2. Guo J1, Song CS, Han Q. (2008). Clinical observation on ziyin tongbi decoction in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. , 28(12):1082-5.
